We all have two companies in our flives, "the one we are at, and the one we would be at if we weren't at the one we are at." It pays to know what companies offer you. If you are talking to a company, who is in the position of power? You or the Manager?
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I am a firm believer that "Real Estate is a local service business done by local Realtors with their Sphere of Influence, and their Marketing Image." It is not about the company or their brand. The company works for you, not the other way a round.

Here are some questions you should ask about your current company and any company you might consider moving to:

About Environment
Is the office conveniently located?
Does the company offer multiple locations for me to work and meet clients?
Can I access the buildings 24/7?
Do you have company computers I can use?
Do you have the latest equipment?
Do your conference rooms have large screen monitors that I can use with my clients?
Do you have enough conference room space?
Do you have high speed internet access?
Do you have wireless access in all locations that I can use?
Is the office environment “high energy”?
Are the Staff friendly and supportive?
Is the office professional in appearance?
Is the office easily accessible to my clients?

About Compensation
What is the commission split?
Is there a cap on how much I pay the company?
If so, how much?
Is there a franchise fee or royalty?
If so how much?
Is there a cap on that?
How much do you charge Husband/Wife teams?
Do you have an economic model for Teams?
If so, what is it?
If I need to adjust my commission in order to facilitate a transaction, do I have complete freedom to do so, or does the Broker have control of what I charge?
Do you have preferred pricing with vendors?
If so, are those savings passed on to me or does the Brokerage get the benefit?
For any referrals I have either incoming or outgoing, do I have to run them through a company relocation company and pay a fee?
If I decide to leave your company, do I get to take all of my listings with me?
If I decide to leave your company, do all of my pending transactions stay at the then current commission split, or does it change?
If so, what is the split?

About Wealth Building Opportunities
Is the company focused on building my personal wealth?
If so, how do you do that?
Does the company offer a form of passive income opportunity for me?
If so, do I get to vest and keep that income?
If I leave does it change?
How do you treat my personal transactions?
Is there a limit on how many I can do annually?
Do you own any affiliated businesses?
If so, can I be compensated by supporting them?

About Training & Education
Do you offer training?
Is it in-house or is it an outside vendor?
Is there training beyond just new agent training?
If so, what does it cover?
Is there business training as well as sales training?
Is the training FREE or is there a charge?
Do you provide Clock Hour Training?
Is there a charge for that?
Do you have dedicated training facilities?
Do you have a training calendar?
Do you provide online training?
Do you provide me with systems and tools for FREE?
Do you provide me with the scripts and dialogues that work in the current market?
Do you provide me with statistical breakdowns of the market, weekly?
If so, can I use them for my Clients?
Are they FREE or is there a charge?
Do you provide accountability?
Do you provide coaching and consulting?
Is there a charge?
Do you provide national educational events where I can learn from those outside of Portland?
Do agents share information about best practices, scripts, presentations, etc. freely?
Do you provide the opportunity for me to "mastermind" with other agents who are doing similar business to me?
Do you have book clubs?
Should I decide I want to learn how to do commercial real estate, do you have training for that?
Do you have luxury home training?

About Personal Development
Do you have training to develop me personally?
If so, what do you provide?
Do you offer any support in the event of personal hardship?
Do you give me the opportunity to lead if I choose?
Do you offer leadership training?

About Brand/Reputation
What is the market share of your office?
What is the market share of the company in Portland?
How many offices is that?
What is the company’s reach beyond Portland?
What is the office’s market share of current listings in Portland?
Do you allow me to personalize my signs and marketing to promote my brand more than the company’s brand?
Do you have distinctive branding for luxury homes?
Do you have distinctive branding for commercial?
Does your company continually research the market and provide me with those findings?
Has the company been recognized for great service?
If so, how?
Does the company support the delivery of great customer service?
Does the company measure the quality of service provided by vendors?

About Marketing Vehicles
Does the company provide access to marketing vehicles that I can utilize to grow my business?
Does the company provide one point of entry for my listings online?
Does the company support the syndication of my listings to multiple websites?
Does the company route the leads from my listings to me?
If not, where do they go?
Does the company provide discounted access to services like virtual tours?
Does the company provide me with a personalize website?
If so, will you show me how to get the most leads from it?
Do you teach the latest trends and techniques for doing real estate online?
Do you provide me with FREE Stealth Websites (unbranded)?
Do you provide an online directory to market myself nationwide to other agents for referrals at no additional charge?
Do you provide continual marketing of my virtual tours in the lobby of the office?

About Support
What administrative support does the office provide?
What is the charge for that?
Do you provide marketing materials that I can send to my database?
What is the cost?
Do you have a CMA solution I can use?
Do you have a Database solution I can use?
What is the cost?
Do you provide me with statistical reports I can use weekly?
How am I paid my commission?
What is the time frame for receiving my check?
What happens to leads or floor calls on my listings?
Is there a Broker available to answer my questions?
Does the Broker review all of my transactions?
Does the Broker compete with me by listing and selling as well?

About Technology
Does the company provide me with an email account?
What is the cost?
Does the company provide syndication of my listings?
Does the office utilize a paperless system that allows me to access my files 24/7 via the web?
Does the company provide statistical reporting of my business?
Does the company provide an IDX solution to me?
What is the cost?
Does the company provide online training?
Does the company provide discounted access to programs like Top Producer, Tour Factory, etc.?
Does the company provide wireless internet and networking in the building?
What is the cost?
Does the company provide big screen monitors in the conference rooms?
Does the company provide a private intranet for the sharing of data and reporting?
Does the company have a website that drives consumers to me in as few clicks as possible?
Does the company provide me with niche, stealth and personal websites?
At what cost?

About Culture
What is the company’s Mission Statement?
What is the company’s Vision ?
What are the company’s Values?
Are they in writing?
What is the company’s Belief System?
What is the company’s Purpose?
Does the company have a charitable foundation designed to take care of it’s agents during times of hardship?
Does the company provide health insurance?
What social events does the company host?
Does the office have a sharing, caring environment?
Does the company provide an annual convention to teach, share and network?
Does the company provide masterminds for agents to learn from each other?
Does the company have a community-service day?
Is the office high energy and productivity specific?
Does the office believe in having fun?
Does the company have a long term vision for the wellness of it’s agents?

About Benchmarking and Trending
Does your office provide in-depth statistical analysis of the market on a weekly basis?
If so, what is the cost?
Does the office provide market trend graphs that I can use with my clients?
Does the company provide me with a monthly video update on the market that I can send to my clients?
Does the company provide me with a PowerPoint presentation on the market updates that I can use?
Does the company provide me with statistics on my own business that I can access online 24/7?
Does the company fund research on residential real estate that it than provides me at no cost?
Does the office provide me with training on how best to utilize the data with Buyers, Sellers and prospects?
What is the office’s market share?
What is the office’s market share of listings?

About Mega Production
Does the environment in the office support me building a business as big as I want?
Do the economics of the office and the commission program support me in building a team?
Does the office have lots of productive Associates?
Does the training in the office help me to grow beyond simply the basics of real estate sales?
Does the office provide training for my assistants?
Does the office help me to hire talent?
Does the office allow me to control my commission?
Does the company provide me with opportunities to network with top Associates outside of my market?
Does the company consistently interview top agents from around the country and provide those interviews to me at no cost?
Does the company provide me access to all of the systems used by the industry’s best, at no cost?
Can I get coaching at the highest level by people who understand mega production?

About Life Achievement
Does the company provide me with training to grow not only as a business owner, but also as a person?
What does that training include?

About Fun
Does the office strive to create a fun environment?
What fun activities does the office organize?
Do the Associates have the opportunity to organize fun activities?

About Community Service
What does the office do to give back to the community?
Is it mandatory?
Who decides what causes the office supports?

About Leads Support
Does the office direct leads that are generated by my listings to me?
Are all web leads generated on my listing inventory directed to me?
Does the company require that I use their relocation company?
If so, what is the cost?
Does the office allow me to do “floor time?”
What volume of floor calls does the office get?
Does the company provide me with pre-packaged seminars that I can offer First-Time Home Buyers and Investors to generate leads?
Does the company provide me with pre-formatted marketing templates that can be implemented easily?
At what cost?
Does the company provide me with a free IDX solution?
Does the company allow me to market my own brand ahead of the company’s brand?
Does the company allow me to personalize my signs?
What limitations?
Does the company provide me with a free blog site?
Does the office allow me to have a direct dial number that I can market instead of the office number?
Does the company make it easy for me to syndicate my listings on the web?
Do I have control over which sites I want to use?
Does the company provide me with free scripts and dialogues training?
Does the company provide me with specialized lead generation training?
Does the company teach internet lead generation and social media marketing?

About Communication
What communication systems does the office utilize to keep me informed?
Is there a vehicle for me to have input into the operations of the office?
Does the office share its financials with me?
Is there an open door policy in the office?
Is the leadership accessible to me?

About Motivation and Energy
Is the office a high energy environment?
What does the office do help raise the energy and motivation of its Associates?
Are the office’s instructors trained and certified?
Are the leadership energized?
Does the staff support a high energy office?
Are there successful agents in the office who are willing to share?
Does the culture of the office support a motivating and high energy environment?
Does the company help motivate it’s Associates by sharing profit with them?

About Leadership
What is the quality of the company’s leadership?
Are there competing managers or Brokers?
Is there “full time” broker support for my business?
Is there a vehicle for the Associates to take a leadership role in the office and the company?
Does the company provide leadership training?
Are the staff servant leaders?

About Image/Professionalism
Does the office provide a professional atmosphere?
Are the staff professional?
Is there a “dress” standard?
Does the company provide for a professional branding for luxury homes?
Does the company provide for professional branding for commercial real estate?
Does the leadership of the company provide a level of professionalism that supports the Associates growth?

This amazing, brand new home is located in a brand new subdivision and offers 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and approximately 2,050 square feet. The living room offers a 2^nd story ceiling with plenty of windows to let in the natural light. The kitchen and dining room are attached and have wood laminate flooring. The kitchen has oak cabinets, white, Frigidaire appliances and a large, walk-in pantry. The dining area has a sliding glass door that opens to the back patio and yard. There is a large utility room with oak cabinets and a half bathroom down the hall, on the way to the 2-car garage with an automatic garage door opener. The master suite is located on the main level. It offers a vaulted ceiling, a large walk-in closet and a private bathroom with double sinks and a stall shower.

A large landing at the top of the staircase overlooks the living room. Two additional bedrooms, a full bathroom and a large bonus room are located on the upper level.

The home is located on a great, private lot at the end of a dead-end street. It also offers a gorgeous, wrap-around front yard with in-ground sprinklers and a charming covered front porch.

Drive By Directions Are: West on Hwy 126, Left on Houston, Right on East Bolton, Right on Trinity, Right on Erdman, Right on Jake

This wonderful home and property is located on over 2 acres and offers 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and approximately 1,429 square feet. The entry offers tile flooring and a vaulted ceiling that opens up into the living room. The living has 2 skylights and a propane fireplace and a marble surround. The formal dining room is attached to the living room and also shares the vaulted ceiling. It also offers tile flooring and a sliding glass door to the back patio and yard. The kitchen and eating area are attached and have tile flooring. The kitchen offers Corian counters, all black, built-in appliances, a disposal and oak cabinets. The eating area features a bay window and a built-in bar.

At the opposite end of the home you will find all three bedrooms and both bathrooms. The master suite features a sliding glass door to the back patio, a private bathroom with double sinks, a glass stall shower and a walk-in closet. The other full bathroom offers tile flooring, extra storage space and is conveniently located close to the other 2 bedrooms.

Off of the utility room is the 2-car garage with an automatic opener and across the drive way is a 1232 square foot shop and RV parking garage. All 3 bays have automatic garage door openers. The shop is completely finished and heated and has 50 amp RV hookups, 220 heaters and outlets, it plumbed for a bathroom and is wired for an electric welder. In addition, it has another RV hookup, 3 RV dumps, 3 patios, a fenced back yard and could possibly be divided into 6 more buildable lots. The level property, great location and close proximity to public utilities would make this a great possible subdivision.

Drive By Directions Are: West on Hwy 126 to Veneta, Left on Territorial, Left on E Bolton