Ernesto Rijavec (REE-jah-vek)

RSS
Mar 23
Today’s brokerage is a vastly different business than it was just ten years ago. Fundamentally, it’s no longer the source of information exchange between REALTORS® and their clients, and it is necessary to think in a totally new way. Let’s explore more in depth. Somewhere around the turn of the century the real estate office was, well, at the real estate office (think brick and mortar, agent-on-duty, and walk-ins). The office was the epicenter of business both for REALTORS® and for their clients. Today the office still exists, but in a dramatically new way.  It’s at home, in the car, at the corner coffee shop, on the iPhone, at your favorite social network, and basically anywhere where there is a wireless signal (including the original office). The same exists for buyers and sellers. They can log on and shop at their leisure without setting foot in an actual real estate office.  Does it still make sense, then, to carry a 5000 square foot broker office lined with desks, telephones, and bull pens? Or does it make more sense to offer a compact, café-style, fully networked, use-what-you-need-and-when-you-need-it-setup? How much more efficiency could be built into such a system? Could you then offer better commission splits to the local REALTORS® to supercharge your recruiting? Now we are thinking!        

Today’s brokerage is a vastly different business than it was just ten years ago. Fundamentally, it’s no longer the source of information exchange between REALTORS® and their clients, and it is necessary to think in a totally new way.

Let’s explore more in depth. Somewhere around the turn of the century the real estate office was, well, at the real estate office (think brick and mortar, agent-on-duty, and walk-ins). The office was the epicenter of business both for REALTORS® and for their clients.

Today the office still exists, but in a dramatically new way.  It’s at home, in the car, at the corner coffee shop, on the iPhone, at your favorite social network, and basically anywhere where there is a wireless signal (including the original office). The same exists for buyers and sellers. They can log on and shop at their leisure without setting foot in an actual real estate office. 

Does it still make sense, then, to carry a 5000 square foot broker office lined with desks, telephones, and bull pens? Or does it make more sense to offer a compact, café-style, fully networked, use-what-you-need-and-when-you-need-it-setup? How much more efficiency could be built into such a system? Could you then offer better commission splits to the local REALTORS® to supercharge your recruiting? Now we are thinking!        

Posted 2 years ago