I am a broker, looking for new agents. I far prefer newly licensed agents over those who have worked for other brokers (easier to teach someone how you need things done, then to unteach them bad habits from former brokers).
I want to get an idea from new aents and those considering real estate, what are the most important things you want out of your broker? you have options, so what factors carry the most weight in your decision as to which broker you will choose/already chose?
I think I have a fairly good business model, pay a higher commission than most area brokers to new agents, and they get raises more often. But I know the money isn't the only factor.
Let me know what you are needing/wanting form your broker, please!

Hey Zeph,

I am a broker too recruiting for my company. I can share my experiences with it so far. I am a 100 percent company so most of my money comes off of monthly dues with some closings. 20 percent of agents do 80 percent of the business. That means the other 80 percent eek out a few deals a year.

The top performers are often demanding and don't want to pay hardly anything so you don't make much revenue off of them period.

There are many different types of agents I have found. Some are investors who want to sell a few times a year,grandma's who do a few sales a year, and many part-time agents wanting to go full time.

The ones who have no interest in my plan are the social bunnies.The women who have rich husbands and want to sell a few homes a year with a presitgious firm and go to lunches,gossip,and hang at the office and have a hobby to get out of the house.

Also the top producers are hard to make a switch.They have so many busines cards,signs,marketing etc. it would take astronomical costs to make the switch.For instanc eone top producer has 20 land listing signs at 300.00 apiece. That would be 6k plus other costs to make a switch.For that mutch they could become a broker.

The problem with new or existing agents and fat splits is you are depending on them to follow through and close the business. if they don't close you are holding alot of upfront costs with little coming in. You could give them the best leads but without the right follow up nothing happens or they screw it up and the client hops to another brokerage.

My way is they pay a monthly fee and it's up to them what they do. I will help them anyway I can but not with money.I am running a business and NOT a charity hoping agents repay me back when SOMEDAY they close a sale.

Also forgot to say usually when you train them even if you make them successful when your money would finally roll in that's when they leave for a higher split after you have trained them.

Training would be my number one priority but as super realtor mentioned, once the new guy is trained, what's stopping him from going somewhere else for a better cut?

I'm a soon-to-be agent and I'm curious to know what "bad habits" agents pick up from other brokers.

Be honest... Let the recruits know that they may work hard yet not see a dime for six months. There are brokers here that hint a 100k lifestyle is weeks away.

Donnie, By "bad habits," I mean that not all brokers are ethical, many don't encourage their agents to follow the law or to treat people right. For many, it's just the bottom-line that counts, and it's "Make me sales no matter what you have to do." I don't believe or work that way, so I wouldn't want any agents that have been with a broker that I know does business that way. I know of one broker who teaches her agents to "size people up" within the first 3 minutes and not waste time with anybody who "obviously" doesn't have the means to buy, She teaches them to do this by appearances only (ie: non-name-brand jeans and t-shirts mean no money; a man with scruffy beard means no money; a woman with no make-up and unstyled hair means no money; people acting nervous means no money). these things are NOT accurate and shouldn't be used to determine whether someone is "worth" working with. It works for me because I often get the buyers who have been snubbed by other agents, and I sell them properties.
My point is, if a brand new agent goes to work for one of those kinds of brokers, stays there awhile, learns not to give disclosure forms, not to disclose material defects that could kill a deal, encourages sellers to cover-up problems, etc, then I don't want them working for me because when push comes to shove, they are likely to fall into the pattern of doing something wrong to make a deal and make some money. I don't want that...
And I am brutally honest about the money they are likely to make, or not make. I show how many sales closed in the past 3 months compared to how many agents on our board and point out that about 1/3 of the local agents have had NO transactions close in the past 3 months, and about 20% for 6 months; and I try to determine if they can survive without an income at least for that long.
Brantford- What kind of training? Formal classroom training or one-on-one, more a mentoring thing? And as for a better cut, my agents get raises with every sale until they cap-out, and with minimal fees (MLS fees and $10 a month towards E&O). I don't think they will find better in this area, unless they belive those brokers who basically promise they will have more transactions...
Any other suggestions?

Hey Zephyr,

I like the way you think. As for training, I was thinking along the lines of formal training. Give the agent some tools so that he/she has a chance of success.