The COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges for many businesses and industries, including the real estate industry. With more people losing their jobs or refusing to meet in person out of fear of contracting the coronavirus, it has made it more difficult for homeowners and REALTORS to sell their homes.

REALTOR Trent Beaver turned this hardship into opportunity. Since most of the world is in quarantine, more people spend their time on social media these days. Beaver used this as a perfect opportunity to seek out new clients and promote their listings to prospective buyers from all over the world. [Read More]

BY NICK MALOUFF

Whether you are a new agent looking for the first place to hang your license or an experienced agent contemplating a move, compensation plans are an important part of the decision-making process. In addition to commission splits and caps, compensation plans also include the fees agents pay to brokerages.

In my experience, the first question most potential agents ask is: “What are your fees?” It’s a good question, but I believe there are better ones to ask and more valuable ways to evaluate a potential brokerage before discussing fees.

Business plans

This one is more of a soul searcher, but let’s start at the beginning. Real estate agents are self-employed, which means their money-making activities are self-directed. For many agents, that direction is laid out in a business plan.

Having a business plan is an important step in evaluating compensation plans. Without understanding your financial goals, it’s difficult to evaluate the various financial investments you make in your career — such as brokerage fees — to achieve that plan.

Business plans should be built around your strengths. If you haven’t asked yourself “What are my strengths?” this is a great time to do it.

Support

So that leads to the first question I recommend asking a potential broker: How will you help me meet the goals I have outlined in my business plan?

Full-service brokerages have dedicated staff available to help agents refine their business plan and build in the expenses needed to achieve targets. Most also provide training to help develop skills and schedule personalized accountability coaching to help agents execute their plan.

In contrast, limited-service brokerages don’t have the personnel to provide this level of support and instead rely on mass-produced training programs and videos.

When evaluating the type of support a brokerage provides, agents can ask:

• What is the staff-to-agent ratio for support services at your firm?
• How many on-site people do you have for agent support services?

Knowing this number can help determine if a brokerage views its relationships with agents as a partnership or as a transaction manager.

Productivity

The next question an agent should ask a potential broker relates to productivity. Getting an idea of how many deals agents do, broken down by experience level, should give an indication of how well the brokerage is developing its agent roster. Ask:

• What is your average per-person productivity?
• What about at my experience level?
• How does that relate to the market overall?

As I said at the start, if you have a production goal in mind — units, volume or take-home pay — you can have a good conversation about productivity, and more importantly, you can have an “apples-to-apples” look at what different brokerages can provide to get you there.

Collaboration

Being in business for yourself doesn’t mean you have to go it alone. Brokerages that foster a culture of collegiality understand that together we can do more. Look for an environment in which people are willing to share what they know. Ask:

• How would you describe your company culture?
• Do you have a mentor program?
• You can also ask to speak to a few agents to get their points of view.

Fees

By now, you should have gathered a great deal of information about the brokerage, and you can ask your final question, which is, yes, about fees. At this point, you will have a sense of the level of support the brokerage is providing, and you can determine if you believe it’s worth the investment in the fee structure.

Newer agents should expect to pay more in fees because they typically need more support. That said, experienced agents still need a brokerage that will help them sustain and grow their business, but because they need less support, their fees might be lower.

At either level, compensation plans should have variations that reflect the level of support provided as well as offer rewards for higher productivity.

At the end of the day, fees should not be viewed as a number but as a value. If the return on your investment is deemed high, then the fees have a potentially high value. With any business, what you put into it directly relates to what you get out of it.

Nick Malouff is the President and CEO of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty in Prescott, Arizona. Connect with him on LinkedIn. 

Article Originally appeared at inman.com on 9/29/2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Anna Tobin

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate | BloomTree Realty

(386) 898-2179

ann@bloomtreerealty.com

Sheridan awarded Prescott Area Association of Realtors’ Affiliate Choice Bright Light Award

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty Agent recognized for serving others.

PRESCOTT, ARIZONA, September 25, 2020 – Leading local real estate sales professional DJ Sheridan with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty Prescott received Prescott Area Association of Realtors’ Affiliate Choice Bright Light Award.

The award is granted to the realtor that gives inspiration to their peers to succeed, is willing to assist others, and is a shining example of industry participation. PAAR surprised Sheridan with the award today at the membership meeting.

“I am incredibly grateful and completely shocked, I had no idea that this was even coming,” said DJ Sheridan.

The award is given to an agent within the PAAR membership.  Past recipients from BloomTree include BloomTree Designated Broker, Sherri Battten, who was the first recipient of the award in 2018.

Co-Owner and Chief Operating Officer, Leslie Guiley, added, “We are so honored to have DJ Sheridan at Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty.  DJ has tons of energy and you’ll be seeing more of him as he is immersed in this community and upcoming events.”

“PAAR loves celebrating our members and our Affiliate Council does a great job spotlighting Realtors for standout efforts. We are thrilled to present DJ Sheridan with the Bright Light Award and celebrate him for helping to raise the bar for all Realtors,” said PAAR CEO Amanda Creel, CAE, RCE.

“DJ Sheridan is a great choice for PAAR’s Affiliate Council’s Bright Light Award, which was designed to recognize Realtors for inspiring their peers to succeed, their willingness to assist others and is a shining example of industry participation,” said 2020 PAAR President Jeff Bashaw.  “This year has proven challenging for all of us, so I am happy to have the opportunity to recognize him on behalf of our Affiliate Council.”

To learn more about Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty, visit https://www.bloomtreerealty.com/

To learn more about Prescott Area Association of Relators (PAAR) visit https://www.paar.org/

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty  differentiates itself in the real estate industry through the collaborative efforts of over 200 agents in multiple business units- Residential, Commercial and Rental Solutions. BHGRE BloomTree comprises the largest industry segment in the quad cities of Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley and Dewey-Humboldt with additional offices in Prescott, Prescott Valley, Cottonwood, Sedona and Phoenix.  Agents opt-in to a profit-sharing model and through the local Merit Fund and community charities, BHGRE BloomTree Realty shared over $300K to its agents and client’s local interests.

Check out BHGRE BloomTree Realty online:www.bloomtreerealty.com

LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bloomtree-realty

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BloomTreePrescott

Better Homes and Gardens BloomTree Realty COO Offers Advice

Leslie Guiley, Co-Owner and Chief Operating Officer of Better Homes and Gardens BloomTree Realty, was selected by Agent Advice to offer guidance on choosing the best tenants.  Read the enlightening article below of tips from experts in the real estate industry.

One of the biggest challenges for property managers is finding the right tenants that won’t give them sleepless nights. Pre-screening prospective tenants used to be enough, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find renters they can trust.

While a criminal background check, income and employment verification, a credit check, etc. can reveal a prospective tenant’s true identity, they don’t tell the whole story. Despite all of that, many property managers still end up with nightmarish tenants.

So, the question is, how can property managers get the best tenants?

We asked several key experts known for being top solution providers in the real estate industry to get their advice. They discussed and shared relevant tips and ideas about how to get better tenants for properties.

Since real estate experts and property managers both deal with housing and sometimes work hand in hand, real estate experts can also learn and grow by using these tips.

Click Here to Read What Experts Had To Say

Quicken Loans recently published an article helping Real Estate agents manage their business.  They consulted Trent Beaver, a Better Homes and Gardens BloomTree Realty Realtor, to get advice on remaining competitive during all types of real estate markets.  Quicken Loavs provided 5 tips to help Realtors Remain Competitive.

READ:  5 Ways Agents Can Stay Competitive As Housing Market Remains Hot

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Anna Tobin
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty
(386) 898-2179

anna@bloomtreerealty.com

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty voted #1 for Greater Prescott Area Best Real Estate Agency 2020 by Market Surveys of America. 

Prescott, AZ September 1, 2020 – For three years running, leading local real estate agency Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate (BHGRE)BloomTree Realty has been named the #1 Real Estate Agency for the Greater Prescott Area 2020 by Market Surveys of America.

This recognition is awarded to the agency that receives the most votes via an opt-in online voting process.  Votes are tabulated by the number of write-in submissions received by Market Surveys of America.

Co-Owner and Chief Operating Officer, Leslie Guiley said, “This award acknowledges the hard work, dedication and commitment that our leadership team and our agents have to this community. We are so proud to be named the Best Real Estate Agency of Prescott Greater Area for three years in a row!”

Recognized year after year as a leader in residential and commercial real estate, BHGRE BloomTree Realty has received additional awards including the Award for Excellence by the Prescott Chamber of Commerce (2019) and was named the WINNER of the Reader’s Choice Awards (2018) for the Best Real Estate Company by the Daily Courier.

Voting is now open for the “Best of Prescott” 2021 http://www.bestofsurveys.com/vote/175/prescott

To learn more about Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty, visit www.bloomtreerealty.com.

About Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty
BloomTree Realty, and its owners Nick Malouff, Raymond Zogob, Leslie Guiley and Paul Aslanian, partnered with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate in early 2019 to bring new opportunity to its agents through training and marketing.  In 2019, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty returned over $300K to its agents and the community through the merit fund and community charities.  With offices in Prescott, Prescott Valley, Cottonwood, Sedona and Phoenix, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty remains focused on providing exemplary service to its agents and their clients and is committed to doing more and giving more in 2020.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Anna Tobin
(386) 898-2179
anna@bloomtreerealty.com

Real Estate Merger creates largest Commercial Services in Prescott and Surrounding Areas

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty Merges with Sumner Commercial

Prescott, AZ August, 2020 – Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty, the number one residential real estate agency in transaction volume in the greater Prescott quad-city area announced they merged with the Sumner Commercial Group (SCG), the largest commercial brokerage in the same area, to capture a significant share of the commercial real estate business.

The Sumner Commercial Group’s entire office, which is comprised of Angie Sumner, Matt Fish, Mark Duncan, Chris Krogedal, Zena Krogedal, Cooper Anderson, and Lisa Cole will join forces with BHGRE BloomTree Realty and operate under the banner of BHGRE BloomTree Realty, Commercial Division.

The Sumner Group managed a significant number of commercial and office buildings which will now be managed by BloomTree Rental Solutions, a division of BHGRE BloomTree Realty. Cooper Anderson will continue to manage these properties under the guidance and oversight of Jenny Browning, the managing partner of BloomTree Rental Solutions.

BHGRE BloomTree Realty’s Director of Commercial Sales, Raymond Zogob, will continue to oversee the Commercial Sales Division.

Zogob stated, “This is a revolutionary shift in the way commercial business is done. In the past it was about the individual agent dealing with their one client, now we have a group that strategically comes together to bring a greater resource to all of our clients, we have a greater brain trust to deliver exceptional service.”

Nick Malouff, CEO and President of the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate (BHGRE) BloomTree Realty Agency, which currently captures 16% of the real estate market in the Prescott and surrounding areas, stated,  “BloomTree is always looking to grow by adding the most professional agents in the market who share our values and vision for real estate. Angie Sumner and her group fit that profile perfectly because of the kind of company she built and the fact that she operated from a value base that we share.”

Angie Sumner created Sumner Commercial to grow her commercial real estate and property management business which became the largest single office commercial brokerage in the area as a result of her focused effort.

Sumner stated this regarding the purpose behind the merger, “I was looking for the right culture, leadership and sustainability with a new partner and BloomTree was my best option to meet all the criteria for a merger. Additionally, I have a great relationship with BloomTree that has gone back decades with the owners, so there was a strong trust factor between us which allowed us to talk honestly and openly about what would work best for both sides.”

Malouff and Sumner have known each other for more than twenty-five years and during that time have collaborated on many professional ventures in real estate and both served on the Prescott Area Association of Realtors (PAAR) Building Committee.

Malouff continued, “So in the end, the merger of the two companies helped both sides achieve their goals and to create a more dynamic and powerful commercial division at BloomTree Realty and it allowed Angie to focus on her own business and bring the additional resources to her existing agents to further their opportunity. Both sides will have greater revenue, more resources and deeper combined knowledge.”

The Clients of Sumner Commercial Group will continue to be served with the highest level of professionalism and will now have the additional resources of the combined companies.

Zogob concludes, “We are better when we come together, we all have a passion for making the greater Prescott area the best place to live, work and play.”

To learn more about Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty, visit www.bloomtreerealty.com.

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty and its owners Nick Malouff, Raymond Zogob, and Leslie Guiley, partnered with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate in early 2019 to bring new opportunity to its agents through training and marketing.  In 2019, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty returned over $300K to its agents and the community through the merit fund and community charities.  With offices in Prescott, Prescott Valley, Cottonwood, Sedona and Phoenix, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty remains focused on providing exemplary service to its agents and their clients and is committed to doing more and giving more in 2020. 

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate is a dynamic real estate brand that offers a full range of services to brokers, sales associates and home buyers and sellers. Using innovative technology, sophisticated business systems and the broad appeal of a lifestyle brand, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC embodies the future of the real estate industry while remaining grounded in the tradition of home. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC is a subsidiary of Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY), a global leader in real estate franchising and provider of real estate brokerage, relocation and settlement services.

The growing Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate network includes nearly 13,000 independent sales associates and more than 370 offices serving home buyers and sellers across the United States, Canada, Jamaica, The Bahamas, Australia and New Zealand.

Better Homes & Gardens® is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation licensed to Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC and used with permission. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate Franchise is independently owned and operated.

In the increasingly dog-eat-dog world of real estate sales, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty has chosen a different path: sharing of knowledge and resources to offer better services for homebuyers and sellers.

“It essentially was every agent for himself or herself,” observed Nick Malouff, BloomTree president and CEO, about the real estate business in general. “We didn’t think that was a healthy environment. If there’s anything unique about BloomTree, it’s community. People are rewarded for sharing what they know.”

The BloomTree philosophy clearly is working: it’s the #1 real estate company in the Prescott area, closing one out of every seven deals here last year, Malouff said. Every client gets a third-party survey after closing, and they have awarded BloomTree a phenomenal performance rating of 5 out of 5 stars.

“That level of client care is what’s driven our growth,” BloomTree Co-Founder and Executive VP of Marketing Stacy Stateham said.  [Read More]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Anna Tobin
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty
(386) 898-2179
anna@bloomtreerealty.com

James Michener affiliated with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty awarded for performance excellence out of a network of nearly 13,000 sales associates.

Prescott, AZ August 13, 2020 – Leading local real estate sales professional James Michener affiliated with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty in Prescott, Arizona received the 2nd Place Award from Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC in recognition of his outstanding 2019 sales performance.

The award acknowledges the achievement of top performers within the franchise network based on stringent criteria in the categories of total closed units or sales volume. Out of a network of nearly 13,000 independent sales associates and more than 370 offices across the United States, Canada, Jamaica, The Bahamas and Australia, the Michener team has been inducted into a prestigious group of top performers and serves to confirm his dedication to exceptional customer service, marketing, and responsiveness to his clients.

“I am so honored to receive this award, especially from such a prestigious brokerage that has been number one in the market for four years and voted Best of Prescott for three straight years.  It’s great to work side by side with the best real estate agents, owners and leadership in the county.  I could not have accomplished this without the support of my family and my amazing team,” said James Michener.

Co-Owner and Chief Operating Officer, Leslie Guiley, added, “We are so honored to have the James Michener Team at Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty.  James came to us as a new agent in 2013 with a strong commitment to success. He worked hard to learn the business, build a team and serve his clients.  He has an amazing amount of energy and has proven to be a force to be reckoned with in real estate while simultaneously being a kind and gentle family man.  James has built a strong team of agents whom he coaches and is an inspiration to us all.”

To learn more about Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty, visit bloomtreerealty.com.

About Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty

BloomTree Realty, and its owners Nick Malouff, Raymond Zogob, Leslie Guiley and Paul Aslanian, partnered with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate in early 2019 to bring new opportunity to its agents through training and marketing.  In 2019, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty returned over $300K to its agents and the community through the merit fund and community charities.  With offices in Prescott, Prescott Valley, Cottonwood, Sedona and Phoenix, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty remains focused on providing exemplary service to its agents and their clients and is committed to doing more and giving more in 2020.