realweenie

The Most Popular Agent Recruitment Tool

Just an observation . . .

Running a real estate company or office seems to be mostly about recruiting.  I guess that makes sense.  Since real estate office make money from the sales their agents make, the more agents, the more sales.

Agents leave the business and more join all the time.  The large companies recruit, recruit, recruit.  Like most agents I get post cards in the mail and spam from real estate companies in my market.

It seems like the brokers all use the same criteria for bringing on new agents.  If the person can get a MN real estate license and then pass the mirror test they are brought on board.

The mirror test is when the broker holds a mirror near the agents mouth and asks them to breath.  If they can fog the mirror they are welcomed aboard by the broker.  Most brokers and managers are too focused on recruiting to bother to spend much time helping new agents get started.  It isn't wise to invest much time in new agents anyway because they are independent contractors, which is different than employees.

Real estate companies gravitate toward recruiting agents who have sales experience, or of course experienced agents.  Sales experience is important but so are computer and people skills.  Many of the managers with the big companies don't have computer skills.  They started in the business before buyers and sellers started using the internet and seem to think agents can do just fine with out having basic computer skills. The goal seems to be to fill offices with as many mirrors fogging licensed individuals as possible so I guess it doesn't matter if they have skills.

I currently am having a transaction with a new agent.  I am representing both the buyer and the seller.  The agent is a buyers agent and it is my listing.  I already explained to the sellers when we got an offer on the property that some blanks needed to be filled in on the contract and some changes needed to me made to take care of the buyer. The buyers agent will get half of the commission but I am doing most of the work for both sides if the transaction.  It is just part of the job.  It would be nice though if the new agents broker got involved, but chances are he or she is too busy recruiting new agents.

Could this Happen with A Real Estate Blog?

Cartoon From Blaugh

Most of us can not be fired but we can be asked to stop writing our blogs. I have been asked, rather often,  if I am worried about it.  Yes I do worry that I will be asked to stop writing my blogs, or maybe I would be asked to delete this one. LOL.  I do have a plan.  I have a brokers license and am ready to go out on my own at any time. 

Is having a blog really that important?  Yes it is from both a business point of view, and becasue I enjoy the freedom.  Freedom is more important to me in my life than money.  If it were not I would be working in a nice secure job with a predictable pay check.  I instead work in a business where the failure rate is very high, and in a down market.

After reading these last two paragraphs I have decided that I am totally stark raving mad and that I should get help soon.  . . . but you knew that already.