My Move to Keller Williams: Turning a New Page

"Without change, something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken."  Frank Herbert 

I recently made the decision to change brokerages. Trust me when I say that it was a difficult decision to make. I tend to be a very loyal team player and don't jump ship whenever the grass looks greener.

It's not like my previous brokerage had given me cause to leave. The owners were both fun, smart, business-savvy guys, the managing broker was knowledgeable and supportive, the other agents were great. It was just that an opportunity came along that was very attractive and hard to resist.

I first met Matt Thomson here on ActiveRain. Since we were Kitsap Peninsula neighbors, we interacted online and through an ocassional phone call. Matt was an agent with Keller Williams West Sound in Gig Harbor.

Matt had some Seller clients who owned a newer triple-wide manufactured home over near DeWatto Bay (a fairly remote area) with views of the Hood Canal and the Olympic Mountains. Their home had been on the market for over a year, with no showings during the past 6 months.

We assessed that the listing price was accurate, but the property wasn't being marketed properly. It was an awesome home and just needed someone to adequately convey it's value and generate effective online exposure. Matt and I decided to co-list the property and combine our digital talents.

Within a few short weeks, we were under contract with a viable Buyer at full price.

My friendship with Matt continued, and he would call me several times throughout the year to check up on me, ask about my family, and tell me about Keller Williams. He eventually became part owner of the local Keller Williams office in Gig Harbor.

What I learned was that Keller Williams was uniquely different from all the other real estate brokerages in the country.

• All agents and brokers are on a level playing field. There are no special 'sweetheart' deals cut to entice and allure. Everyone has the same commission split and plateau (with the exception of married couple teams, who are only required to reach one plateau).

• Keller Williams is an 'Open Book' company, meaning that any licensee can access their financials and accounting records. They routinely share their office's monthly profit/loss status at the weekly team meetings.

• Perhaps the most attractive element of Keller Williams is their culture, which begins with co-founder Gary Keller's business philosophy of "God first, family second, and business third." These foundational priorities create a values-based culture that breeds strong ethics, mutual respect, a commitment to serving others, and giving generously.

• Kellers Williams is a bottom-up company, versus the typical top-down business model you find at most traditional brokerages. Agents/brokers are treated as partners, not employees. Each member of the team has a valued input into how the company operates.

• Keller Williams offers an amazing profit sharing opportunity where the owners set aside approximately 48% of the company profits which are placed into a pool that is divided among participating agents/brokers.

• Keller Williams is on the cutting edge of technology and education. With over 75,000 agents and brokers, they can effectively leverage and implement the latest and greatest technology advancements. Whether it's locally-based, regional, national, or online courses and webinars, Keller Williams is at the forefront of providing top-notch educational opportunities.