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Ambassador
3,344,906
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

The only reason, not necessarily an advantage, I can see is a place to hang one's license. There may be a personal reason for affiliating with a broker/age 4 hours away. With so many virtual offices today, I do not know if there would be any disaddvantages.  It will depend on the agent, and the broker/age.  

Oct 01, 2021 09:04 AM
Ambassador
1,452,569
Susan Emo
Sotheby's International Realty Canada - Brokerage - Kingston, ON
Kingston and the 1000 Islands Area

I made the decision to join Sotheby's about 8 years ago.  I've never been in the brokerage or met the broker.  I am the only agent in my market and love love love that!   I'm not a joiner and don't play well with others.  This suits me just fine.

Oct 01, 2021 04:15 PM
Rainmaker
1,310,972
John Juarez
The Medford Real Estate Team - Fremont, CA
ePRO, SRES, GRI, PMN

I don't know of any advantage. Perhaps the agent who is at issue should be asked. Speculation is not advantageous.

Oct 01, 2021 10:13 AM
Rainmaker
637,434
Hella M. Rothwell, Broker/Realtor®
Carmel by the Sea, CA
Rothwell Realty Inc. CA#01968433 Carmel-by-the-Sea

You would not compete with other agents in that brokerage?  Maybe your new brokerage is not represented in that area at all? In that case, you are a new face and sometimes that helps on a well known brand. 

Oct 01, 2021 09:46 AM
Rainmaker
1,052,056
Candice A. Donofrio
Next Wave RE Investments LLC Bullhead City AZ Commercial RE Broker - Fort Mohave, AZ
928-201-4BHC (4242) call/text

I don't see an advantage. You are not a local expert. Your competitors will keep that top of mind! 

Oct 01, 2021 09:12 AM
Rainmaker
1,543,225
Thomas J. Nelson, REALTOR ® e-Pro CRS RCS-D Vets
Big Block Realty 858.232.8722 - La Jolla, CA
CEO of Vision Drive Realty - Coastal San Diego

None.

But, if you are a virtual agent, it doesn't pose any disadvantages other than a long drive to the office if you ever had need to.

I want to belong to a local broker for local business branding and support.

Oct 01, 2021 12:53 PM
Rainmaker
1,844,171
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

As Candice said, don't see any advantage. In fact I'd wonder if the agent was lost everytime they were in the area.

Oct 01, 2021 11:03 AM
Ambassador
3,587,835
Anna "Banana" Kruchten
HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

Well if I still owned a home up in Flagstaff I might want to do business up there and it's about 2 1/1 hours up.  But I'm got enough to handle right here in the Phoenix area.

Oct 01, 2021 09:55 AM
Rainmaker
1,502,848
Ryan Huggins - Thousand Oaks, CA
https://HugginsHomes.com - Thousand Oaks, CA
Residential Real Estate and Investment Properties

There could be a lot of reasons.  Maybe they know the Broker personally?  Maybe it's one heck of a commission split?  Maybe they want to be in another board/MLS than the primary one for the area (I've seen many take advantage of this in our area)?  Maybe they don't want to compete with others? 

 

Out here the couple non-NAR brokerages are 100% virtual and based out of "timbuk-tu".

Oct 01, 2021 10:13 PM
Rainmaker
805,799
Steve Higgins
RE/MAX Kelowna - Kelowna, BC

I wouldn't see any advantage, unless they want to say they belong to that brokerage.

Oct 01, 2021 08:02 PM
Rainmaker
763,783
Tony Lewis
Summit Real Estate Group - Valencia, CA
Summit Real Estate Group Valencia & Aliso Viejo

Might be a better board or commission split.  This works for agents that are not dependent upon the name recognition of the agent within the community.  Many corporate companies such as Redfin have agents in many areas and the main office is not necessarily local.

Oct 01, 2021 09:47 AM
Rainmaker
7,834,939
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

No advantages in our area.

Oct 01, 2021 09:02 AM
Rainmaker
5,215,388
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Chicago, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

I don't see any advantage. The competition may see it as an advantage over that agent.

Oct 02, 2021 04:54 AM
Rainmaker
643,875
Greg Large
ERA Real Solutions - Grove City, OH
A Tradition of Trust

If you don't like being micromanaged, less likely to be ridden like a bad pair of underwear.

Oct 01, 2021 06:32 PM
Ambassador
3,164,119
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

Depends on the circumstances.  I have an agent with my brokerage who lives in another market.  He has a weekend house here.  He belongs to a different MLS as well as the local MLS and has no issues working from home in the market he's living in Monday to Friday.  But he still gets the support from me that he needs to do his job well.

Oct 01, 2021 02:49 PM
Ambassador
6,392,879
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Which brokerage are you considering joining?

 

Oct 01, 2021 12:23 PM
Rainmaker
5,772,575
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Wanda,

It really depends on the person.  The first person I thought of is Susan Emo .   She does very well on her own.  A

Oct 01, 2021 08:16 PM
Rainmaker
921,504
Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041
ReMax Realtec Group - Palm Harbor, FL
Making FLORIDA Real Estate EZ

Advantages:
1. Folks you don't want to find you won't. But in Florida, the professional licening bureau shows the agents home address, not the brokerage.
2. Show me dah money. More money makes consessions easier.
3. Vapor brokerages may have visionary leadership. There is an expressed consumer preference that the current industry configuration does not meet. We exist becuase it's a monopoly.
4. Vapor brokeages are more likey to have a culture of "YES" meaning the 'burn out' is less likely. Meaning the curious remain inspired.
5. Demonstrable evidence this brokerage and it's agents are the 'new wave' with new solutions and better results. (This is tied to #3, not to existing performance metrics.)

I think the agent with agile thinking can make this work and be advantaged the the economic. I have observed the 'vapor' brokerages DO NOT PASS the $$$ benefits to the agent.

Oct 01, 2021 12:22 PM
Ambassador
5,228,997
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

For quite awhile, one of our local 'online' brokerages that doesn't have office presence (at least in NC), had their managing broker 2 hours away from Charlotte.


Several years ago, I was recruited heavily by several agents in this company and that is one of the main reasons I didn't go with them.  

Oct 03, 2021 01:13 PM
Rainmaker
1,196,588
Doug Dawes
Keller Williams Evolution - 447 Boston Street, Suite #5, Topsfield, MA - Topsfield, MA
Your Personal Realtor®

I don't see any but I'm sure others may

Oct 02, 2021 10:07 AM
Ambassador
2,060,946
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home is where the hearth is.

Four hours away!?  So, conservatively, you're talking about 200 miles away? 

I can't see any logical reason for belonging to a brokerage that far away, without a local presence.

Oct 02, 2021 07:18 AM
Rainmaker
911,228
Jeff Pearl
RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA - Lovettsville, VA
Full Service Full Time Realtor

Maybe the broker provides useful tools and marketing to the agents, but the agent wants to work closer to where they live, and has a home and/or mobile office.

Oct 02, 2021 06:03 AM
Rainmaker
5,104,806
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Not something I've ever considered... can't think of an over-riding advantage.

Oct 02, 2021 04:22 AM
Rainmaker
2,240,736
Andrew Mooers | 207.532.6573
MOOERS REALTY - Houlton, ME
Northern Maine Real Estate-Aroostook County Broker

Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - Wanda Can! You're asking for a friend right? If the agent was brand new, had a license but did not know how to fly... the four hours away from mentoring, from every day a new series of questions needing answering makes that agent one giant liability to the brokerage and to themselves.

If seasoned agent, has a brand new territory but is a local expert and active in the community, it could be win win. But if all established why are they looking? Don't like the people around the water cooler wearing the same company color blazer?

Tailgating and hooked as an independent contractor opening up new territory could be like having your own brokerage but like a franchise when you already know how to ride the bike, they are costly and those darn splits. Ouch.

Oct 03, 2021 02:56 AM
Rainmaker
1,622,432
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC Calabasas CA

I never go to the office these days and all our meetings and communication is via the phone. There is no difference for me where is the location of my broker. I believe 2020/21 moved most independent contractors to work.....independently:) 

Oct 02, 2021 04:02 PM
Rainmaker
711,752
Lynnea Miller
Bend Premier Real Estate - Bend, OR
Premier Real Estate Service in Central Oregon

It would depend so much on how effective a virtual office would be to that agent.

Oct 01, 2021 08:45 PM
Rainmaker
1,422,016
Jeff Masich-Scottsdale AZ Associate Broker,MBA,GRI
HomeSmart Real Estate - Scottsdale, AZ
Arizona Homes and Land Group/ Buy or Sell

You are the expert and "Go to "Realtor for leads and referrals for that broker. "The expert from afar". Jeff 😎

Oct 03, 2021 09:10 PM