Can Your Broker Sell?

I post on this site from time to time when I happen across something worth passing on to the new or 'soon to be new' agent. Yesterday I was having a conversation with another Realtor from another brokerage when she mentioned how when she first started in the business "it was sink or swim...but mostly sink!" She genuinely felt that it was pure luck that she even made it through her first six months. Her managing broker, she said half jokingly knew less than she did.


"At least I sold Avon when I was younger," she said. "I'm not sure he ever sold anything."

Its been my experience that 'those who can't sell manage, those who can't manage sell, and those who can't manage or sell fail.' It sounds a little corny perhaps but I believe its right on the money. Most managing brokers I've met either sell very little or if they ever did produce much, it was a long, long time ago. And it's becoming pretty typical that the business model of a real estate office these days is more focused toward 'body count' than 'vertical' growth of its exisitng agent force. Anyone with a little bit of captial (and even less sales experience) can actually buy a franchise and be up and running in a month or two. Good luck placing your eggs in that basket!

When I joined Joe Pinto in the year 2000 I did so for two basic reasons. First, he was genuinely interested with helping his agents succeed in the Chicago market and secondly, he was one of the top producers in the city--(and still is). Even though its my goal to negotiate 1 million to 2 million a month every month in real estate sales (not a rookie, to be sure!) I still consult with and defer to my broker on a daily basis. Why? Because my broker can sell. And a primary reason that I've had any success at all in this competetive arena (10,000+ Chicagoland licensees) is that my broker wanted me to succeed.

I've mentioned before in a previous post that 'national company branding' has very little to do with success in a localized market such as the Northside of Chicago. It's my observation that the 'boutique' brokerages are much better positioned to address the needs of both the client and the budding real estate professional. So let me ask you...'Boutique' or 'Big Box'? Where do you see yourself?

contributed by Geno Petro