Hi! I just got my license activated and registered with a Keller Williams office. But the problem is that I am not going to work directly and only with a broker, there is like a "middle realtor" in between that is going to have a cut of all the commission I make. He is the leader of the team, he gets 40% of the commission that his agents make, and the agents also have to give a 14% cut to the broker, so in total is 58% cut of the commission. This leader invest directly on marketing so his agents get leads, so that's why he gets that cut. The problem is: I don't see that the other agents (we are only 3) are getting good leads for the last 6 months from him. He gets his 40% cut, no matter if its from our own leads or his leads. I decided on the beginning to work with him because I thought he would be my mentor and will give me personalized training, but now I see that I was wrong. He is always "busy and overwhelmed", he never has time, and only tell me to go to the classes that the office offer in training. I don't say its bad, of course its good, but I could have the same training if I work directly with the broker without him in that office and not giving 40% of what I make. I was expecting from him some mentoring and getting better leads, but just knowing that his other agents are not getting good leads, don't know what to do. He also don't let his agents be seller's agents, he wants to be the only seller's agent of the team.

Do you think that for a new real estate agent, starting from scratch, its ok to get 42% of commission? Isn't that too little? I know I'm new, I have to learn and need training, but I don't want to be exploited. What do you recommend me to do? Thanks for your advice!! :( :cry:

The arrangement is not rare. It does not appear to be excessive from the other deals I have heard or seen. It sounds like you going to benefit from the team leader who will act as a rain maker. I would commit to it for a limited time but not sign any contracts or non compete clauses. Learn the ropes, earn some money for yourself and for the team leader. In time you will be able to to comfortably generate your own leads and be able to break away. If they do not provide you leads then they will not make money either. Use the situation to your advantage and you will help yourself and your team.

Don't plan on staying there in perpetuity. Hav ea goal and an exit plan to be your own rain maker.

Thank you for taking the time to respond!

I would be more than happy to give him 40% cut of what I make. The problem is, I think he is not putting the effort in getting leads for his agents. He is not investing enough to get leads for us and he is expecting for us the get lead on our own. That's what I don't see its worth it! If I'm going to get the most of the leads on my own, why I have to give him 40% of that?

For example: I want to start working on rentals too, not only on sales. But he doesn't invest on that kind of marketing, but still want his cut!

If he is suppose to train me and be my mentor, but he is sending me to other seminars (the office, online, etc), then what's the point to be paying him 40%? I really don't know what to do. I just want to have a good and personalized mentor to start this profession and don't exploit me. :(

So you think a commission of 42% to start its ok?

Regardless of the split, are there a lot of sales occurring in your Office?

Hi! Welcome to Real Estate! It sounds like you already know what to do. While being part of a team with a mentor can be a great thing, if you aren't getting any mentorship nor leads from it what's the point? You're paying this person to perform a job for you, if they are not performing then time to either look for someone who will or do it yourself. Heck, I can tell you to go to a training seminar every time you have a problem and I'd only charge 30%. :grin:

Take a look at what your making and how much is coming from the team and how much is coming from you personally. Can you take less than 40% of your income and apply to marketing/lead generation and make more?

I think you do not have a good impression of the person. Perhaps that is reason enough to make a switch. I would not cut bait though. Explore while doing what they offer. Let him know your discontent and allow him a chance to correct it. If he chooses not to address your concerns, it will make your departure plausbile. I would not leave until I had something better lined up. Use your current situation when talking to new team leaders. Explain to them what you envision.

Also keep in mind you are on someone elses team, so it is not your 'shop.' You have alot to learn, and might gain alot from working your current situation to it's natural conclusion. When you get to be your own team leader you will design things the way you envision.

Make great choices that you have thought about alot and you will do fine.

I hope you are not so much of a Rookie that you do not have some sales under your belt.

But if you just got your License, like was indicated in the Title of this Thread, then you might delay your complaints until you have become a valuable and proven commodity yourself.

You see, until then, you haven't paid this Broker anything yet . . . . and your complaints about the commission split will sound like just so much whining, and will serve to poison your relationship.

On the contrary, if you have built a track record of Closed Transactions, and you're this dis-satisfied with the compensation, then I'd suggest that you interview a few other area Brokers (confidentially) to see if they offer something better. The grass always looks greener from the other side of the fence, and you didn't complain at all about E&O, Desk Fees or other expenses that accrue, regardless of your own performance.

And if you do interview with other Brokers, try to present an up-beat positive disposition. No one likes a constant complainer . . . . especially under what everyone acknowledges are very poor market conditions. These are frustrating times for almost everyone, and it's always easier to hang the blame on someone else in your environment.

I had the same problem choosing an office when I first started. I got a lot of empty promises with how great their training is and then the "too busy" vibe to make you feel like you are bothering and don't ask questions.

When I asked specific questions, they would be vague or answer them quickly knowing that I couldn't possibly pick up what they were saying. Then act like "see, i took the time out of my busy schedule to meet with you, I don't know how much more help you need".

I would start privately interviewing other offices and let them know upfront what you are looking for and not more of the same.

From personal experience you would like to have some agent at your brokerage as long as they don't take too much of your time.

You need self starters and not hand holders.You give them direction and they take the initiative and run with it.

You don't know how many times as a head broker I have heard the agent talk so great about themselves or think so highly of themselves.Then I ask how many transactions closed in the past year?? They say usually 0 to 1.

I don't mind offering support but even taking 50% commission If I the head broker has to do almost all the work for them I might as well do the whole transaction and keep it all.

This is why I shed some agents as they are over demanding and produce very little. It's nice to have extra income but not at the expense of my clients on my deals.

Right now you have ZERO seniority or experience.If you aren't happy leave but you have no leverage as they can just stick another newbie in there to learn "their way".

If you're new, you're going to be giving up a hefty cut of your commission regardless. I hate to say it, but it's not uncommon that a lead agent or broker would take the best leads for themselves and throw the rest to the less-experienced agents. Like Super, I would rather take the whole 100% commission instead of doing most of the work for a newbie who's going to get the bulk of that check. That might legitimately take more of his time than it's financially worth to him.

The unfortunate fact is that if you really want to learn the ropes, you do want to work with a high-performing agent; however, those same agents quite often have the least amount of free time to give.

If you find yourself dissatisfied, then by all means look at what your other options are. But keep in mind that no matter how highly experienced you are, the competitive nature of this business means that there's always someone looking for an excuse to push you out the door.

I don't know why you didn't do that to begin with. Before I got my license I carefully researched the business. I was on this board a LOT long before I got a license (I started out as Perky_Assistant, if anyone remembers that).

My first broker agreed to "train me." Agreed to take me on listing appointments to see how it is done, agreed to give me a cut of anything I helped with, and agreed that I could get my own business as well. I did their farming for them - I created the mailings, got them ready to mail - and I would be processing the listings that came as a result of the farming, (putting on the MLS and website, etc). And I would get a cut of that. They said.

Then she came in the office and handed me a listing to put on the MLS. No, sorry, didn't have time to take me along, just do it, no you don't get a cut, just put it on the MLS.

Then another listing came in that was a result of the farming. Oh, sorry, you didn't participate in that because actually they were "past customers" of ours (when the reality is after I looked up the listing on the MLS it had been listed with two other realtors previously).

It was then that I realized they were just using me to do their menial work and to exploit my internet skills for their advantage...and never planned on following through with their promises.

So I began, after that, working for myself.

I ended up leaving over a big blow up (they wanted me to take down my blog and I couldn't have my own website because it would compete with them) and I went to work for another broker who actually DID want the agents in the office to succeed.

This broker has trained me personally, his partner/co owner has spent hundreds of hours training not only me but every other agent in our office and guess what?

I'm doing JUST FINE.

Along with my brokerage, the members of this forum, as well as what I learned on ActiveRain, and from Jennifer Allan (Sell with Soul) have helped shape me into a moderately successful realtor. And I don't need to kowtow to any "top producer" to do it.

Pull up your boot straps and take care of yourself. Invest time in LEARNING the business YOURSELF. Take the broker's classes. Ask the broker questions (if he's just a broker and not an active agent he should want to train you as your success is important to him - my broker is non-competing, he is there to run the office and help his agents succeed. His partner does actively sell real estate but she ALWAYS has time to train us...ALWAYS. and it's good practical training.)

You can DO it. It's just not as easy as expecting someone to spoon feed you.

I'm lucky, I know, to have such an awesome broker. He wants us ALL to succeed.

Different Keller offices do things differently, so you might find a different approach in another office. If all new associates are made a part of the team you are currently on, you would have no choice but to change offices or go to a different brokerage. If you were recruited by the person you are working under right now, but the KW office has it's own team leader, talk to the main team leader and ask if you can be an agent at that office without being a part of your current team. When I was at KW, I saw that happen many times.

If you aren't happy with your leader you should look for another leader or broker.

If you interview another KW office, they might call your current KW broker out of "courtesy" so it wont be a private meeting.

"It sounds like you already know what to do. While being part of a team with a mentor can be a great thing, if you aren't getting any mentorship nor leads from it what's the point? You're paying this person to perform a job for you, if they are not performing then time to either look for someone who will or do it yourself."


That's EXACTLY what's happening to me right now. I wanted to be working on his team and with him as my mentor but he doesn't want to be that. I am new to this profession, what I care now the most is about TRAINING and MENTORING, I don't mind about giving high commission splits as long as I get all the training I need. But the problem with this guy is that he doesn't want to be my mentor, he always say that he is "busy and overwhelmed" and doesn't have time, he demands me to do what he tells me to do, like a boss, but without teaching me how to do it! He just wants me to start working immediately so he can start getting 40% cut of my commission, but without giving me the mentoring and personalized training to do it!

If I have to learn on my own, what to do, what to say, how to deal with buyers/sellers/renters, what's the point in giving him 40% cut of commission? and he is NOT my broker! I still have to give 18% cut of my commission to my broker! He is just a person in between the broker and me that wants to take that cut, but what I get from him in order to get that? Where is the mentoring or tutorship I get from him? He just has a huge ego and treat me like I'm his employee and his assistant!

I just want a broker who can give me the appropriate training and want me to be successful. I have lot of potential, I don't like to rely or depend on others to be successful, I have been working independently, self-employed for the last 9 years in other profession and I have the potential to be a good real estate agent. I just need now is a mentor who can just train me how to do the basic steps and then I can start walking by myself.

Any suggestions what's the best broker firm I should join in order to get the best training?

Thank you all for taking the time in answering my thread! :)