Large Vs Smaller Real Estate Company

[Beata Williams]

I am looking for an opinion from agents that have been doing Real Estate for a while. I have 5 years+ of experience in the real estate industry, specializing in property management and commercial Real Estate. I have finally decided to take the leap of faith and sell real estate, I am very comfortable with commercial side of it and just learning the residential side of sales rather than leasing.

My hold up is knowing which agency to sign up with to maximize my profits and success. Does the big company name make a difference? Are clients more comfortable with choosing a large, well known company when looking for an agent? Does a nationwide name like Re/Max, Caldwell Banker make a difference vs an office that is still well known in my area and has branches in few states?

[Brenden Mitchum]

Hey @Beata Williams, welcome to the BP community!

I, too, am in the process of choosing a broker to hang my license with. I have thought about going with a larger company for the greater legitimacy. However, I do also feel that some of the larger companies do have a stigma associated with them that could actually prevent a seller from deciding to list with you. So what could look very reputable to one seller may turn another off. This is the dilemma I have been tossing around in my head.

But in reading the Millionaire Real Estate Agent by Gary Keller I am realizing that what really matters is you and how you represent yourself to a potential customer. It's all about creating and maintaining those relationships and it truly is quantity of quality. You should be getting to people long before they are even making the decision to sell. If they have already made the decision to sell and decide to go with a large agency rather than a small one, the chances you are going to get that lead is close to zero anyways. So if your lead generation is off the charts, it won't matter if a few people don't want to go with you because of their opinion of your company. 

Now that I am no longer worrying about the size of the company my decision is really just coming down to fees and resources. I am going to go with whoever can provide me the most and best resources for my money. Another thing to think about is how much mentorship you will get with a large vs. small company. 

Please feel free to message me anytime if you have questions or just want to chat. Good luck on your journey in real estate sales!