What brokerage do I work for?

[Lauren Patrick]

Hello!  I am from a small town with two brokerages.  I would like to work with them but they do not have a lot of connections with Cleveland in which I primarily invest.  Does this matter?  One is Century 21 and the other is local.   I am getting my license for investment purposes.  However people know me in my small town so I think that I would get some listings.  So I feel it may be important to stick local while I build a name for myself.   I know they do write ups in the newspaper when people join their brokerage.   I would also like to be a property manager for my properties that I sell to out of state investors.  Is this aloud?  Any help with the exam I am about to take and choosing the right brokerage would be greatly appreciated!

[David Terbeek]

@Lauren Patrick  This is certainly a tough choice because both have pros and cons.  I associate with an international brand and it has worked well with our foreign clients.  They say "Oh, I know Re/Max, my neighbor down the street is selling their house through them".  At the same time there are some local companies on BP that seem to be doing just fine with their "local" brand.  I would check into the brokerages about what restrictions or rules they might impose on agents, what is the commission split and what type of support they give for your specific goals (investments, property management).

Yes, you can be your own property manager IF your broker allows you to do so.  That could be a deal breaker on finding a broker if that is important to you.