Low volume real estate agents.

[HardDrive]

My wife and I have a couple of acquaintances who do real estate on the side. They don't depend on it, one gal is a physician, the other is married to lawyer who's loaded.

The one gal only sells a house or two a year at most, yet she is associated with Windermere, a large RE company here in the Northwest.

How does that work? Aren't there monthly or yearly sales requirements? What is the advantage of being associate with a large company as opposed being independent?

Answers or links to answers most appreciated.

[Rick Lee]

Depends on where your license is. Some offices charge a desk fee of a a few hundred bucks a month, some just take a cut of whatever commissions you earn.

[Big Ed]

Part timers almost always work for firms with no desk fees. They get a check when they sell something, and other than that the office doesn't give them any support is the typical scenario. As a full time broker, I can tell you that it is usually not a good transaction when working with a part-timer -- they don't get enough practice to know what they are doing.

As far as big versus small firms, the only advantage I see to big companies is aggregate advertising for brand recognition, and referral opportunities from other affiliated offices. For example, Century 21 and Coldwell Banker (both Cendant companies) get the lion's share of the corporate relocation contracts here in the Northeast.

[dennis in se pa]

Part time real estate agents are parasites, and hobble those who know what they are doing. The full timers end up doing THEIR job and making up for what they don't do or know. Thank GOD there are few who continue to do this. I am full time. I need this income to feed my family, not to pay for a boat or second home. Please go somewhere else if you want to do something part time and get paid for it while the serious professionals end up making up for your short comings and incompetence - doing YOUR job.

[widgeon13]

there, that's fixed, now I can get back to focusing on the coronation.

[RANDY P]

They are all classified as "low volume" these days...

rjp

[legion]

After how little help I got from the part-timer I bought my house through, I will never work with one again. She would spend the first 45 minutes to an hour looking up listings for us to go look at.

[Zeke]

I think most PTr's are in it for the social aspect. They might be good listing agents if they are well placed in society. They might not bring in high volume but maybe can land some high value properties and get them on the multiples, throw some brochures around and see what goes up the pole. I think some around here do things like donate some of the outrages commission to charity and things like that to appeal to the upper crust.

OTOH, some real exclusive types I know of are selling dumps these days. Anything they can get their grubs on.

[jhynesrockmtn]

My ex has been in a few offices. Windermere has desk fee offices and "split" offices where they get 50% of your take up to a minimum, was around $28k I think last she was doing that. The agent keeps 100% after that. The desk fee office gets none of the commission but you pay a pretty hefty monthly fee. In a split office, those who don't make their nut over time get shown the door to make room for those who will bring in some $'s. The office owner has no reason to keep part timers who don't bring in any $'s unless they are old timers who were around for a long time and have a good clientele built up or for some other reason say hot wife of loaded lawyer or something. There are all sorts of permutations on this theme and new arrangements popping up all the time. She just finally took a real job, hasn't sold anything in a year.

[GG Allin]

Originally Posted by dennis in se pa

Part time real estate agents are parasites, and hobble those who know what they are doing. The full timers end up doing THEIR job and making up for what they don't do or know. Thank GOD there are few who continue to do this. I am full time. I need this income to feed my family, not to pay for a boat or second home. Please go somewhere else if you want to do something part time and get paid for it while the serious professionals end up making up for your short comings and incompetence - doing YOUR job.

Thank you, I'm a part time RE agent. I've had my license since 2002 and sell on average 2 to 3 houses a year. It's great side cash. The last deal I did paid me $6200. it was at tops 8 hours worth of work. Funny thing though, I can't recall anyone doing any of the work for me. I too need the money to feed my family. It's sometimes surprises me how lazy some full time agents can be. Hang a lock box on the door and let the girl in the office field all the calls, or better yet let an outside service handle it.

The dues are roughly $1000 a year to keep the license, and belong to a Realtor Association and I don't pay desk fees. I'm with a small office, every time I see my broker we're giving each other money. I have a 65/35 split with him. It works out nice. I've probably grossed around $100k since 2002, well worth the 45 hours to get the license.

[einreb]

Originally Posted by mbrouder

Thank you, I'm a part time RE agent. I've had my license since 2002 and sell on average 2 to 3 houses a year.

Good for you (seriously).

sort of serious --> Now if we can just get it to the point that EVERYONE is a RealtOR and we get a commission on sales only on our own purchase/sales then things will be where they should be.

[911Rob]

Ha, Ha, Ha!
I R 1 2.

Real Estate has NOTHING to do with part time or full time? I've got offices filled with Realtors sitting at their desks, taking floor calls or making cold calls; big deal? It's all about the money and how much you make. Period.

When your client pays you a $30,000 commission and says an earnest "thank-you"; you've done your job well

mbrouder answered your question. My office takes 40% off the split type Realtors. I pay a set monthly desk fee and a maximum quantity of deal fees, per end (sell/list) at C21. I run a team so my desk fees are higher, but the average is $1200/month, plus copying and expenses. Deal fees are $250 per end and I pay a max of 80 ends per year. Franchise fees are around $300/mo and license association fees are around $100/mo and $2000/year renewals. Hope that helps you out.

btw, I'm part time and No.1 in my entire region. Was #5 in all of Canada in 2007 in "commissions earned" category. Part time vs: Full time, Ha, what a crock show me the $$$ and if you're not selling a friggin house then go home and spend time with your family!