Thread: Which company to work for?

The biggest thing you need to decide (in my opinion) is whether you want to go with a flat fee, or a split.

With a flat fee, as long as you maintain a certain amount of closings, your income can be far higher.

It sounds like you may not have a lot of time to sell real estate right away, so you will probably want to get on a split. This eliminates most of the monthly fees, so if you don't sell a lot, you don't have to worry about paying the higher monthly fee.

Another tip: Don't worry too much about the big name companies. I have found that with a solid marketing plan, you can close just as many sales working at a smaller company that is not as well known. The advantage? Most smaller companies will let you keep more of your commission. The big name companies tend to charge you more.

If you decide to go with a smaller company, do your homework and make sure they are professional. You don't want them to go out of business, or be disorganized and not pay you on time. I have had both of these happen to me before! I ended up settling in to a mid-sized company with about 60 agents, and have been very happy.

yall should come work at USA realty here in Dallas

I would find a TEAM to work on, because you're newer and don't have the time to devote to the business, you'll want a solid group behind you to lean on.

Doesn't matter which RE Broker it is, as long as they are recognized in your area and have a business structure that fits with your needs.

On an unrelated note, it sounds like you have had your license for a year but not actively selling...? Is this true?

I would caution you about trying to do Real Estate "part time" and thinking you'll have a lot of success at it. The fact is that the average agent only sells about 8 homes a year, and as a part time agent you may actually sell less than that. I would always recommend to newer agents that they consider going full time within 6 months of starting, because the time you put into the business will exponentially produce more results.

Originally Posted by First Time Home Buyers

I would find a TEAM to work on, because you're newer and don't have the time to devote to the business, you'll want a solid group behind you to lean on.

Doesn't matter which RE Broker it is, as long as they are recognized in your area and have a business structure that fits with your needs.

On an unrelated note, it sounds like you have had your license for a year but not actively selling...? Is this true?
I received my license over one year ago however considering the current financial state the country is [was] in ... I decided to wait.
I recently however completed the two additional courses which is required to remove the 'provisional' (or whatever term is used) from the initial license issued, and I feel the the time to begin is now, while the seas are 'somewhat' calm.

I would caution you about trying to do Real Estate "part time" and thinking you'll have a lot of success at it. The fact is that the average agent only sells about 8 homes a year, and as a part time agent you may actually sell less than that. I would always recommend to newer agents that they consider going full time within 6 months of starting, because the time you put into the business will exponentially produce more results.
Yes, I understand the realities, What I'm more interested in is learning (as opposed to earning) the business of Real Estate. I want to learn as much as I can, then when I'm comfortable and confident about my duties, I will put my focus on actual selling.

Thanks for the advice

Originally Posted by James Marshall

Yes, I understand the realities, What I'm more interested in is learning (as opposed to earning) the business of Real Estate. I want to learn as much as I can, then when I'm comfortable and confident about my duties, I will put my focus on actual selling.

James,

Sounds good. Just make sure you don't wait forever because you don't know everything. You'll never know as much as you want, and whenever you do actually start, you'll feel uncomfortable and vulnerable. It's just a part of the game. In fact, if you're not stepping outside your comfort zone you're probably not doing much.

I was the same away a coupe years ago. Just wanted to know everything and then start selling my butt off. Well, I didn't know everything and didn't even feel very confident at the start, but after a while of just "doing" stuff it all came together.

Originally Posted by First Time Home Buyers

James,

Sounds good. Just make sure you don't wait forever because you don't know everything. You'll never know as much as you want, and whenever you do actually start, you'll feel uncomfortable and vulnerable. It's just a part of the game. In fact, if you're not stepping outside your comfort zone you're probably not doing much.

I was the same away a coupe years ago. Just wanted to know everything and then start selling my butt off. Well, I didn't know everything and didn't even feel very confident at the start, but after a while of just "doing" stuff it all came together.

Good advice indeed! Yes, I think someone once said - "life begins outside of the comfort zone."
I'm very excited about making this move, I intend on selecting a company within the next few weeks. I just need to remind myself that it is going to take time and work without much in return, at first.

It's not such a bad idea to learn first before actively selling.

Is it possible that you could apprentice yourself to a top performer in order to do the admin side? This would be calling for appointments, managing his/her schedule, following up on queries relating to the property or the sales process (including legislative and regulatory issues), etc, etc. In short, seeing first hand every single stage of the selling/buying process.

One of my clients did this and was able to be very successful right from the start when she started selling in her own right.