Edwards Real Estate Group

Keller Williams Realty wins Stevie® Award for Real Estate Sales Organization of the Year

Keller Williams Realty was recently honored with a Stevie Award in the Best Run Sales Organization category as the Real Estate Sales Organization of the Year at the second annual Selling Power Sales Excellence Awards in Las Vegas, Nev.

The awards were jointly presented by Selling Power magazine, the leading sales management publication with 145,000 subscribers in 67 countries, and The Stevie® Awards, which have been hailed as “the business world’s own Oscars” (the New York Post, April 27, 2005).

More than 400 entries from companies of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted for consideration in more than 40 categories this year.

Find out more about the Stevie Awards by clicking here.

At Keller Williams Realty, we like to think we stand out from other real estate firms in many ways, but the following areas in particular define Keller Williams Realty as an industry innovator and leader: Culture, Education, Profit Share, and Technology.

We are a company built and shaped by talented, driven real estate professionals who know the value of having a great career, accomplished colleagues, work-life balance, and a reputation for being the best in the business.

We focus on helping associates realize their fullest potential. You will find opportunities for growth, support for achieving your objectives and a true sense of family and belonging.

Your success is our goal.... Make today the day you begin the next fulfilling chapter in your life and career.

When interviewing real estate companies, these 55 questions should help you choose a company that is the best fit for you, your family and your career.

1. What is your company “value” statement?
2. Who makes decisions on a local, regional and/or national level within your company that will affect how your firm is run?
3. What is your company “mission” statement?
4. Do you have a leadership group of selling and listing agents within the company that work together with ownership/management to make decisions on how the company operates?
5. What is your company “vision” statement?
6. What amount will I pay annually to your company from my sales?
7. Is there a “cap” on that annual fee?
8. What is your company “belief” system?
9. What would my “split” be at your company?
10. Does your company charge franchise fees?
11. If you charge franchise fees is there a “cap” on those fees?
12. If there is a “cap” in the annual fee I pay to the company but I do not make the necessary sales to pay the entire cap, is the remainder forgiven on my anniversary date?
13. Does your company offer a “true” 100% commission plan or am I always going to be paying some amount to the company?
14. Can I advertise my own direct phone number on all of my “for sale” signs, flyers, internet sites, home books & newspaper ads & business cards without including the main office number?
15. Can anyone in your office ever take a call on one of my advertisements, flyers, internet sites, “for sale” signs etc. or do you have a policy in place that guarantees all calls come directly to me?
16. What type of “structured” training does your company offer for:
1. New Agents?
2. Experienced Agents?
3. Mega/Top Agents?
17. How often is your training available?
18. What is the cost of your training?
19. Where do I go for the training?
20. Who is responsible for developing your training curriculum?
21. Is your company “Open Book”? Do you allow your associates to see the financial statements from the company?
22. What types of tools, systems, training, education and business models has your company developed to assist your agents in making not only their first sale but in achieving whatever level of success the agent desires?
23. Does the broker and/or manager of your office compete for listings and/or sales?
24. Would I be considered a “partner” or “stakeholder” within your company?
25. Do you have a system in place that rewards me for helping increase the profitability of the company? Tell me in detail how that system works?
26. How does your company view “team building”
27. Would your company encourage me and train me on how to add administrative as all as sales assistants to my “team”?
28. Would there be additional fees for my assistants?
29. Does your company have a relocation department?
30. Does your relocation department “capture” leads and then “sell” those leads back to your agents?
31. Do all relocation or other referrals go directly “agent to agent” for a more “typical” 20-25% referral fee?
32. If I choose your company but for some reason things do not work out and I want to move to another competing company what does your independent contractor agreement say in writing regarding my listings and/or sales?
33. Would my listings belong to me and my new company or would they remain with your company?
34. If I did move to another company, what about any “pending” sales I have, would I be paid on my normal “split” or would my “split” change on those sales?
35. Will you show me the section of your independent contractor agreement that covers this issue?
36. Does your company offer “floor time”? If yes, why? If no, why?
37. Does your company do local, regional and/or national advertising? If yes, why? If no, why?
38. Are all agents in your company treated equally with the same potential for earnings?
39. Are there agents in your company that pay more annual fees to ownership/management than others do?
40. Do some agents in your company have better “deals” than others? How would I know for sure?
41. Does your company have a charitable foundation set up to contribute to community needs? National needs? Needs of agents in your local office?
42. Does your company have an annual “convention”? If yes, what percentage of the agents attend each year?
43. If you offer a 100% commission plan, do I pay a monthly fee to get to 100% or do I pay only as I make sales?
44. Does your company offer internal “intranet” sites for your agents to use?
45. Would I get my own personal website? What is the cost?
46. What fees does your company charge for each transaction?
47. Does the company supply me with business cards?
48. Do I pay for long distance telephone?
49. Do I pay for photo copies? How much?
50. How many offices do you have? Are they individually owned & operated?
51. How many respected, top agents have left other companies and joined your company in the last 12 months? May I have their names and numbers so I could call them to discuss why they chose your company?
52. What is your company policy on hiring new agents? Are there requirements? Are new agents held accountable to make sales and contribute to the office culture? Are new agents automatically hired if they want to be a part of your company?
53. What is your policy for hiring agents from other companies? Does your company have a system in place to determine if this agent would be a good fit for your company?
54. Do you have a culture in your company? What is your culture? How do you maintain the culture?
55. If I join your company and years down the road I retire, how much money will your company potentially pay me each month even after my last sale?

If the real estate company you are interviewing falls short, can’t substantiate or hedges in any way, you’re interviewing the wrong real estate company. Make sure the Broker/Owner/Manager can back up any and all statements. Take a “show me” attitude! Don’t be shy; this could be the most important business decision of your life.