Savvy real estate agents and brokers know there is no way to go it alone in real estate. In order to succeed, one must build or join an effective team with the right members and the right positions.
Teamwork—it’s one of those buzzwords you hear a lot in any type of business. Whether you’re an agent trying to juggle as much as you can on your own or a broker with a large team of agents, it is important to make sure you have an effective team with effective team positions. Just like a baseball team won’t function well without a right-fielder, a real estate office won’t function well without someone to answer the phones, someone to respond to leads in a timely manner, and someone to provide excellent and expert service to clients.
We checked in with a few of our successful FORCE members to see how their teams are structured and which team positions they can’t live without.
Overstaffed or Effectively Staffed?
Michael Morris with William Raveis Real Estate in Ridgefield, Connecticut, has nine people on staff for his two-member agent team. “Some people would say we’re overstaffed, but I’d rather be overstaffed and make a little less and provide excellent service to all,” Morris says.
In addition to regular administrative staff, Morris has people working full-time hours both during the week and on weekends to review leads and follow up. While many offices staff down during the weekend, Morris makes sure his office is available. “We average 50 to 75 leads on the weekend,” he says, “so the weekend is no time to slack off.”
Todd Sullivan, Managing Broker at 509 Properties in Spokane, Washington, has six buyer’s agents, three administrative assistants, three field agents, and one book-keeper. One of the office’s listing specialists handles marketing and social media for the office as a whole, while agents also advertise properties on their own.
Tracie Peltier, Associate Broker at 3 Tier Real Estate, LLC, in Sterling Heights, Michigan, has 10 agents at her office—some of whom have years of real estate experience, and some fresh out of school. She offers training for her newer agents to make sure they offer quality service.
You Can’t Do It All Yourself
Tammy Seymour of Desert Dream Realty in Cave Creek, Arizona, makes sure she has the appropriate staff to assist her. “There’s no way you can do it all yourself,” she says.
Seymour has a full-time marketing employee on staff to manage her online presence, including Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Seymour finds social media particularly effective with the younger generation, she says.
Peltier relies on her administrative assistant to help her maintain a strong online presence. In general, teamwork is an important aspect of Peltier’s office.
If an agent isn’t available to help a client, “another agent or I will jump in and help,” Peltier says. “We never tell anyone ‘no.’”