High Splits Not the Only Factor for Agents Picking an Office
Chicago Agent poll finds that a variety of factors influence an agent’s decision to join a specific office
Chicago, IL – December 8, 2010 – (RealEstateRama) — In Chicago Agent’s newly released Chicagoland’s Best Offices 2010 issue, a survey of the magazine’s readers reveals that there are a number of reasons that agents choose one office over another.
Chicago Agent’s most recent survey was sent to agents via e-mail, and the polls were open fom Oct. 20 to Nov. 23. Forty-six percent of agents said that a high split made an office more attractive, making that the feature with the most influence. The next most important feature of an office was admin support with 44 percent of the votes, followed by leads (40 percent), tech support (34 percent) and training (33 percent). However, not everyone felt that the split mattered at all, demonstrating that it is truly important for each agent to look at every office they are considering carefully to see if it is a good fit.
“For me, the decision to go with one brokerage over another was more about association, mentorship and business model than split,” says Catherine Dugan LaBelle Prime Property Partners in LaGrange.
Some agents are influenced to join a specific office due to the managing broker, such as Lauren Hill with @properties, who admits she followed Jeanine McShea to her current company.
An overwhelming number of agents took the survey, and many had a positive outlook about their supervisors, as 84 percent reported being satisfied with their managing broker, while 8 percent were indifferent and the remaining 8 percent were unsatisfied.
“Zeke Morris is the reason that I joined my current brokerage firm and he has consistently delivered as promised,” says Christopher Thomas of Keller Williams Realty C.C.G. in Hyde Park, who noted that he is satisfied with his managing broker. Arlene Fields with Baird & Warner Arlington Heights is also pleased with her current managing broker, “We are fortunate to have the resources to stay on top of technology. They [management] are open to ideas and try to provide tools that are useful for helping service our clients. It’s a great team to be on!”
Not everyone had good things to say about their office, and many of those that commented remained anonymous. “Too many managers have agents they cater to,” said one unsatisfied agent. Others feel that the managing broker is doing a fine job, but that it might not actually matter. “Lots of elements go into a broker’s job, but in reality the only time you need your broker is when there’s a problem,” said one satisfied agent.
http://chicagoagentmagazine.com/chicago-agents-survey-says-3/
About Chicago Agent
Chicago Agent magazine and ChicagoAgentMagazine.com is a subsidiary of Agent Publishing, the only media company that unites the residential housing industry in local markets across the U.S. Realtors, developers, lenders and industry affiliates look to Chicago Agent for news, information, advice and important data relevant to the Chicagoland area. The only company that addresses the business and personal needs of the real estate professional, Chicago Agent magazine is delivered to thousands of agents in hundreds of realty offices in the Chicagoland area. For more information, visit ChicagoAgentMagazine.com.
