Calling all Real Estate Agents or Brokers...

[HOOT]

Any of you out there or on the board?

Just wondering if I can possibly pick your brain for a bit. I am currently doing the course out here (Victoria, BC) and just want to know what I should be looking for in a Broker or what questions I should be asking?

What is commissions like?

How much is too much when paying my broker for his services?

How did you gather up a customer base when you first started?

Anyone know of any good Real Estate Msg boards?

Thanks for everyones help on this...if I get any

[Nabber]

Hey Hoot I'll try a help you out with your answers, I'm a real estate agent out here in Calgary. I do know that the course is said to be different in Alberta compared to BC and even commissions vary but I'll try to help if I can.

Commissions I take it you mean from your broker, well I'm on a 85-15 percent split with my brokerage up here, I payout 15% of all my commissions earned as well have monthly desk fees of $265 a month. Do the research there are tons of options, some do 85-15, 70-30, 100%, 50-50 try and calculate what it's going to cost you. Being new you may want a low desk fee but that means you'll give up more of your commissions, try and find the best option.

Interview with many brokerages, I loved that I found one that had tons of training which helped me when I first started out. Avoid Remax branches as the support just isn't there when starting plus the fees are high. As well don't just join one that's super cheap as you need lots of help to get started.

With building clientel you just have to work at it. Send letters to all your family and friends letting them know of your new career. Call for sale by owners and let them know of the benefits of using a realtor. Deliever flyers door to door advertising your services. If you're willing, pick up the telephone and start calling people and ask them if they want to sell their house, with a clever script of course.

I don't know of any real estate websites but I too would like to find some.

[HOOT]

Thanks Nabber! Great response exactly what I was looking for...

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by fotze

Here are some tips from an uneducated observor for a realtor.

- If you are putting an ad in the paper, PUT AN ADDRESS OR NEIGHBORHOOD!!! - Do you think that I will drive to Forest Lawn and just fall in love with the house cause you so cleverly omitted where it is.

- Put a price in the ad. It's kinda important.

- Don't say inner city when you are in Brentwood. That isn't inner city, liar.

- Don't ever put "Attention investors" in the ad, IT ****ES ME OFF!

Even though I am no expert as I would be new to this but:

To answer 1 & 2 I would say they do this to drive phone calls and even some interest into it. If they can't get you on the phone they can't tell you about other great features of why the price may be high. So you don't want to create a negative before you even talk to them. It is kinda like any car dealer putting their new car "starting" at $15,000 how many people actually walk out of their with a $15,000 car? they upsell but to create the traffic they do have a low starting price.

3 - well they are just lying to me that would create false representation....however if someone is moving from out of town the may not know the difference...

4 - Once again the agent just trying to grab someone attnetion....even though the real deals would not have to go al the way to the paper...if it was a deal it would have already been taken!

[Hemi-Cuda]

hey Nabber since you're in the business maybe you can help with a question. i'm looking to buy a condo/townhouse type place in the near future, and i'd like to try and get into a complex that hasn't been built yet or just started building for a pre-buy, as it seems to be much cheaper than buying after the fact and i'm not in a great hurry. where are some good resources to discover new complexes that are going up? it's hard to rely on advertisements in papers and such (mainly because i never even read the paper). i'm hoping with the market cooling down somewhat now i'll finally be able to find 1 or 2 bedroom condo for under $200k

[Nabber]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

hey Nabber since you're in the business maybe you can help with a question. i'm looking to buy a condo/townhouse type place in the near future, and i'd like to try and get into a complex that hasn't been built yet or just started building for a pre-buy, as it seems to be much cheaper than buying after the fact and i'm not in a great hurry. where are some good resources to discover new complexes that are going up? it's hard to rely on advertisements in papers and such (mainly because i never even read the paper). i'm hoping with the market cooling down somewhat now i'll finally be able to find 1 or 2 bedroom condo for under $200k

My best advice would be to pick up a condo guide magazine, they're free and usually at every grocery store. They have advertisements on up and coming projects all throughout the city. If you want let me know what part of the city you'd like to live it and I'll try to keep on top of new condo developments in the area and can email you any information. There's a nice condo building going up in Taradale with prices around $180-190,000 that are to be completed in 12-14 months, I debated buying one.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Nabber

Deliever flyers door to door advertising your services.

If you're willing, pick up the telephone and start calling people and ask them if they want to sell their house, with a clever script of course.

Flyers aren't too bad, but I get a little ****ed at the waste of paper, I'm constantly flooded by realtor's junk mail. The ones that give out notepads or fridge magnets have a chance of me actually reading the name. Plus a notepad could end up being looked at it for a couple years if someone decides to use it.

Phoning people at random however, this is exactly how you make sure you never get my business. I got a couple calls from a realtor where he used an automated recording instead of spending the time to even talk to me, and made the mistake of leaving his cell phone number. Since he decided it was okay to call me multiple times, I took his number down and gave him a few calls at 3:30am.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by Nabber

My best advice would be to pick up a condo guide magazine, they're free and usually at every grocery store. They have advertisements on up and coming projects all throughout the city. If you want let me know what part of the city you'd like to live it and I'll try to keep on top of new condo developments in the area and can email you any information. There's a nice condo building going up in Taradale with prices around $180-190,000 that are to be completed in 12-14 months, I debated buying one.

thanks, i'll keep that in mind and will deffinetly check out those magazines. as for location i'm not too picky, though as an IT career will probably end up downtown sooner or later i'd like to either find something in downtown or with easy access to the c-train (i despise the bus)

[The_Dude]

Originally Posted by fotze

Here are some tips from an uneducated observor for a realtor.

- If you are putting an ad in the paper, PUT AN ADDRESS OR NEIGHBORHOOD!!! - Do you think that I will drive to Forest Lawn and just fall in love with the house cause you so cleverly omitted where it is.

- Put a price in the ad. It's kinda important.

- Don't say inner city when you are in Brentwood. That isn't inner city, liar.

- Don't ever put "Attention investors" in the ad, IT ****ES ME OFF!

100% agree

[The_Dude]

I know I should be more informed, but how much is the typical house in Calgary? CGY is my next destination for my business.

I know ours are leveling off now.

P.S. One more thing. Please people, Don't mention me when you come to my restaurant. I know I "pimp my business." I like you guys, but my staff is clueless, and you confuse them.

PM me. I'll give you discounts

[Language]

Originally Posted by The_Dude

I know I should be more informed, but how much is the typical house in Calgary? CGY is my next destination for my business.

I know ours are leveling off now.

P.S. One more thing. Please people, Don't mention me when you come to my restaurant. I know I "pimp my business." I like you guys, but my staff is clueless, and you confuse them.

PM me. I'll give you discounts

Which restaurant?

[Nabber]

Originally Posted by fotze

There's also a nice condo in Sunnyside across from the heartland cafe that you guys should buy. I know the realtor.

nm

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

Flyers aren't too bad, but I get a little ****ed at the waste of paper, I'm constantly flooded by realtor's junk mail. The ones that give out notepads or fridge magnets have a chance of me actually reading the name. Plus a notepad could end up being looked at it for a couple years if someone decides to use it.

Phoning people at random however, this is exactly how you make sure you never get my business. I got a couple calls from a realtor where he used an automated recording instead of spending the time to even talk to me, and made the mistake of leaving his cell phone number. Since he decided it was okay to call me multiple times, I took his number down and gave him a few calls at 3:30am.

Thanks for a few tips and I would never even think about doing a recorded message....imagine how much time he would spend selling your house if he can't even talk to you.

If anyone can think of any tips on how a realtor can get your business please give me your thoughts, I will be getting into this as a new career so any help/ideas/tips would be awesome!

PS I know which guy you are talking about if you are from Calgary and I gave a few rings when a was drunk a few times

[troutman]

Originally Posted by HOOT

If anyone can think of any tips on how a realtor can get your business please give me your thoughts, I will be getting into this as a new career so any help/ideas/tips would be awesome!

The best thing you can do is get involved in your community. People want to work with people they know and trust. No hard sell required.

Join the Chamber, join some associations, clubs etc. Play sports. Entertain prospects with tickets/lunches/golf. Consider hiring a marketing coach.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by troutman

The best thing you can do is get involved in your community. People want to work with people they know and trust. No hard sell required.

Join the Chamber, join some associations, clubs etc. Play sports. Entertain prospects with tickets/lunches/golf. Consider hiring a marketing coach.

The Kinsmen club is a really good organization. Work hard put they also play hard.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by fotze

Here are some tips from an uneducated observor for a realtor.

- If you are putting an ad in the paper, PUT AN ADDRESS OR NEIGHBORHOOD!!! - Do you think that I will drive to Forest Lawn and just fall in love with the house cause you so cleverly omitted where it is.

- Put a price in the ad. It's kinda important.

Originally Posted by HOOT

To answer 1 & 2 I would say they do this to drive phone calls and even some interest into it. If they can't get you on the phone they can't tell you about other great features of why the price may be high. So you don't want to create a negative before you even talk to them. It is kinda like any car dealer putting their new car "starting" at $15,000 how many people actually walk out of their with a $15,000 car? they upsell but to create the traffic they do have a low starting price.

And myself as a lay person I tend to agree with Fotze. I believe the job of the realtor is to tell me the facts and to not make me have to do the leg work to find it out. For me; when buying a house price and location are the two most important things. Not putting that info on the ad to me is misleading, and when I was looking to buy I made a note of what realtors had what I considered "misleading" ads.

There may be some do's and don'ts in the real estate biz, and if most realtors follow them; perhaps being a little different might set you apart. The guy who sold me my house was slightly un-conventional, but that was exactly what I needed.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by ken0042

And myself as a lay person I tend to agree with Fotze. I believe the job of the realtor is to tell me the facts and to not make me have to do the leg work to find it out. For me; when buying a house price and location are the two most important things. Not putting that info on the ad to me is misleading, and when I was looking to buy I made a note of what realtors had what I considered "misleading" ads.

There may be some do's and don'ts in the real estate biz, and if most realtors follow them; perhaps being a little different might set you apart. The guy who sold me my house was slightly un-conventional, but that was exactly what I needed.

Oh don't get me wrong...them doing that does not make it right or good for a consumer. I was just stating why they may have done that. I would say if a realtor does not put price or location it is because it is over priced or/and in a bad location. That is the only way they can get traffic.