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BiggJoe - Aren't the hours pretty much set for an on-site agent? I don't really need all the benefits. I mean, they are nice and all, but flexibility is more important to me. My husband's job provides great benefits.
Elke Marrioti - I'm in Texas.
@ Pegotty - Yes the hours are pretty much set. You work 5 days a week. Work most weekends (you get 1 weekend off per month) and the hours vary. I've worked at companies where the on site hours were 11 to 5 and others where the hours were 10 to 7. It just depends on the company.
I have no general brokerage experience so I can't give that view but I think I am one of the few on site agents that post in this forum.
Well then, I'd check around for a little "mom and pop" real estate office that is not as interested in sending forth a slick, professional image. I'm sure that someone at your daughters school or your church also "dabbles" in real estate, it sounds like you would fit in quite well there.
20yrsinBranson
Woah.
Do you always take yourself so seriously? You sound like an absolute JOY to work with.....
I can see both sides of this developing argument.... It is very annoying to deal with other agents that never answer their cell phone and are rarely in the office. When you take a listing or start working with a Buyer you give up the ability to fall off the planet. The key to work life balance in this business is having an good cell phone with all your contacts in it, email and fax-to-email... and never leaving overnight without your laptop. In this business you MUST answer that cell phone and you must reply to emails in timely fashion - nights, weekends, whatever. This doesn't mean you have to live it the office but you damn well better make yourself accessible. We had an agent that didn't have v-mail for a few months and it nearly ruined his career.. You can have worklife balance you just have to remember what you do and how quickly you do it affects someone else's life and you don't get to be selfish with your time.
When you make the decision on where to hang your license, always ALWAYS make the move based on the principal broker and not a hot air balloon or his/her shiny gold jacket.
While each company has their own philosophy, mission statements and training program - the individual office vibe will vary greatly and a lot (if not most) of that has to do with the way each broker runs their office.
There are great KW offices - and there are craptastic ones ... and the same can be said for EVERY big box brokerage name.
And ... don't ever count out your local boutique brokerages. (My own view is that the big box brokers are on the way out the door ... but that's a different topic for a different day.)
I can see both sides of this developing argument.... It is very annoying to deal with other agents that never answer their cell phone and are rarely in the office. When you take a listing or start working with a Buyer you give up the ability to fall off the planet. The key to work life balance in this business is having an good cell phone with all your contacts in it, email and fax-to-email... and never leaving overnight without your laptop. In this business you MUST answer that cell phone and you must reply to emails in timely fashion - nights, weekends, whatever. This doesn't mean you have to live it the office but you damn well better make yourself accessible. We had an agent that didn't have v-mail for a few months and it nearly ruined his career.. You can have worklife balance you just have to remember what you do and how quickly you do it affects someone else's life and you don't get to be selfish with your time.
Yes, I totally get this. I have been on the other end of unavailable realtors many times. Thanks for the reminder.
And ... don't ever count out your local boutique brokerages. (My own view is that the big box brokers are on the way out the door ... but that's a different topic for a different day.)
I hate to tell ya this but not every area is ruled by the franchise brokers... There are plenty of terrific "boutique brokerages", so good in fact that the franchises have pulled up stakes.
If you are going to make the commitment to be a Real Estate agent then you have to make that your primary focus. You have to be motivated, dedicated and willing to "do whatever it takes" to be successful.
There is NOTHING more frustrating on earth than having a buyer for a house and not being able to contact the listing agent because they are taking their daughter to dance lessons or are simply "too busy" with their personal life to return the call.
Real estate is serious business and it should be treated and respected as such.
Why not open a flower shop where other people's living is not dependent upon your well-balanced life philosophy?
20yrsinBranson
You'd be frustrated a lot out here in Oregon. I rarely run into an agent that is so crazed that they answer their phone all the time. I handle all appointments for my sellers and 95% of the time they are scheduled at least 24 hours in advance (not an MLS requirement) just because agents have lives outside of real estate here. Having a life is normal out here. I would never expect someone to answer a phone call during a cub scout meeting, taking their grand kids to the movies, or socializing with their book club friends and I wouldn't get frustrated by it. Real estate isn't an emergency situation. Taking three days to return a phone call is an issue, but that is a different issue than the expectation that someone answer their phone all the time.
So to the OP, brand doesn't matter as much as the broker that will train you. I suggest getting online and looking at the quality of the marketing for a company. Is it generally, consistently good? If so, then the broker cares about quality marketing and the product that is being represented by the brokerage so that is a good sign.
Remember that each big name brokerage is independently owned so quality varies from brokerage to brokerage. I never worked for a franchise and started with independents because they were a better fit for me. You can check into some of the independents in your area, but sometimes they don't have the bandwith to properly train agents so make sure to ask about that.
I hate to tell ya this but not every area is ruled by the franchise brokers... There are plenty of terrific "boutique brokerages", so good in fact that the franchises have pulled up stakes.
When you make the decision on where to hang your license, always ALWAYS make the move based on the principal broker and not a hot air balloon or his/her shiny gold jacket.
While each company has their own philosophy, mission statements and training program - the individual office vibe will vary greatly and a lot (if not most) of that has to do with the way each broker runs their office.
There are great KW offices - and there are craptastic ones ... and the same can be said for EVERY big box brokerage name.
And ... don't ever count out your local boutique brokerages. (My own view is that the big box brokers are on the way out the door ... but that's a different topic for a different day.)
An excellent piece of writing. Very good, very insightful!
"And ... don't ever count out your local boutique brokerages."
Yeah that's what you wrote, did you read it? LOL
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