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#372118 - 04/08/11 01:51 PM Changing Firms
PaRealEstateAgt Offline
Member

Registered: 12/01/10
Posts: 90
Loc: PA, USA
I was considering changing brokerages. I've only been licensed since Jan. and I joined a firm with monthly fees of 2xx for the first 6mos. 50/50 split (mentor program.) It then goes to 80/20 split with 3xx monthly fees. I'm thinking it was a mistake because I'm not really getting the mentoring I thought I was going to get. Well I'm getting zero mentoring to be honest.

I was approached by another firm which is offering 60/40 no fees and will pay for a portion of my advertising and dues, with a signing bonus xxxx. I really liked the broker when we first met, it was second choice. He's seems to be available daily in his office. Plus he's pushing the type of prospecting I'm currently doing.

OK, that's the background info. My questions are:

Is it a bad time of the year to switch?
Also, what general negative impact should I be aware of prior to a switch? (General question for those who have switched brokerages)
Plus any tid-bit that be handy to know would be much appreciated. Thanks for any help.

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#372129 - 04/08/11 03:20 PM Re: Changing Firms [Re: PaRealEstateAgt]
REal Guy Offline
Member

Registered: 01/17/09
Posts: 49
Loc: us
I just switched recently, I was with the same company for about 5-6 years and was on a 50/50 split and they would take out bull sh### fees, also located in pa. The only thing you should be worried about is your listings because they belong to the broker. I was able to bring them with me because when I signed the contracts I new I would be leaving so I just did a 30 day contract and was able to get them out that way, and bring them with me with the Asset Manager permission. Now that I am at my new company it is 110% better. I just pay a flat fee for the year and keep 100% of my commission. If you have a bunch of clients that is the way to go. My last commission check that I got from my old company went like this,

1250 total commission
50% to broker (625)
Broker Fee that client does not pay comes back to me (250)
Check writing fee (95)

That left me with 280 take home, thats why I left. I was a fool for staying there to long.

As far as a mentor, I did not have one, I just would ask questions. Fake it Till you Make It.

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#372151 - 04/08/11 10:32 PM Re: Changing Firms [Re: PaRealEstateAgt]
Home Seller Guru Offline
Member

Registered: 10/02/09
Posts: 207
Loc: Salt Lake City, UT
I'm a big believer in the type of brokerage that you pay a flat fee per transaction instead of a percentage. When you really think about it, what in the world could they possibly provide for you that is worth 50% of your income? Heck God only wants 10% for salvation, what in the world could they give you for 50%? LOL

Go with one of these companies and use the savings to hire the best real estate coaches out there. You will be far better off.

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#372154 - 04/08/11 10:48 PM Re: Changing Firms [Re: Home Seller Guru]
navarac Offline
Veteran Member

Registered: 01/19/06
Posts: 994
Loc: New Jersey
Originally Posted By: Home Seller Guru
I'm a big believer in the type of brokerage that you pay a flat fee per transaction instead of a percentage. When you really think about it, what in the world could they possibly provide for you that is worth 50% of your income? Heck God only wants 10% for salvation, what in the world could they give you for 50%? LOL

Go with one of these companies and use the savings to hire the best real estate coaches out there. You will be far better off.


Or, forget the coaches, substitute common sense, and come out even farther ahead.

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#372167 - 04/09/11 04:58 AM Re: Changing Firms [Re: PaRealEstateAgt]
PA Roadkill Offline
Major Contributor

Registered: 11/15/06
Posts: 2050
Loc: The Middle of the Interstate
This is not directed at anyone in particular, just a general statement:
Three months in the business (or even a year) is not really a good guage of where you should be working or if you should change brokerages. Commission splits don't mean anything if you don't have closings. To me, the true test of a brokerage is more about the management, the other agents and the general atmosphere at the company.

I had an agent leave in October for a 100% company (we are 70/30) where the new broker promised 6 months of no fees, then the normal which are around $1000 per month. Well the six months end now, so it will be interesting to see what happens, because there will be a bill from the broker in the mailbox the first of every month whether you sell or not.

I joined a brokerage after about 18 months in the biz that was 100% (in 1998) because the broker was accessible and the office was pretty much filled with veterans, many of whom would go out of their way to help and still have friends that work there. The downside was that minimal training was provided and the equipment available at the office (computers, fax machine, copier, etc) was minimal.

My suggestion is to talk to several agents that work in that firm (invite them to lunch or for a coffee break - one at a time) and try to get a feel for the office in general. Ask open ended questions like "What's the best training session you attended here" or "Tell me about successes you've had from floor time" and let them talk. True feelings will come out.
_________________________
Broker-Owner Thirteen Years REO Experience
GRI,CRS,CRB,e-Pro

Some days I feel like the bug, other days I feel like the windshield



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#372185 - 04/09/11 10:04 AM Re: Changing Firms [Re: PaRealEstateAgt]
super realtor Offline
Major Contributor

Registered: 05/01/05
Posts: 8478
Loc: georgia
Due to the entitlement mantra of new agents that expect ALL THE TRAINING and MENTORING for free and wanting the 100% split or close to it I don't take agents anymore.

It is simply a waste of my time.My commission checks on my deals run 5 to 6 figures and since I am the broker I keep it all.

You have to understand everyone and their brother is trying to build up these 100% companies now.It is very expensive to have them unless you are virtual and even then it is a pain.

Many of these agents are working full time jobs,or their unemployment tiers are running out and they are wanting to get back in the game,or they are part - time.

This all equates to rusty agents that haven't completed a deal in a long time or new agents who know enough to be dangerous.With a 100% company you have to do volume to make the numbers work.I found maybe 2 to 3 out of every 10 agents would have a closing that month for 300 bucks.

So for 6,000 to 9,000 of income to the business on a virtual brokerage I would have to be at around 100 agents or more.Plus on top of that most of these agents didn't have a pot to p*ss in.If they did they were a licensed investor trying some crazy scheme to make money and put the brokerage in hot water.Many of the others you would constantly get child support mandates or IRS demand letters to send any commission money going to the agents to the government.

Also the agents would get license suspensions for student loans gone bad or they did not fulfill their continuing education credits or pay license renewal fees.

You have to remember these agents are like hamsters running on a wheel trying to make a nut before running out of gas and falling over.

From that point on I learned I didn't want any agents.I just refer out business I don't want or is out of my area and I don't have headaches that way.

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#372186 - 04/09/11 10:14 AM Re: Changing Firms [Re: super realtor]
navarac Offline
Veteran Member

Registered: 01/19/06
Posts: 994
Loc: New Jersey
Originally Posted By: super realtor
Due to the entitlement mantra of new agents that expect ALL THE TRAINING and MENTORING for free and wanting the 100% split or close to it I don't take agents anymore.

It is simply a waste of my time.My commission checks on my deals run 5 to 6 figures and since I am the broker I keep it all.

You have to understand everyone and their brother is trying to build up these 100% companies now.It is very expensive to have them unless you are virtual and even then it is a pain.

Many of these agents are working full time jobs,or their unemployment tiers are running out and they are wanting to get back in the game,or they are part - time.

This all equates to rusty agents that haven't completed a deal in a long time or new agents who know enough to be dangerous.With a 100% company you have to do volume to make the numbers work.I found maybe 2 to 3 out of every 10 agents would have a closing that month for 300 bucks.

So for 6,000 to 9,000 of income to the business on a virtual brokerage I would have to be at around 100 agents or more.Plus on top of that most of these agents didn't have a pot to p*ss in.If they did they were a licensed investor trying some crazy scheme to make money and put the brokerage in hot water.Many of the others you would constantly get child support mandates or IRS demand letters to send any commission money going to the agents to the government.

Also the agents would get license suspensions for student loans gone bad or they did not fulfill their continuing education credits or pay license renewal fees.

You have to remember these agents are like hamsters running on a wheel trying to make a nut before running out of gas and falling over.

From that point on I learned I didn't want any agents.I just refer out business I don't want or is out of my area and I don't have headaches that way.


All very true. This profession attracts a lot of dreamers, a lot of well-meaning losers, and very few hard workers. My broker is getting up there in years and has repeatedly approached me about buying the brokerage and carrying on the business. My response is: not interested. Managing a bunch of agents is akin to running a perverse adult day care center, and that is not something I want or need at this stage in my life. I'd rather just list...

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#372210 - 04/09/11 04:56 PM Re: Changing Firms [Re: navarac]
PaRealEstateAgt Offline
Member

Registered: 12/01/10
Posts: 90
Loc: PA, USA
Thanks for all the helpful advice. Made me focus a bit more on my initial business plan. I think the bonus threw me off track for a sec. It is about the split. 40% is kinda high still at the level of listings I plan to have. 80/20 with fees might be best.
I was a bit tweaked thinking I'd have to give a full 50% if my listings sell before June. Which looks like only 2 will. So I'll follow the plan for 3 years and revisit it then.

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#372231 - 04/09/11 10:25 PM Re: Changing Firms [Re: PaRealEstateAgt]
VINNIE Offline
Junior Member

Registered: 04/09/11
Posts: 4
Loc: LAS VEGAS
Unless your broker is giving you leads then you shouldnt be paying any brokerage your money.
I started with a 100% broker and I payed 395 total.
The first deal i closed my check was for 5500.
I learned myself, I just got a list of what my broker required from buyers and the list for listings and practiced writing a lot of offers.
The broker Im with now just charges me a flat fee.
Dont give any broker 50/50.

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#372264 - 04/10/11 12:46 PM Re: Changing Firms [Re: PaRealEstateAgt]
REODayton Online   content
Major Contributor

Registered: 07/27/06
Posts: 3699
Loc: Dayton Ohio
What kind of signing bonus ??? Is it cash ??? I ask because I never heard of that for a new agent, maybe for a well established, income producing agent.

If you are not happy with your current broker speak up. Tell him/her what was promised, what you expect, and your intent. Its not uncommen for a broker to offer you the moon and give you nothing. If you don't ask you will not receive.

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#372270 - 04/10/11 01:49 PM Re: Changing Firms [Re: PaRealEstateAgt]
ColoBroker Offline
Major Contributor

Registered: 11/03/07
Posts: 2335
Loc: Northern Colorado
I disagree that unless they are giving you leads you shouldn't pay any brokerage money. A brokerage can give you more then leads. They might give you an office, some advertising allowance, there might be transaction coordinators, fax and copy machines. Continuing education. Promotional materials. Cheaper advertising options then you could get on your own. That said do you need any of that? No. One can get by without all that. I do.
_________________________


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#372276 - 04/10/11 05:42 PM Re: Changing Firms [Re: PaRealEstateAgt]
PaRealEstateAgt Offline
Member

Registered: 12/01/10
Posts: 90
Loc: PA, USA
I agree Colobroker, there is more than just leads to consider. My consideration was which firm will sure up my foundation to ensure my first year won't be my last year. As most of you know, starting out is hard. And from what I see, being able to sustain growth requires being on top of market trends and working your a** off for even minimal gains.

Also, I may have left out, that I did rock the boat a bit at my current place when I refused to go to the main office for training. But gas prices went up and I'm on a budget. Besides most of the training is stuff that a person would have look into prior to deciding this career path.

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#372277 - 04/10/11 06:17 PM Re: Changing Firms [Re: PaRealEstateAgt]
Vermont Offline
Major Contributor

Registered: 04/12/08
Posts: 4726
Loc: Vermont's North-East Kingdom
Originally Posted By: PaRealEstateAgt
". . . most of the training is stuff that a person would have look into prior to deciding this career path.

But, how would you know if you

Originally Posted By: PaRealEstateAgt
". . . refused to go to the main office for training . . ."
_________________________
Dale C. Hittle of GOLDEN RULE PROPERTIES in Glover, Vermont
Where We're Always Striving To Put Together "THE FAIR DEAL"

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#372280 - 04/10/11 06:42 PM Re: Changing Firms [Re: PaRealEstateAgt]
REODayton Online   content
Major Contributor

Registered: 07/27/06
Posts: 3699
Loc: Dayton Ohio
WOW, What Vermont said^^^^^


Originally Posted By: PaRealEstateAgt
I agree Colobroker, there is more than just leads to consider. My consideration was which firm will sure up my foundation to ensure my first year won't be my last year. As most of you know, starting out is hard. And from what I see, being able to sustain growth requires being on top of market trends and working your a** off for even minimal gains.

Also, I may have left out, that I did rock the boat a bit at my current place when I refused to go to the main office for training. But gas prices went up and I'm on a budget. Besides most of the training is stuff that a person would have look into prior to deciding this career path.

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#372290 - 04/10/11 08:39 PM Re: Changing Firms [Re: PaRealEstateAgt]
super realtor Offline
Major Contributor

Registered: 05/01/05
Posts: 8478
Loc: georgia
"But gas prices went up and I'm on a budget."

This is my whole point.90 percent of businesses fail because they are under capitalized and do not generate enough returns to stay afloat before they gain traction.

If you want leads handed to you that will close from a head broker expect to pay 40 to 50% of the commission to them.

I am not talking about junk overflow that a broker gives off that are long shots for a 25% referral if by some miracle they close.I am talking about warm leads that have been scrubbed and validated as serious sellers or qualified buyers.

It's NOT about the firm that will determine your success.It is about having effective marketing to generate business and to do it consistently to base your business off of predictable income.

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