By: Shannon Daniele, HomeSmart Realty Group Broker/Owner

My brokerage, HomeSmart Realty Group in Signal Hill, California, went from two to 94 agents in three years. HomeSmart’s competitive advantage of being a high-value, high-service brokerage, allows our agents to take the lead in our local area as true experts. When agents join our firm, they’re blown away by our business model and the fact that we give them everything they need to succeed. It’s not hard to grow when you have all of this.

I spoke to RISMedia about how we’ve managed to grow our agent count dramatically in the last six months and help our agents succeed thanks to our competitive advantage.

I’m sharing three of those tips with you, so you too can take your business to the next level.

Offer top-notch training.

We’re seeing a new breed of smart, sophisticated buyers who have taken the time to educate themselves on the buying process. In addition to knowing what they want, they’re also asking serious questions—which is why we equip our agents with regular training so they can share the knowledge and expertise those customers demand.

While HomeSmart provides training on the backend systems and processes, we take it a step further and dive deeper into various topics such as 1031 exchanges, listing presentations, text marketing and more. We’ve even brought in a world-class inspector to do a first-time buyer class to educate agents as to what they can expect with an inspection and how to talk to clients, especially first-timers. In addition to offering a bi weekly class that focuses on new, emerging technology, we also spend a great deal of time on social media training.

Stay current and flexible.

HomeSmart is always looking to agents and brokers and asking how we can better brokerage operations and the entire real estate transaction process. Not only is our technology all-inclusive and cutting-edge, but our fee structure also acts as another competitive advantage as it allows agents to pick up checks from escrow immediately—something that’s missing from the industry. The training we provide on top of all this is another thing that keeps us flexible and current. It is also important to keep an eye on the competition to see if they’re doing something new or of value that you should consider.

Harness a culture that sets you apart.

One of our office’s defining characteristics is its culture. No one is pretentious or presumptuous. In fact, there isn’t one person in the office who isn’t willing to take the time to help someone else. We also have a lot of fun together. Whether it’s working with local charities or hosting agent appreciation events, it’s truly a family environment.

If you adopt a culture of transparency, respect and fun; offer five-star training and provide agents with the tools and technology necessary to stay ahead of the competition, agents will flock to your brokerage.
But don’t just take my word for it. Learn from other HomeSmart brokers about our high performing model and how it helps draw a steady stream of recruited agents to their brokerages.