This week I changed my real estate brokerage affiliation from a franchise and am now an independent. I’ve done a lot of soul searching about which path to take, and suffice it to say that at the end of the day, I see more value in my own name and my brand, than any franchise. Perhaps I should have gone down this path from the start, when I opened up, but that’s water under the bridge.

More .... https://agbeat.com/editorials/leaving-a-real-estate-franchise-to-become-an-independent-broker/

The real estate industry, like so many others, is being upended by the Internet.

Eckardt’s venture in the Albany, New York, area, ZonicRealty.com, is promising real estate agents they will earn more on each sale because of the low-cost structure.

He is also offering homebuyers a 20 percent rebate on the commission at closing.

“We’re really trying to leverage where we see the industry is going,” said Eckardt, 38. “My objective is to bring a model that will disrupt the marketplace.”

Real estate agents have little choice but to embrace the digital revolution.

more ..... https://www.bizjournals.com/albany/morning_call/2012/02/zonicrealtycom-offers-latest-twist-to.html

Revolution #1

In case you haven’t noticed, the local MLS is available to the public through literally a hundred if not a thousand websites in your market. In fact, I’d go as far as to say ya can’t swing a dead cat without hittin’ some Realtor’s IDX.

Revolution #2

The agent-centric business model has failed miserably everywhere it’s been tried for the last 40+ years. Get over it. It wasn’t a good idea from day 1. How bright must we be to know that you don’t put worker bees in charge of the hive.

More .... https://agbeat.com/editorials/dual-real-estate-revolutions-gaining-velocity/

and maybe the ACRE consulting model might be the third revolution

 

 

The thing is that a good number of business owners fail to see when and how things start to go in the wrong direction. Later (sometimes too late) they realize that they cannot stay the same and that change is an inevitable action. Too often though the understanding that change is required and that necessary action has to be taken comes at a time when the business owner has lost heart for the business and confidence in what they do. The Broker of the Future must regain heart and confidence, and take the necessary action before the owner throws in the towel. (Carlos J Martinez)

A dying art

In 2011, Texas real estate broker David Winans took issue with the low standards of real estate licensing, noting that becoming a real estate agent requires less education (and we would add less continuing education) than a manicurist. Even if a real estate professional takes on more education than is required, as an industry, standards are low – any Jim Bob Jackson that can retain a few facts after a few internet courses can weeks later be handling peoples’ largest investments and assets. Would you trust a stock broker who went to school for a few weeks? No, and that is a much smaller investment amount.

More ..... https://agbeat.com/editorials/the-lost-art-of-becoming-a-true-expert/

Today I’m speaking with a group of small business owner that want to know about how to develop a marketing strategy that truly allows them to differentiate what they do from others.

More ......   https://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2012/01/13/turning-marketing-strategy-into-action/

Professional Consultant ?  is that redundant ??

Maybe just Consultant.

There are so many important ideas and concepts in business. Things like strategy, purpose, and passion are integral to success, but none of it really matters without one ingredient – and that’s clarity.

 

Here below is from the PCMS blog which I subscribe to.

ACREs should take special note.

In 2012 why don’t you try reinventing business using innovative real estate tools and strategic real estate planning? Here at PCMS, we push our clients to be proactive. We help by reinventing business operations that are outmoded and ineffective. This is how we make our living, so it is critical that we take our own advice.

https://realtyconsults.wordpress.com/2011/12/20/why-we-are-reinventing-business-at-pcmsagain/

Perspective: Control your own brand, control your own destiny

A big recent news event in real estate was the acquisition of the realty franchisor and relocation division of Prudential Real Estate and Relocation Services by Canada-based Brookfield Residential Property Services.

Brookfield RPS paid between $110 million and $135 million, according to news reports.

 

Brookfield now franchises every Prudential brokerage office, including about 50,000 agents who work for those brokers. Many of Prudential’s brokers are, in fact, leaders in their respective markets.

 

Online real estate site Zillow, meanwhile, on the day the acquisition was announced had a market cap on the New York Stock Exchange exceeding $600 million.

 

To me, this reaffirms that over time, property listings aggregators devalue the business of being a broker-owner, all the while growing their own stature in the industry. 

More https://realtyconsults.wordpress.com/2011/12/20/debating-the-value-of-real-estate-aggregators/