Dennis, I have been with so many brokers. What is it that makes me jump ship? I am not sure if it is ever one thing. I will tell you that the promise of greener grass has never come into play. Oh, I may use some of the BS to justify my decision making, but it is always 'discontent'.  I leave when the office has done one too many things in too short a time for me to bear any more. Would I leave the office I am in now? Yes! When? I don't know. But, I can tell you that the cons are starting to out weigh the pros. What would push me over the edge. I don't know. Good luck with your class.

Dennis, I've had my own shop for going on 3 years.

BUT, when I left broker 1 to go to broker 2, it was because of nepotism. Great training and broker was there to offer insights--but some family members were difficult to work with, and the money was not great. Did not leave in middle of night--had amicable move and kept my listings.

Second move, the money was better and atmosphere more conducive to progress, but broker 2 was an absentee broker. So I got my broker's license for empowerment. Once I had it, realized I really didn't need to work for anyone any more. So I immediately gave notice and broker 2 facilitated an amicable move and I kept my listings. I was lucky.

Hi Dennis,

I have worked with the same Broker since 1995.  I have seen lots of agents come and go since my Broker has the best new agent training in the area.  It seems like a lot of the agents that leave the company leave as a result of their bad business decisions and then blame it on the Broker.  There are numerous reasons that I have heard over the years like “the fees are too high” or “the other broker offered me a better split” or “lack of communication between agent & broker”.  It amazes me that so many agents make a business decision based on emotion.

Our company just dropped the GMAC franchise & here we go again.  We had 2 agents move out over last weekend.  

The only thing that is constant in our industry is change.

Rob

What keeps me:

If I incur any expenses to get the deal closed (i.e. paying for an appraisal, a little rebate, etc.) it comes off the top of the broker commission... we split the cost and then I get my cut.

I might leave a brokerage that was losing market share and not doing anything about it.

Lack of integrity, the broker not keeping his word to me might cause me to leave.

Failure to provide training or coaching that suited my style might cause me to leave.  Some brokers offer cookie cutter training, stuff that works for "most" realtors, but I want somebody who knows more than I do about the business to understand my strengths and weaknesses and help me grow by providing coaching and training according to what I need, not what most agents need.

Finally, if a broker fails to support me in a dispute over a matter of practice or law, that might cause me to want to leave.  I had a double dip once, represented the seller, did NOT do dual agency, buyer was unrepresented.  The title company left the home warranty off the HUD, saving my seller a few hundred dollars.  They buyers approved the HUD.  We closed.  A month later, buyers called, because the A/C was dying, and then wanted to know how to use the home warranty that they thought was in the deal.  I told them the home warranty was left off by the title co and I was sorry but they did not presently have a home warranty.  However, I would try to get them one if they wanted to pay for it.  They were not thrilled.  At the same time they were not  really mad enough to do anything about it.  

Nevertheless, I thought I should give my Broker a heads up.  I always report potential problem to my Broker, as I believe I should.  Broker immediately  suggested that I should buy the warranty for the buyer because it was cheaper than a lawsuit.  This was an unrepresented buyer, and the company I was with was the only one in town that prohibited dual agency...

With one side of the mouth I was TAUGHT to keep my loyalties in place and not try to serve both sides...  But with the other side of the mouth, the broker was saying I had to serve buyer best interest.

WHAT???  Imagine my surprise that the broker did not support me in a matter of company policy!  I felt that my loyalties to the seller had been properly discharged and I felt no duty under agency law to serve the buyer... To keep the peace, I paid for the home warranty, but the seeds of leaving were sown.  

Rob said

Our company just dropped the GMAC franchise

------------         ----------------                     ----------------

There are many brokerages dropping there franchise now, signs of things to come.

Moving around actually isn't something that most agents want to do and I believe that it's rarely motivated by better programs or greener pastures.

It often results from a feeling on the salespersons part that the broker does not respect and value them. Unfairness and a lack of integrity are sure ways to send your agents packing.

If agents feel that you're openminded enough to hear them when they're frustrated and that you can be counted on to be fair and deliver on your promises they're not likely to ever leave.

As I said in an earlier post, I just jumped ship. This was something that I have been thinking about for 6 months. I had many conversations with my last broker about my concerns; i.e. How long it takes for me to receive my commission check, How much the broker was promising to help with advertising and company name recognition (never happened), Lack of a professional office with a conference room to meet customrs and clients in, if necessary, Amount of rebates the company was giving that directly affected my commission, Additiion of a franchise fee, lack of training and education. There are several more reasons.

We parted on good terms and I wish him the best. I just could not take my own business to the next level without a more professional and supportive atmosphere.

I left office #1 after being there 3 years,they changed Brokers .

I do not like the Broker that they hired or her friends she hired to answer the phones, they did not put calls to the agents .They spoon feed certain agents most of the business . Who wants all that ?

Office #2 since Jan this year ALMOST same thing again.

This time I am getting a Brokers License .

Good question Dennis and interesting answers. My reason for leaving my first and only broker was because I am just independent enough that it was an obvious choice. I didn't have major problems with my broker, and I actually had owned my own business before so it was not out of my comfort zone to start my own brokerage.

I do see alot of agents jumping around trying to find a comfortable spot, and I think it comes down to what Norm said, feeling valued where you are. Some agents need that validation frequently and some are fine for months at a time.

Gary, I hope you keep good records. Every potential buyer and seller that you spent your time with showing homes or preparing CMA's will not remember you. They will remember your broker's office. That area you spent all you money on farming will remember your old office logo and not you. You have got a lot of work ahead of you. Good Luck on your move.

Margaret, that has been my experience, too. The brokers are pretty much the same. If you are going to go it alone, make sure you really investigate what it costs to open your own store. Do a good business plan with enough money to carry you through the start up phase. Office space is like all real estate; location, location, location. Hang around the current brokers office for a few months and you might get an understanding of why they think like they do. Youtube seems to be the ticket today. Here's one with sage advise:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2NPZk38at4

I left my first 2 offices because of lack of training.  I was young and had never owned a home before.  No one wanted to teach me step by step on how to prospect, handle client and close the deal.

3rd office.  I won't be leaving anytime soon.  I married my brokers daughter!

I do have my brokers license and will probably open up a branch of our current office.

Wow - great timing.  I am interviewing new brokerages this week.  I am leaving for two reasons - 1 is personal and had kept me at the company much longer than I wanted to be in the first place.  2 is because I feel the place is not well run and my broker takes no interest in my career (unless internet advice is needed - me giving it to them...)

Now that I am leaving the real reason is my income has dropped SIGNIFICANTLY in the last two years - from over 100k to almost half that and I NEVER RECEIVED ONE CALL FROM MY 'BROKER'.  No one cares at all.  When I request help/ideas/anything I am met with 'You are doing great! You are one of the Top Agents in the company' COME ON!  If I truly am than that scares me.  What is everyone else doing???

I am competitive - I need a push once in a while.  I need to know that if I don't get out of bed for three weeks someone will notice.  I am presently extremely disappointed with my company and welcome the change.  My next company will most likely be a little more expensive but I am ok with that.  You really do get what you paid for.  This is also my first move so I am nervous but on the upside I have a great reason for contacting all of my past/present clients.

Oh, and today is my 4 year anniversary in the biz.  Not surprised I haven't received a call.  Any advice on a smooth move?

TBC - I am moving due to lack of attention.  Lack of knowledge provided by my Broker.  

I am usually pretty loyal and have a tendency to stay with a broker I like. The only reason I have had to jump ship is paying me with bad checks and making no apology for doing it. Ultimate straw. Pay me for what I do or I'm gone.....

Ahh! the good old days...

I remember my first broker, We even went out on a blind date and I knew right then ! "I could feel we had chemistry".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x1n5Tki8TI

Sorry to say I am no longer with her... ha ha

Why do I stay? My bottom line, autonomy and occasional support.

"Gary, I hope you keep good records. Every potential buyer and seller that you spent your time with showing homes or preparing CMA's will not remember you. They will remember your broker's office. That area you spent all you money on farming will remember your old office logo and not you."

Not if he did his own branding correctly he won't.  Not if he built relationships with those people he won't.   No one remembers my company logo.  They either remember my picture with my grand daughter or they remember my business card with a woman dancing on water.   My phone number is the ONLY number on any of my material.  I don't even have the address of the brokerage on anything.  I don't use their name...I use their logo where required, smaller than anything else that I'm promoting which is myself and my website.   If I do use their name, it's with my phone number, not the office's.  

I left the first brokerage because the manager they had in place knew less than I did and the broker was too busy selling to care.   I left the second one because of a conflict that was effecting my personal life.

The one I'm at now, I love the broker.  There are internal situations I'm not all that thrilled about but they don't really trickle down enough to effect my success so I'm staying put.  If they ever do, well, that would cause me to take a good look around.  

I think that management (or lack there of), lack of 'fairness' or 'favoritism' are the main reasons people leave.  It's no surprise that brokers will make all kinds of promises to get a sales associate on board and then fall way short of those promises.

Cyd,

Aren't you in Florida?  You might want to read Chapter 475 in the Florida statutes again and tighten up a bit on your advertising practices.

Not long ago I decided to look for another R.E. Broker with a good brand name and place my license there, just to try something new, a new office, maybe better training and a more professional environment.

So , looking at the Newspaper Employment/Real Estate section I came across this ad: "Too many Leads, NOT Enough Agents". It caught my attention that in this current difficult R.E. Market environment ( lack of buyers and lower existing home sales) , there would actually be a Broker with " Too many Leads " ! ? Hmmm…

Went for the interview and after one hour and a few questions and a long discussion of my Business Plan, I realized that the Newspaper Ad was very misleading and a gross distortion of the true facts about this R.E. Broker

So, I went around this new office in search of more clues, asking questions and found that they did not even had a In-House Mortgage Broker ! ( he had left an empty office, long ago ) because of lack of buyers.

After several unfulfilled promises, commitments NOT followed through from the Office Manager, I decided to maintain a low profile and wait to see if things would get better with time.( go with the flow )

Then a few weeks passed by and I decided to return to see if things had improved on my new found Broker Office, so I sat down on the main waiting lobby in front of the Receptionist desk.

To my surprise, I began to experience a very loud voice coming from the receptionist  a long time employee) complaining out loud about another Associate, that apparently was not even present. Oh well it is just politics, very rude and unprofessional office politics!-( thought to myself).

To this day the Office Manager has not have the Curtesy or common sense to notify me of the next Company Introduction Seminar that has been pospone for several months due to lack of interest ( is he parcticing what some people are doing here in this forum? "The Cone of Silence")

I do not know, and do not care why the lack of professional curtesy. My R.E. Business is doing fine and my Buyers Prospect List is growing.They don't care about my Broker, they care and follow me to any other office.

Should Brokers Do More To Help New Hires Survive?

One of the most embarrassing problems that the real estate industry faces is the HIGH FAILURE RATE of its new practitioners. According to studies performed by the National Association of REALTORS®, new Realtors drop out at a rate of 86% per year. Only 7% renew their licenses. The reason? Overall, the 76% of the industry earns less than $30,000 per year. Those on a fifty-percent split could earn more flipping burgers.

About 80% of those high earners made it through the tough years because of a second income from a second occupation, in essence they were moonlighting and many of them continued to do so due to the shriking market share of their R.E. Businesses.

So what does this information tell you? That most Realtors have backup or a second occupation that they never leave because of  financial insecurity - and that is what you are going to need to make it in the industry a very good backup and lots of money to burn. This by he way is to the detriment of the customer that thinks the Associate is fully committed to Real Estate, wich is NOT the case in many instances.

The average Realtor spends 14 percent of personal gross income on business-related expenses, or about $6,600. And the ratio doesn't improve for high earners. Realtors grossing over $100,000 annually spent $26,300 on business-related expenses.

There are a lot of reasons new agents fail, from high personal start-up costs, lack of guidance and mentoring from Managing Brokers, cutthroat selfish attitude of most of their peer Associates to the emotional and financial lack of preparedness to survive on commissions only. When an agent washes out, it costs both the agent and the broker a lot of money and sometimes the customers. So should the broker do more to protect his/her investment?

The usual training that a new Associates gets is a mediocre, low cost, repetitious and old style classroom training with no practical training in the Field with a real customer and no Prospecting or Marketing training only lip service on this important topics, NO Internet Marketing and Website Construction, they don't even give you a list of the 10 most important Sites for Real Estate !, a few handouts with useless information that is available in any Online Website, and a pat in the back: "Sure Joe/Jane You Can Do it, go get it".

No wonder why there are so many new Associates spending a lot of time in Online R.E. Forums looking for answers to common sense questions ! or jumping from Broker to Broker every 2-3 years.

If they were really busy with Transactions, Buyers and Sellers, they would not be wasting any time on useless Online Forums and Chat Rooms.

The Broker Managers/Owners should start by Not placing or posting MISLEADING EMPLOYMENT CLAIMS and advertising false Office descriptions of their operation to attract new or established hard working, honest Real Estate Licensee with a their very limited budget.They should also get a lot of training on Professional Curtesy and Personal Integrity Training. Most of them don't seem to know how to conduct themselfs.

Then they should implement in their training real on the field practical experience, handling objections and resolving real issues with a Dedicated Trainer, and until that New Licensed Associate makes at least three FSBO Presentations on her/his own the real training is NOT over and completed. The ability to overcome objections is the most common skill deficiency in many New and Old R.E. Practitioners, and this affects