Special offer
Home > Blogs > Barry Owen > Barry Owen's Blog
bookmark_border

How often should a REALTOR meet with his/her Principal Broker?

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Pareto Realty TN #251071

In this vast world of virtual offices, it’s conceivable that a REALTOR could transact LOTS of business without ever setting foot in the office.

Getting eyeball-to-eyeball with the Principal Broker could be a rarity.

Is this a good thing?

Well – I guess it can be good . . . until something goes wonky.

Here in Tennessee, the Real Estate Commission (TREC) has upped the ante significantly with respect to Broker responsibility for the actions of the affiliate Brokers. When an affiliate misbehaves, the Broker is often held/punished equally.

Some folks might argue that real estate agents are independent contractors and work for themselves . . . and by definition, the Broker cannot “REQUIRE” them to attend meetings.

Perhaps not, BUT In my office, I offer weekly meetings EVERY TUESDAY @ 10 AM til we’re done for some old fashioned belly to belly Broker:Affiliate quality time together.

Whether it be one agent or all 20, I devote this time to my agents if for no other reason than to allow them to vent . . . or reassure them that I’ve got their backs when trouble emerges . . . Just a warm touch.

Additionally, I offer 15-30 minute 1:1 coaching sessions for Business building boosts every Friday.

I encourage our Members to engage in the local association, and we have office celebrations around all of the usual holidays and anniversaries and birthdays.

The Real Estate Office is the Professional Home for the agents . . . the safe place to go for rejuvenation.

We do all of this AND we are “paperless” with virtual access and virtual phone system etc . . .

My point?

Just because we CAN be completely virtual remotely doesn’t mean we should.

I think there’s HUGE value to gathering as frequently as possible.

and I can confidently say that I have direct contact with every one of our agents at a minimum MONTHLY because we want to see each other, not because we have to.

So . . . If you rarely visit your office, and you don’t miss your Broker, why?

About 

Residential Real Estate Principal Broker and Founder of Pareto Realty, LLC. Creating the quintessential real estate firm with emphasis on "Live, Work, & Play" balance . . . and a true Performance Oriented environment for Real Estate Professionals. Serving the Real estate needs of Home Buyers and Sellers in Middle Tennessee.

Posted by

Barry Owen

Founder
Principal Broker
Pareto Realty
Nashville, TN

615.502.2080
www.paretorealty.co  
Call me: 615-568-2123
email me: barryo@comcast.net

Twitter

Facebook

Linkedin

Simply & BOLDLY Living the FourFold Way in Open Space!

Quintessentially connected to the real estate industry to offer the ultimate experience for Home Buyers and Sellers in Middle Tennessee . . . Inquire within!

Show All Comments
Rob D. Shepherd
RETIRED - Florence, OR
RETIRED

We have 2 short office meetings a week (about 15 minutes). We all make about 90% of them.

Feb 16, 2016 10:40 PM
Stephanie & John Webb
Latte Stone Realty LLC - Albuquerque, NM
Stephanie Webb Co-Owner, Latte Stone Realty, LLC

Our company meets once a month. However our Broker does one on one/ coaching sessions daily for whomever needs it. He is a phone call away, doesnt matter what time, he answers, he responds immediately to texts, and emails so he basically is around 24/7. 

Feb 16, 2016 10:41 PM
Rob Arnold
Sand Dollar Realty Group, Inc. - Altamonte Springs, FL
Metro Orlando Full Service - Investor Friendly & F

Because our town is so spread out - literally 50 miles from one side to the other in our tri-county, most of my interaction with agents is via phone, text, and email.  It can be challenging but it is important to stay in contact with your agents as much as possible. One thing I did start doing a few years ago is doing conference call/webinar meetings when we do our regular trainings via Webex software.  This increased attendance by nearly 100%.  

Feb 16, 2016 11:11 PM
Jeanne Gregory
RE/MAX Southwest - Sugar Land, TX
The most important home I sell is YOURS!

I have a broker?  Just kidding.  Seriously, I used to work for smaller companies and found the meetings to be a huge waste of time.  There was too much chit chat, nothing started on time and most of us found that we had to leave before it was over.  Now, I realize that was the broker's fault by not managing the meeting correctly.  My broker now is available when I need her, but she stays out of my business. 

Feb 16, 2016 11:34 PM
Nancy Alexander

Thanks for the giggle! I appreciate  well run meetings offering good information.

Feb 17, 2016 07:52 AM
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

We all operate on very high levels of communication and need to know

Feb 17, 2016 12:18 AM
David Alan Baker | Laveen & South Phoenix Realtor
Keller Williams Realty Phoenix - Laveen, AZ
Your local Expert

I'm in a large brokerage, 7000 agents give or take. We have mutliple offices, and offices have managers that do monthly meetings, and broker goes.  I don't very often.  If i need something I call.  I used to be at a 100 agent office,then also at a 25 agent office.  Nice experiences both of them, and I did like the relation more.  Yet, I'm ok with this at this point.

Feb 17, 2016 03:43 AM
Karen Feltman
Cedar Rapids/Iowa City, IA KW Legacy Group - Cedar Rapids, IA
Relocation Specialist in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

We have office meetings twice a month. There are specific topics that we know ahead of time, there is a company newsletter to let us know the other office locations' meeting info in case we want to sit in at another meeting. We have four offices and 5 managing brokers. With about 200 agents, this works. We have quarterly meetings for the entire company and I would say over half of the agents are there for those. Our bi-weekly meetings start on time and last an hour. Period. Usually there is a vendor to speak for 10 minutes at the beginning and a panel discussion at the end for 10-15 minutes. I see my broker on an almost daily basis as I am in the office every day. She manages about 60 of us with another managing broker and still has time to work with new agents weekly as well. 

Feb 17, 2016 05:32 AM
Praful Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Burlington, MA
Metro Boston Homes For Sale

Barry Owen working from home does not mean we are cut off from broker and other agents.

I'd say, I am fortunate to have a great broker/owner and we do meet and talk often.

Feb 17, 2016 01:57 PM
Amanda Christiansen
Christiansen Group Realty (260)704-0843 - Fort Wayne, IN
Christiansen Group Realty

We have one mandatory meeting a year, and that's for team leaders.  Otherwise we come and go as we please.  

Our broker and managing broker hold classes weekly that we'll pop in and attend from time to time.  

Our office is 180 + agents strong but our broker makes himself available as much as he can when needed.  

Feb 18, 2016 04:36 AM
Brenda Whitman, Live in Laramie Real Estate
Live in Laramie Real Estate, Laramie, Wyoming - Laramie, WY
Broker/Co-Owner, Laramie, Wyoming

Hmmm, I can't imagine not seeing my broker all the time - though we do live in a much smaller area/town.  I've been lucky enough to work for two awesome brokers who have always been there to consult with.  And while I consider myself somewhat experienced, it is always amazing how having the broker there to bounce things off of opens the door to so many more learning opportunites...

Feb 18, 2016 10:52 AM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

How things change... I let my license go 11 years ago - and at that time in our small town the idea of a virtual office would have been paralell to the idea of flying cars to get us over icy and muddy roads. 

Agents might work from home now and then, but everyone did floor time. 

Feb 18, 2016 12:01 PM
Kimo Jarrett
Cyber Properties - Huntington Beach, CA
Pro Lifestyle Solutions

Brokers are responsible for the actions of their agents, so, it's essential IMO that they are supervised, trained and monitored effectively regardless of the agents experience. However, many Brokers IMO fail in their responsibility to supervise their agents activities and actions. 

Feb 18, 2016 03:14 PM
Sandra Early
World Impact Real Estate - Destin, FL
Sandra Sells Castles In Paradise

Great post! I have been thinking about this for the past year. 12 years ago when I was a new agent we had to go to the office to turn in physical contracts and have real signatures. Fast forward...with todays tech it seems as if virtually no one works in an office or is ever in the office. I enjoy working solo out of my home office but confess I do miss the interaction I use to have with other agents. Fortuately/unfortuately this is the new dynamics of real estate.

Feb 18, 2016 10:01 PM
Ron Aguilar
Gateway Mortgage Group - Saint George, UT
Mortgage & Real Estate Advisor since 1995

Excellent subject with very good comments. If I was a Broker, I would make sure to stay in touch at least 2 times per month whether its needed or not...

Feb 18, 2016 11:42 PM
Theresa Akin
CORPUS CHRISTI REALTY GROUP - Corpus Christi, TX

I'm in contact with my broker often as the rest of the agents in our brokerage. We have a monthly meeting the 3rd Tuesday of every month but can also get with him and the other agents in between. He is very tech savvy and on a couple tech committees. Our meetings are very informative. Usually they include an affiliate from a mortgage/lending compnay, title or service warranty or pest control. We get a lot accomplished. Excuses for not showing up are usually client showings, closings, or illness or family business. He's very family oriented.  If we need to see him face to face, it is usually within 24 hours unless he's out of town. Always encouraging and uplifting and motivational meetings.

Feb 19, 2016 01:02 AM
Gene Riemenschneider
Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA
Turning Houses into Homes

I think Brokers should be held responsible for their employees.  That is the entire point of the Broker - Agent relationship.  How often is a matter of experience.  Now a very experienced agent that only needs cursury review and has occassional questions probably does not need to meet with the broker very often.  On the other hand a new agent that needs lots of supervision and help marketing may need to see the broker several times a week. Of course commission split would/should reflect how much help the agent needs.

Feb 19, 2016 01:58 AM
Barry Owen
Pareto Realty - Nashville, TN

I must say that it is very refreshing to read most of the comments to this post. So many Brokers are maintaining appropriate Contact and supervision of their Affiliates whether they are more or less virtual. Perhaps I was mostly preaching to the choir? Also seeing some pretty great "masterminding here" on ways to keep agents engaged in the office . . . And SO cool to see agents who are clearly very loyal to and appreciative of their Brokers. Thank you for all of the great comments!

Feb 19, 2016 02:50 AM
Susan McCall - - Compass Realty Solutions
Compass Realty Solutions - Portland, OR
Listing and Buyer's Agent

I started off in a national brokerage that REQUIRED attendance at the weekly meetings and sent a sign up sheet around.  

In between then and now I worked at a really great brokerage that had training and "breakfast" meetings at a restaurant where speakers would do presentations.

I kinda miss those days.  It was fun to connect with people and have some one else plan part of your realtor experience, even for an hour,

Feb 19, 2016 08:44 AM
John Pusa
Glendale, CA

Barry Owen This is a very good blog about how often agents meet principal broker.

Feb 20, 2016 09:22 AM
Craig Cooper
Chase International Real Estate - Tahoe City, CA
Creating-Preserving-Growing Wealth in Real Estate

Barry, the continuing education required today for a RE agent to perform at a level that protects the agent and broker from liability is significant. If the broker doesn't make it happen they are crazy! If the agent doesn't accept the training, they are not careful! 

Feb 20, 2016 06:47 PM
Back to Top
Rainmaker
979,171

Barry Owen

Profile
Blog
local_phone(615) 502-2080
smartphone(615) 568-2123
Contact The Author

Service Areas

  • Nashville, TN
  • Brentwood, TN

Real Estate Resources

Additional Information

Stream of consciousness commentary on the real estate industry from the perspective of a Principal Real Estate Broker and Founder of Pareto REalty, LLC in Middlle Tennessee - Also a Career Development Coach with vast Organizational Development/Transformation training and experience - in the industry since 1993

What's the reason you're reporting this blog entry?

Are you sure you want to report this blog entry as spam?