3 Newcomers Find Opportunity at RE/MAX

“Carpe diem.”

That’s the advice from three agents who recently left their old brokerages for RE/MAX. Their reasons for making the move were different, but all three agree that RE/MAX offers greater opportunities, more business and a better compensation model.

Math counts

For Becki Ashby, it boiled down to the math.

Ashby, a Sales Associate in Lexington, S.C., felt she’d gotten as far as she could at Coldwell Banker.

“I wanted to make more money,” Ashby says. “And I wanted to work smarter, not harder. I couldn’t imagine working any harder than I already was.”

Speaking with Terence Smith and Laura Reid, Broker/Owners of RE/MAX Purpose Driven, was the game-changer.

“Terence showed me a chart that compared pay structures offered by different real estate companies,” Ashby says. “I was blown away to see how much more I could be earning at RE/MAX.”

She made the switch in February and says she couldn’t be happier. Today she gets more Internet- and company-generated leads, and more referrals.

“In six months here, I closed 12 sales, and I have seven more on the books – compared to Coldwell Banker where my total for last year was 17 transactions.”

Ashby found out firsthand that the stories about RE/MAX agents being burdened by high fees and navigating like “lone ships” without support are simply not true.

“Any agent who wants to keep more of their money, or be more productive, should let go of their fears about coming to RE/MAX,” she says. “They should just do the math. That’s all the convincing they’ll need.”

Another world

As a Broker/Owner at Realty Execs in Dana Point, Calif., Ken Ross sold many luxury homes along the ultra-expensive Pacific coast.

So why switch to RE/MAX?

Ross wanted to tap into the area’s significant number of foreign buyers, and move up to selling higher-priced luxury properties. He felt that RE/MAX, with its international presence and strong brand-name recognition, could help him accomplish both goals.

“I needed more horsepower behind me,” Ross says. “Going from selling $3 million houses to $8 million houses is a big jump. That $8 million range is another world. You’re talking about buyers with an estimated net worth of $75-$100 million.”

Ross joined RE/MAX Signature Services in Dana Point in July and immediately signed up for a Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist course through RE/MAX University. Although he’s no stranger to selling luxury homes, he learned plenty new insights and valuable information.

Today, Ross is exploring global.remax.com and The RE/MAX Collection. He’s placing full-page ads to advertise his move to RE/MAX, and he’s planning a direct-mail campaign targeting homes in the $4 million-and-up range.

It’s a brave new world for Ross, but with RE/MAX behind him every step of the way, he’s sure to take it by storm.

No more doubts

Richard Thompson is candid. Leaving his ERA brokerage in New Albany, Ind., wasn’t easy. He was, in his words, “basically happy” there.

But getting to know RE/MAX First Broker/Owner Bill Burns made him consider leaving ERA behind. Thompson was struck by Burns’ honesty, integrity and straightforward approach to business. Over time, he felt this was a person whom he could trust to help grow his business.

“The more I got to know Bill, the more I thought he’d be a great person to work with.”

Still, even after Thompson joined RE/MAX in May, he had moments of doubt.

“Change is hard for us humans, and sometimes I felt scared to death,” he recalls with a chuckle. “I left behind an office I knew very well and suddenly found myself out of my comfort zone.”

Burns and the entire office lent their support, and the advantages of RE/MAX became apparent quickly. Thompson says he’s getting more sign calls now that his name is on the sign itself, as opposed to when he was with ERA and his name appeared on the rider only. He’s getting leads from LeadStreet, and the staff at RE/MAX First is helping him build a dynamic website. He’s making more money, but, more importantly, he has greater freedom to make his own business decisions.

Thompson recalls a recent deal where he agreed to lower his commission, and, in exchange, was able to represent the seller in an upcoming purchase.

“At my old brokerage, I would have had to ask permission first,” Thompson says. “I’m not tied down by a lot of rules with RE/MAX.”

His switch to RE/MAX has been a career-changer and he has no interest in going anywhere else.

“With RE/MAX First, I’ve found a home until I retire.”