What is your perspective of working as a team with another
Realtor and, if you have ever done it, how did that work for you?
“I made the unfortunate decision to partner with another Realtor and I would love to share my story only to prevent someone else having to endure what I went through. My decision for partnering was not hasty - I put a lot of thought and research into it. However, I was taken advantage of and lost a lot of my hard-earned money. I have been a top producer with Watson Realty for the past 15 years, and I almost threw away everything I had worked for by partnering with an unethical person.”
— Debby Duenow,
Watson Realty
in St. Augustine
“Working as a team member takes the pressure off of the ‘aloneness’ of
real estate; two or more heads really can be better than one. Teamwork makes real estate more fun because great ideas are generated when you bounce problems off each other and you are able to find new ways to solve a problem. Teamwork can also double or triple your business.”
— Karen Swinson,
Re/Max Specialists
“Teams are the way to go, at least from the home inspector perspective. My discovery has been that a home inspection company must be a team to bring best value to the customer. And this best value to the customer translates to a confident customer buying decision and reduced agent liability. Home inspection companies that have only the strength of one individual, no matter how strong that one person may be, have a tough time delivering the complete customer experience. Sole practitioners seldom have professional office staff for scheduling and follow-up. That lack of professional staff translates to a lack of customer confidence in the inspection company and the Realtor who made the referral. Sole practitioners are less likely to be available when it best suits the customer. If they are always available - well, you infer what you like from that. Lastly, the sole practitioners is very likely to take on work beyond their true area of expertise, simply because they need to fill the slot. An inspection company with a team of ASHI certified inspectors can match the most appropriate inspector to the home and customer. Yep, I like to play teams.”
— Wallace J. Conway,
HomePro Inspections
“I personally have not worked with a team. Óowever, in speaking with my colleagues in the business, we have agreed in many ways that a team is almost necessary these days in order to stay competitive. I have watched the way the real estate business has evolved over the past years and, with more and more information, current information, available to the consumer, as well as the consumer’s demand for attention, etc, a team is necessary to keep that customer as your own [or your team’s]. If you are not available when the customer is, then the customer will move on to the next agent. If an agent, working alone, is going to be able to handle all the aspects of his/her real estate business then they must work seven days a week putting in over 80 hours. This leaves the agent with two options, one no time for a personal life, especially if the agent has a spouse and/or children, or the other option is for agent burnout. Burnout will result in the agent either leaving the business, or only able to produce about the same amount of volume each year. If you ask agents that produce over $3 million a year if they sub-contract any of the activities they are responsible for, I am will to bet that almost all of them do. I am for a team atmosphere in the business, however, finding the right partner, and figuring the division of labor, etc, is a key to the success of the team!”
— Jason Hoffman,
Coldwell Banker
Palazzo Realty, Inc.
“I started in real estate with my partner Susie Kent. The team concept has worked well for us. With all of the personality types in this world it is impossible to ‘click’ with everyone. We find that oftentimes one of us will have a better rapport with our customers than the other due to personality, etc. In addition, we cover more ground and are able to do more business and do it effectively.”
— Rachel Rogers,
Kent Realty
“Working with another Realtor in your office can really work great for both parties involved, especially if you want to take some time off and wish to feel comfortable while you are gone. I have done this numerous times over the years and with good results. It is of utmost importance to work with a person that you have confidence in and that you are familiar with. You do not need any unnecessary surprises. Make sure that each person knows the particulars about the client and what the client is trying to achieve. Make sure the clients are in some way introduced to each team member in advance. Always make sure you put your agreements in writing. Each person needs to know what they are expected to do, how they will be paid and how much for each function they perform. If you have a regular partner, you may have an agreement for them to handle your business anytime you are out and vice versa with no remuneration-taking place. A sharing of responsibility can definitely allow you to relax and really get away when you are out of the office.”
— Dan Daniel,
Prudential Network Realty
“I worked as partners with my daughter in Atlanta for many years. It was wonderful. I worked with another person as a partner for 10 years. I learned that blood is much thicker than water. We are from the Atlanta real estate market and fairly new here. I have enjoyed seeing how the Realtors work together. The transaction concept is wonderful.”
— Holly Boyett,
Buy Oceanfront
Realty, LLC.
“As a loan officer I have worked with Realtor teams and it worked well. If one of the agents was not available I could always reach the other one. Also, if I got along better with one of them, that’s the one I would communicate with.”
— Wally Sears,
Wachovia Mortgage
“From the broker manager side I would like to share my thoughts. At Palencia we have a team of four sales persons. In the early planning stages of Palencia, Hines knew they wanted to attract the best agents in the industry. In talking to successful agents we discovered they never took a day off. Vacations were rare. Burnout happens. Families break down. We also learned that outside agents have existing personal relationships with the on-site agents we wanted to go after. The answer was clear. Form a team of equally yoked agents. By “equally yoked,” I mean agents who had the same work and moral ethic. The team of Pud English, Charlene Cunard, Nita Roberts and Lance Winter is the best I could have dreamed. Each brings years of experience in new construction. Their stellar reputations, community service and ability to be team members make this teamwork. Yes, we have issues, just like any family. We meet quarterly, off site, to air out any concerns. We recognize that each team member brings something to the table. The team is self-regulating. As the manager, I’m not in the middle of fights about who has this prospect or that agent. When a customer comes in, each team member has a reason to help them. All the outside brokers know they have someone here everyday to take care of them. All commissions are split equally. We also provide a yearend bonus that is not shared equally but awarded depending on agent activities. Community and industry contributions as well as attitude weigh heavy of bonus pool. I know the team structure works. But the team must be equally yoked and there must be strong communication at all times. I want to mention another point that I hope developers and builders will consider. Holidays are for families. Hines supports the family first campaign. Sept. 11 taught us a lesson. I hope we don’t soon forget that our life here is very brief. It will not hurt your business to close the office on holidays so everyone can have family time. Your agents will appreciate it. Put a sign on the door that says your company supports the family unit so the office or model is closed so your employees can have time with their family. After all, we are in the business of building houses that become homes. I have gotten the nicest notes from prospects that support this. Even our builders are on onboard. I have also found that most lookers on holidays are just that - lookers who will come back the next day. Have we lost a sale? Maybe, but I will tell you we made many more sales because our agents know we truly care about them.”
— Naomi Lumley,
Palencia Realty,
LLC/Hines
“We have all heard horror stories from friends and colleagues about the partnerships from hell, where one partner did all the work and resented every minute [and dollar], but there is another wonderful side. Holly Baker, Gloria Wilson and I are a true sales team. I can trust that my customers will be treated fairly with the same respect and attention that I would give them. My other teammates can trust the same level of service for their customers from me. In the busy world of condo conversions, days off are few and far between. The pace is incredible and none of us could sustain it if we had to worry about losing a sale by taking a day, morning or hour off. Being part of a team allows us to relax on our days off and know that our customers questions or concerns will be taken care of in a professional, timely manner.”
— Andie Pennell,
Key Realty Advisors a
t Las Palmas, St. Augustine
“Colliers Dickinson strongly believes in a team approach. We match the client’s needs with a balanced team of senior and junior agents. This approach combines experience with a flexible workload or as we like to say ‘combining I.Q. with I will’. Most of our team approach is done in house, but on occasion Colliers Dickinson will team up with another brokerage firm. A recent example occurred in connection with a listing we had in Lake City. We teamed up with a local brokerage firm to coordinate property tours. Unfortunately, this was one of the few times a team approach backfired on us. After all our efforts and expense in securing the listing, preparing the marketing materials and advertising of the property, the other broker contacted the property owner and convinced him to list the property with his firm. To add insult to injury, the other broker simply placed his contact information on our marketing package and re-used it. The lesson learned is make sure you are protected.”
— Bart Hinson,
Colliers Dickinson
“My experience working as a team with another Watson Realtor was very satisfying. I had a customer as a walk-in and showed them properties in St. Augustine. They put an offer in on a condominium, told me they had a home to sell in Mandarin and that they would be leaving for Maryland in a day. I immediately put them in touch with a Watson Realtor in Mandarin to sell their home. She sold their home within a week and in the meantime the offer on the condominium fell through. When they were to return to St. Augustine, they wanted to work with the Realtor that sold their home, but wanted to purchase in St. Augustine. Since the Mandarin Realtor didn’t know the properties in St. Augustine, we decided to work as a 50/50 team, she working with the clients and I would find the available properties in St. Augustine. It worked out as a win/win situation. I would do it again in a heartbeat.”
— Carolyn Embury,
Watson Realty Corp.
in St. Augustine Beach