Value Real Estate

I am going through the same thing you are. I am in the process of opening my own company and just finished incorporating it. It is definately difficult to think of a good name.

I was named after my 2 great grandfathers. My first name Benjamin came from one and my middle name Robert came from the other. I decided it would be nice to use their names for my company.

The one I took my first name from I used his middle and the one I took my middle name from I used his first. I came up with Taylor Donovan Realty, Inc.

I've been told it has a ring to it. It also sounds like a Coldwell Banker or Keller Williams. It has the potential to be a large company if I so desire, yet it is still a family name.

Great topic and great ideas everyone. Some of you are so creative. I wish I'd read a thread like this when I was thinking of my company name. Regarding the post below, an important factor to consider is that although many agents use their names, those are agents who chose to work under a broker, not start their own brokerages. In my area, many top producing agents choose to work under their own name and they are actually quite smart not to promote their broker (except as legally required) but to promote themselves.
*But* in deciding what to name your company, it does depend on what your vision is. Some brokerages are not started because the broker wants to sell homes, but because the broker wants to one day sell his or her business.

In that case, you may not want to use your name. That being said, my co name consists of the owner's initials followed by Real Estate. So, *I* know it's personal, but it doesn't sound personal to others. Plus, I have a slogan tied to the initials that I can use as a tag line.

"Some brokerages are not started because the broker wants to sell homes, but because the broker wants to one day sell his or her business."


very true...

me personally. i advertise


firstname lastname real estate

and have my brokers symbol and number in the bottom corner of my advertising to meet the legal requirements.

I struggled with my company name also.... in the end we named it "Homes By Ursula". My name is unusual enough that I had automatic name recognition and creditbility. (although in Atlanta there was at one 9 real estate agents with the name Ursula.... down to six now.. I am chasing them all away...lol.

It is not my favorite as it goes due to the fact that I think it sounds like a builder but it has been working for me. We also now have "Commercial By Ursula"...

If you have a strong presence as an individual using your name may be a good idea. I know when I retire if I decide to sell it will still sell - I have already had a couple of people talk to me about it....

For whatever reason it does seem to work. My marketing degree couldnt help me with this one....

Ursula has a good point about name recognition. I had been with my former sponsor about 9 years when I decided to go on my own 3 years ago. Obviously in 9 years I built some degree of name recoginition even if it was with another broker. When I went in business on my own I decided that I would do business under my personal name. Seems to have worked well so far!

Hmm.... I chose my company name because it's my domain name. Keep it simple but memorable.

If you are a virtual office how are you going to supervise your agents? In Michigan, the buck stops with the broker...and when the agent wads up a deal, its the broker that has to fix it.

My least favorite call goes something like this..."My name is Mr. Pissed Off, I am working with one of your agents and I would like to speak with the broker." My office manager pages my partner and I saying, "Some on line 1 wants to talk to the broker." We both yell "not it!" It's nice to have a business partner to share those calls with.

20 virtual agents with virtually no broker oversite sounds like a reciept for a lawsuit. I suppose it is worth a shot though.

The majority of brick and mortar offices around here do not even attempt to supervise their agents. I talked to one agent who had never even met their broker in the 2 years he was with that office. I know of several offices using straw brokers. I know several offices with brokers who barely know enough to write a contract let alone supervise agents, my prior broker being one of them.

I have a virtual office and only one agent right now and he doesn't do anything I am not aware of. Email, fax and phone is the same as in person when it comes to document review.

Broker oversight depends on the quality of the broker, not their proximity to their agents.

I recently started a new brokerage and also struggled with the name. I didn't know if other agents would be as eager to join my company if I used my name (which is not well known in this area).

I focused on short, easy to brand possibilities where I could get the domain name, DRE registration and California Corporation. I finally came up with Aim Real Estate Group. The name was available in all the right places and I was able to get the domain AimREG.com – 6 letters for a new domain name is pretty good. (One of the places I worked at was me@heritageamericafinancial.com Aaagh! Try getting your clients to correctly type in nearly 25 letters to send you an email. Never again.)

With no other reference or context for the name, I get a lot of friends and relatives raising an eyebrow at my choice of Aim for the name . . . but they all shop at Target so I just smile and shrug it off. I came up with a logo and the tag “Targeting Great Deals In The Inland Empire!” – seems to be working.

[img]http://www.liltopper.com/images/aim.jpg[/img]

I just noticed the topic started back in September. Zorich – Did you decide on a name?

After weeks of thinking of a name, I just went with my own last name and added Realty Group...not very original but was sick of thinking.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I really like the name and it definitely has a ring to it.

[quote]Broker oversight depends on the quality of the broker, not their proximity to their agents.[/quote]

I couldn't agree more Bigtoe. After reading my post, I see it was a bit negative. I appologize and want to wish you the best of luck in your endeavor.

Regarding the name, my biz partner and I used our last names because we were some what established in our area. Bauer-Reno & Associates Real Estate LLC.

I was surprised at how may people where unfamilar with the name "Bauer" (hockey sticks, Eddie Bauer clothing etc.)

On the positive side we are one of the first names listed in the real estate section of the phone book and in several web directories..."B"

At the end of the day, I don't think it matters that much. We were fortunate to grow quickly and have a pretty good sign and logo design. It wasn't too long and our market could pronouce Bauer.

Just get a truck load of signs out, and people will know who to call.

My previous broker named his from his street name and then added realty, and it was not bad either.
Someone I know had his from last name which is "singh" common last name in indians when people call they think it is "sing" :)