Let's face it...

You all could have thought of 50 reasons why its all been done before in the Brokerage world or real estate, and frankly, probably right in your backyard...So what motivation did you draw from to give you the confidence to go compete in your market place? i.e. Why should agents come to your company?, etc.

Frankly, the one of the main motivations for me to open my own brokerage has been annoying agents. I know that sounds a little nuts but one of the most frustrating things for me has been having really incompetent agents working in the same office with me.

I don't mind them being from another office. In those cases, I only have to deal with them when they are representing someone else and I get to negotiate against them - which I find very satisfying. In other words, when they are my adversary, I am ok with their incompetence since it works in my favor usually.

Even more honestly, I am a bit of a control freak. I am also someone who is convinced that I can simply do it better. I have worked for and observed lots of offices and I have yet to see one that I think really gets a strong synergy going between the agents the tools they use. Most offices just seem to either seize the whole process away from the agent and micromanage everything or throw the tools and agents into a big hopper and shake it hoping that something good will come spilling out.

I believe there is a middle ground where agents are actually given the room to do their jobs with tools that actually enhance the process rather than sap away whatever momentum the agents have managed to stir up.

Whether I am right or wrong (or just plain full of it) has yet to be seen - I don't open my office till later this year.

As for how I will draw agents in, that is a good question. Even if the system I work out is the best in the world, nobody will no about it unless I tell them about it. I suppose I will approach very specific agents at first. I have even considered <shudder> doing a mass email to all the agents in my area.

R

Rebel,

Must say, you have an amazing writing ability. I am so happy I am not competing with you in my market! No seriously though, that was an incredible answer. One I can relate to. I suppose Diddo would be a bit anti-climatic but you've helped me to see that others think like me. I admire that you had the talent to put it in writing. I believe you will be extremely successul.

Hilarious about the annoying agents. The Real Estate Market needs more discipline and professionalism for sure and an organic striving for excellence like you pursue.

The I can do it better mentality will flow into the "We" Team concept nicely for sure. Newbies and the seasoned agents will see, smell, and touch the confidence and come over to Team Robert!

I'm definitely going the mass email route after I get my systems in place! I'm a fan Rebel...Looking forward to your continued success.

J

Ditto what RebelBroker said for me going out on my own. When I first went out on my own I wasn't planning on hiring agents. Then I had a couple of agents that I knew ask if they could come work with me, and so it all began. Then I started working like mad to get systems and training in place.
I had a couple of other people I knew start real estate school and I hired them and a few of their classmates. I really enjoyed training and setting up the company MUCH more than I expected, so over the last year my focus has been shifting from sales to building the brokerage. 2007 is going to be the first year that I really start trying to recruit and build the brokerage- and I am concerned about getting the company name out there.
Right now I'm starting my first campaign on the radio for a seminar on Getting Started in Real Estate this Thursday. I think my training is a huge draw for the company, so I'm putting my best foot forward and doing a class to set that first impression.

Thanks for the compliment regarding my writing. Its nice to know you forgive my occasional egregious errors (IE: In my original reply above, "no" should have been "know" - my English teacher Mother would kick my butt if she saw that!)

We will see how things pan out. We live in a "put up or shut up" kind of world, and I have yet to "put up" - and if this board is any indicator, I am not ready to shut up.

Whether my experience becomes something worth emulating or a cautionary tale is yet to be seen. I have to admit I am pretty damn excited, regardless.

R

Carla,

It will be interesting to find out whether great training platforms will equal success or major headaches.

From seeig your success to date, I'm thinking it will be a success. We'll have to wait and see for sure.

Justin

Training has been hands-down my favorite part of all this, so I'll stick with it no matter what. I don't cosider it a head-ache because I enjoy it so much. I think you should persue what you're passionate about, and I happen to have a passion for training. If someone isn't passionate about it, it would probably be a head-ache. If it's a head-ache for someone, it probably won't be very successful for them. Make your focus something that you love, and (eventaully) it will work for you.

I wanted to go out on my own to make a change in our industry. Agents, as a whole, do not have a good reputation with the public. Our industry is trusted on a level between attorneys and used car salesmen. I am determined to prove that belief wrong. I want to show the public that there are agents that are not "just about the money".

great thoughts! Thank you all!