ERA Real Estate President Alex Vidal writes that now is the time to figure out what you need from a broker and whether your current broker can provide it.
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The Obon holidays are over and the new year has arrived. As we head headfirst into 2025, it’s important to take a moment to pause and assess your situation to see if you’re ready to succeed this year.
The objective is to clarify what you need from the broker you are currently trading with or considering trading with.
The main focus is to determine what you need from your broker to achieve your goals. To do this, you need to weed out your current business. Check out these five questions to get started.
1. Where does my business currently come from?
Is your company successful in converting the leads it generates? Do your company’s marketing resources provide sufficient visibility? Your broker can help you stay in touch with your area Do you offer a CRM system? Will their learning and professional development services be helpful?
This deep dive can help you uncover what’s having the biggest impact on your business. The broker then determines if it can do more with it. If not, can the broker you are considering support you in this area?
2. What is the biggest hole in my business today?
Do you want to expand your customer base in a specific niche, such as luxury homes or new construction homes, or gain access to a specific region or price range? Interested in working with a client in a relocation location? Would having access to leads from mortgages and title change your business?
How well does your broker support you in filling these gaps to take your business significantly forward? Would another broker offer more support to fill these opportunity gaps in your business? Can you give me one?
3. What do you wish you could have done more of that you haven’t?
Is your broker in a position to support you on this? Have you asked for your broker’s support? If not, what’s holding you back?
I recently spoke with an agent who had great success putting up large speech bubbles that said “Open House” in front of his house during open houses. In addition to the $300 cost per open house, we couldn’t do it at every open house because of the amount of time required. A quick conversation with his broker resulted in a solution that supported the agent’s business.
4. It is now December 31, 2025. where do i want to go?
Answering the first three questions will give you a deeper understanding of your current business, the opportunity gaps that exist, and your own aspirations for how to grow your business.
Think carefully here. Do you think your broker is helping you get there? Will the broker you’re considering help you achieve this?
5. What do you like about your current broker or brokerage? Also, do you want to keep it?
Company culture is an important factor, so it’s a good idea to make this part of your consideration when considering whether to stay with your current company or move to another. Yes, I always talk about the goal of helping agents make more money and live a better life, but both of these things are equally important.
If you leave a supportive culture behind and turn it into a very competitive one, you might make more money, but you’ll likely be miserable. I know it will! If you are truly in this business to help people live better lives, a company that leads with this philosophy may be more in line with your overall goals. .
Yes, growing your business is important, but not if you have to walk away from what’s truly important to you.
The new year is always a great time to think about your goals and the support you need to achieve them. Asking yourself these five questions is a great way to decide whether to stay or leave. Know what you need and have the confidence to ask for it. That way, you will be successful in 2025.
Alex Vidal is the president of ERA Real Estate.