Whats the Difference Between a Remax Agent and a Century 21 Agent?
The title sounds like the start of a riddle, and yet the answer is simple and can be complex.
Those of us (agents) that have been in the real estate industry for a long time all know each other. We grew up together, attended high school and college together, our kids play together, we are friends, family, roommates, and in some cases spouses that work for different real estate brokerages. Our local agent network is really not that large. And we work and learn with each other, daily!
Often we all hear the same question from prospective clients; "What is the difference between real estate brokerages?" or "Why should I go with your company over XYZ National Brokerage?" When it comes down to it, what benefits do consumers have using one brokerage over another? What's the difference? The difference is "nothing and everything". Sorry to be so paradoxical about the answer, because it is so simple. The difference is not in the brokerage. The difference is in the individual agent.
As agents, we choose the place where we are most comfortable hanging our hat, where the work place is inviting, nurturing and productive. I have also known real estate agents who have been affiliated with almost every local real estate brokerage at one time or another. And the service they provided at one brokerage was no different than the service they provided at another.
It used to be that an agent would choose a brokerage over the tools it offered to make their jobs easier and more manageable, or the quality of in-house training programs. Quite frankly, now, the training is the same, and in some cases, the EXACT same. Just today I attended a class sponsored by Exit Realty, and have attended classes put on by Keller Williams, Remax, Century 21 and Coldwell Banker. The Webinar has also changed the playing field, creating an even opportunity for every agent regardless of if they are with a national franchise or an independently owned real estate brokerage.
Sometimes agents choose one company over the other because of the technological support. Again, another area where the Internet has created the same opportunities for all agents to take advantage of. The same tools are available to every real estate brokerage regardless of if you are with Remax in Maryland or Century 21 in California. They are the same tools with a different label.
The truth is most real estate brokerages are set up to support the agents, not the consumer. It is the agent that makes the difference. If a brokerage offers all kinds of marketing tools and the agent chooses or fails to utilize them, is that the brokerages fault? Real Estate Agents are independent contractors. They are a self contained businesses within a franchise name.Ten agents in the same brokerage are going to conduct business in ten different ways. The important factor here is work ethic, know-how and results.
If you hire an agent with a strong work ethic, who is knowledgeable about their field, and has a track record of success, it does not matter if they are with Keller Williams Realty, Remax, Century 21 or any of the thousands of franchises, or if they have their own brand.
Word of mouth used to be a popular method for finding a good quality agent. In Today's technology-driven world, it is fairly easy to identify who the hard-working, successful agents are. And savvy home buyers and sellers will tell you, they "take to the net" and find out what other home buyers and sellers experiences are like by looking through feedback sites like Trulia, Zillow, Google, Yelp, Facebook,RateABIZ and dozens of others. Check out the testimonials. No longer can an agent hide from a dissatisfied client, and likewise, when a real estate transaction has gone especially well, consumers will let you know.
The difference is as unique as the individual agent.
