New Agent looking for direction

[Joshua Molnar]

Hi, So I finally passed my course and took the state exam last week. I am happy to say I passed it :) So I'm trying to figure out my next step. I am meeting with brokers all this week to see which one I like. I am in Miami, Florida . What I am looking for is a company with great training and a mentorship. I don't know if that's the best avenue for a new agent to go? Any companies you guys recommend ? I really appreciate it ! Thanks

[Charlie MacPherson]

Most will likely tell you everything you want to hear.  My advice is to drill down and get specific details.  

- What is the curriculum for training?

- What kind of mentorship is offered?  

- What does that look like?  One-on-one coaching?  How often?

I'd also get specifics on whether you're required to do mandatory desk time.  The last franchise I worked for required 8 four hour time slots per month in order to get leads from the company.  (Between franchise and leadgen fees, I netted a pitiful 28.5% on those leads)

It's really hard to pound out your own phone calls when you answer a never ending stream of telemarketing calls and those who just want to leave a message for the broker.

Walk-ins and call ins as new leads (the supposed big payoff for desk time) were virtually non-existant.  20 years ago, sure.  Not today - new leads are almost 100% web origin.

We also had a mandatory 1 hour meeting on Friday morning (endless lectures about cleaning up the sink) and mandatory broker's tours every Friday lasting 3-4 hours.

Yes, stay in touch with the market, but a broker's tour every 8 weeks is sufficient for that.

The total non-productive time?  32 desk hours + 4 meeting hours + 12 broker tour hours or 48 hours per month.

That's a full week  of work wasted on non-dollar-productive activities every month, or 2 1/2 months per year.

Want to make money as a real estate agent?  

- Get to work early. 
- Stay late.  
- Pound the phone like a crazy person.
- Do everything you say you're going to do, when you say you're going to do it.
- Represent every client like they were your mother.

Best of luck!