The real estate industry can be incredibly dynamic and there are real opportunities to have a very good professional life and high salary. It is a career which can be difficult, but also highly rewarding and you can earn well based on your performance. It also offers a flexible life schedule and interesting work which involves meeting a lot of people.
If you have just become a real estate agent, then you are probably on the hunt for a good agency to hang your licence at. Who should you consider? Where should you apply? Maybe you are already working for a company, and feeling like you want to move onto a new agency. Read on for our recommendations on the best real estate company to wok for.
The best brokers will vary across the country, and you may have outstanding local options to think about as well. Real estate companies in the US have a range of elements which appeal to potential agents, sellers and home buyers. Ultimately, your success will come from your determination and commitment, and you need to find the agency which suits your values and goals.
In his run down of top real estate companies LA, Paul Argueta suggests that the three key things which make real estate broker stand out for an agent to work for are:
- Culture – company culture, more so than even strategy, is an important part of what makes some companies stand out and succeeds.
- Accountability – Argueta says “It is the duty and responsibility of the management and leadership of the Company to know what every agent’s goals are both professionally, and personally”. This is also about mutual support among agents and having someone around you need to report to in detail.
- Training, and mentoring – success mostly comes down to being able to find sufficient good clients, so you can make s According to Investopedia the best training programs therefore ‘focus on marketing and procuring business’.
All the companies on this list do all of these key things well. Read on for the best real estate agents to work for.
Keller Williams
Keller Williams is the world’s largest real estate company by agent count, and considers being a good company for an agent to work for as the cornerstone of its success..Advisory HQ also lists it as one of the best to work for. They point to its education and technology as the primary resources which support their agents and make Keller Williams so attractive.
Keller Williams is known for its very successful BOLD training program. Investopedia has noted this program as one of the top three. New agents learn marketing techniques and how to position themselves in their community as experts in real estate. It uses a mentor type system where new agents are matched up with experienced agents and taken through many different real-world scenarios like calls and closing sales. They are also put into groups who are expected to hold each other accountable.
As an agent you will also have access to a range of skill-building seminars, classes, and workshops to assist your personal and professional development and skills to improve your close ratios. They also provide top technology resources through their websites, apps, and other programs within their network, which help agents to generate leads. Global listings can be syndicated through their websites, and agents receive all leads from their listings.
Another benefit that Keller Williams offers its agents is a wealth building platform – it allows the agent to also benefit when the company itself improves and grows, through profit sharing. Sales agents are encouraged to help the company and in turn benefit.
Coldwell Banker
Coldwell Banker is considered to be a very good broker for beginning and established estate agents to work for. They certainly have been in business since 1906 and operate in 49 countries and territories across the globe. On their careers page they invite agents to ‘join the blue’ – which they say ‘represents the thinkers and dealmakers’. Coldwell Banker also makes it onto Paul Argueta run down of top Real Estate companies LA. Additionally, four of the top 30 estate agents in Hollywood, according to Hollywood Reporter, work for Coldwell Banker.
Coldwell Banker is noted for having high employee satisfaction, enjoying the opportunities for education and training and the company culture. It ranks well on Glassdoor and the CEO gets positive reviews too.
Being a one of the best real estate brokers, they also offer great technology support for their agents. Top real estate sale person Benjamin Beaver (ranked in the top ten agents in the United States) has shared his success story with Coldwell Baker, and according Advisory HQ he refers to the brand as one of the most ‘progressive’ and open to the ‘embracing of new opportunities’. Marketing is key to successful networking and marketing in real estate, and Coldwell Banker’s technology helps agents market themselves effectively.
Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate
This is a widely recognised brand that has been around for about a century and known internationally for their home décor and lifestyle magazine. The company is known in the real estate market for offering great service during the sale as well as after, when they provide updates on market trends and decorating tips to the new home owner.
Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate offers superior technology to its agents. They offer a solid range of tools to agents to assist them to generate and manage their leads and sales, including:
- A top website where clients can search listings from home
- ‘PinPoint’ which gives agents access to millions of customers for marketing
- ‘The Greenhouse’ for marketing tools, lead management, product training, presentations etc.
- A personalized gift subscription program for potential buyers
Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate is great for new agents to join, as they provide simple targeted programs like ‘Seeds of Success’ and ‘Kick-start Your Career’ to help navigate your first sales when you become a real estate agent. Regular training sessions are also available for any real estate salesperson, regardless of their experience level. Even very experienced salespeople can further their skills and gain additional certifications in areas such as luxury marketing or technology education.
Redfin
Redfin appears as one of only three brokers recognised for their training by Investopedia. Since people often recommend that real estate agents maintain another source of income when they first start in real estate, the Redfin Agent Development (RAD) program looks very attractive.
During this 18 month apprenticeship, the new agents receive a salary and benefits, whilst they are taken through a full training in the business. They go through role-play, classroom learning and on the job training, and are also still able to receive commissions and bonuses when the sales start coming in.
ERA – Electronic Realty Association
It was founded back in 1971 with a focus on utilizing the highest speed and most up to date technology that is available in the industry. That was originally the fax machine, but they continue to be innovators and leaders in technology use and integration. They strive primarily to use the internet to offer better services to potential buyers and sellers, as well as their real estate salesperson team.
As you would expect with a technology focused company, they provide top tools and resources. ERA has a range of business building resources complete with up-to-date statistics about the market, and tools that help agents analyze their sphere of influence and manage their time, and sales. Short online courses also provide refreshers which agents can take at a time which suits them, and cover topics such as business planning, buyer conversion, or running a productive open house.
ERA real estate is another excellent choice for the training it offers new agents, but it also has plenty for experienced agents as well. Training courses, including:
- AccelERAtion: a solid curriculum, from the foundations to improving sales techniques
- Top Gun: Weekly in-depth classes focused on marketing, technology, and specialty areas
- Agent Community of Experts: A live virtual session covering hot topics in the industry
- ERA Certification Courses: Additional certifications can also be done in many areas including eBuyers, foreclosures, and short sales.