I was researching something on the old Planet Realtor, now Called The Far Site...It basically has lost the spark it used to have...I believe the spark went to a place called Active Rain. Funy thing, when I was looking for something I read a post about agent support in brokerages, and began reading some of the comments.
One comment was very familiar, and when I got to the bottom I was surprised to see my name as author..I was responding to Mr Scott Daniels, who is a valued member of this forum...My thoughts haven't changed on most of this, but I do feel differently on the role of Brokers, and somewhat about Real Estate in general...
Anyway, I have posted this to remember me, and the changes in my thoughts over the last year of never ending learning and growth!!
Nice letter, well put. I have to commend you on taking the time to write the letter. While it is not totally inclusive, it does lend itself well to the point that you intend to suport your agents so that they can have more time to do more business with new clients.
The fatal flaw with most brokerages is in thier effort to gain more Realtors, they miss the point of adequeetly training and supporting the good agents that they already have.
A small firm of 6 or so well trained agents, that operate as a team, can out perform most of the big box franchise operations that claim to have 60-80 agents. I have seen that the brokers want to proclaim that they have truckloads of agents in all theirs ads. They seem to leave out that most of them are not doing any business, and that taking the time for individual mentoring is out of the question due to the fact that they have so many agents. Do you see the paradox??
The insurance industry that I used to belong to took a different tack on bringing in agents. They brought in one or two at a time trained them in a classroom for weeks, and them put them into the field with an experienced agent that was being paid to take the new agent under his wing for about 30 days or so. Constant support and tutoring/mentoring gives the new agent a fighting chance to make it. Even more importantly, the customers of the new agent get quality service on very important finacial matters.
Not so in the case of most new Realtors. They lose deals, mess up deals, and in general put the home buying and selling public at risk until there is some lessons learned.
Scott, I commend you on recognising the importance of training and support for new and experienced agents.If I had known of your training and support, I would have driven to your area for my start up. Instead, I wasted the first six months of my Real Estate career. Just before I was going to quit, I found a mentor to help me get basic hands on mentoring and training. The next few months of proper support and training produced a pile of listings and 5 deals that closed. We split company after that(literally) but I saw the difference in a quality mentoring project.
I used to write about this stuff in the old Planet Realtor, and have been passing on the knowlege I have gained onto new Realtors. I have taken the time to work in a mentoring capacity for a few Rookies that seem to be needing help. I also joined the education committee at my local board and am part of a great new project that teaches hands on training of the many software programs that we as Realtors must use to be successful. Its off to a slow start, but like the small child tossing starfish back into the sea, the ones we can help are making a difference, to them.
Thanks for you and the other few brokers who seem to care about the survival of the Realtors who come to work for them. It seems to make good business sense to do what you are doing, I think it would actually be more profitable in the long run and short run.
I look to build a team such as you have done, I would love to visit your operation and see it first hand. In the meantime, if I have any reason to refer business in your area, I would not hesitate to send it to your firm.
Mike Norvell Sr
Mikenorvell.com
Mikenorvell@earthlink.net
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