If you refused to go for training due to gas prices, may I humbly ask you to leave the business tomorrow? It will save you several months of failure and floundering. Just get out now and move on to the next chapter.

I understand this being a sore spot with brokers. I had no illusions it would go over well. I should have been more specific its not actual cost of gas but the opportunity cost that I was speaking about. I did plenty of research before starting and so far I'm ahead of my plan, yet still to early to call it a successful launch. My goal from the start was not to rely on broker leads if I get one it's a plus if not oh well. The way I see it (and I could be wrong) the only way to succeed in this business is to create my own leads. My plan is to generate listings and market them to the fullest. I could spend time 8hrs plus a week training or I can spend those hours marketing and prospecting.

I may fail but quitting isn't going to happen. I have a pretty good feeling you'll see me around next year. Yet if I do fail kindly drop some change in the bucket if your passing by.

You sound like you're on the right track to me. You are 100% right, in this business, its all about your own leads, your own efforts and your own exposure, anything the brokerage gives you is just gravy.

I recently left my brokerage as well. There it was 50/50 but had the C21 fee of 8% right off the top. Now I am 55/45 with only a small monthly fee for Re/Max, instead of the 8% off the top.

Just to throw my 2 cents in, I recently switched brokers after a few years. I've moved into appraisals now and maintain my license to facilitate getting MLS services and occassional real estate buy/sell clients. The new broker I went with charges $23/month and an 80/20 split which was a huge savings over my prior arrangement. My question is, what value does the name or reputation of your broker bring to you as an agent? Is it important to go with a well known broker or does it really matter?

JCH, for me the brand was crucial as a new agent. My advertising was based on using the brand to associate me as an agent. I could use office accomplishments to indicate to potential costumers that "we" know what we are doing. Which is me using the brand and brokers reputation to jump start my own career. To me, and I'm sure the broker as well, this has value. Can you place a dollar sign on it? I don't know, but my broker did at 2xx per month. I grumble paying it but I sure did use the heck out of the name.

Particularly when dealing with high-end clients, they will go out of their way to work with a brokerage that is known for having top-notch agents who specialize in that sector of the market. And I know that if I was not involved in real estate as a profession, that I would prefer selling/buying through a well-recognized office rather than a one-man shop. My 2 cents.

Yes, a well known top shop with a good reputation is great, but if the broker is ending up with most of the gold, forget it.

Early in my career I was a sales manager in a multi-office company with good agents, lower quality agents were asked to leave. Almost all agencies at that time were single office. So at listings we played that card of size and recognition. The sales managers also had their own clients so we did compete and do presentations.

Anyway, very early on it dawned on me that all companies are the same size, one. Let's face it you get a listing in a company of 300 agents the other 299 are not going to rush to your desk to assist you in marketing and servicing that listing. The seller really has one person looking out for them, you!!!

I opened my first office in the high priced area. And that was the first thing I covered in my listing presentation. My first listing of a mansion was the top attorney in large firm and I asked him if he were to use his firm who would he want handling his case. Of course the answer was him, or at least partner x. I said what would be wrong with using anyone of the others in the firm after all they all work for the same firm so of course they all must be equally competent. Or what is known as come into my parlor said the spider to the fly, case closed, listing taken.

At the end if the last century, I closed every office and keep a small one with me and 6 of my best agents. It killed the national big boys when the real estate board had them take their were #1 in the area banner off their ads, etc., and having a 7 person office with a new name take over their spot.