Real Talk: 6 signs your office may be the worst place to work

by Christian Ashley Harris | Aug 5, 2024 | Industry, News Feed

Inman Connect is moving from Las Vegas to San Diego in 2025 and it’ll be bigger, better, and bolder than ever before. Join us for Inman Connect San Diego on July 30-Aug. 1, 2025 with the brightest minds in real estate to shape the future of the industry. Reserve your spot today for an exclusive discount.

Nowadays, “recruiting season” seems to be extended to a year-round affair. While brokers and franchises are battling out splits, tech, and the latest and greatest shiny object to tempt top producers to their side of the street, coaches and team leaders know that training and education are a key element as well. However, there’s one area that even top managers fail to fix: hostile work environments.

Let’s break down what is considered a hostile work environment, common complaints from agents, and solutions to solve sticking points and keep that new agent you worked months to recruit working for your team longer than six months — and staying for the long haul.

Normal office problems or hostile workplace?

There is a big difference between your oblivious co-worker microwaving broccoli and salmon every day for lunch (and smelling up the whole office) and a hostile work environment.

It’s not that you have a few annoying agents sitting next to you making TikToks; it’s regular neglect from management and harassment from others occurring multiple times over a long period of time with no correction or attention from higher ups.

Indeed defines a hostile work environment as follows: “A hostile work environment is one where the words and actions of a supervisor, manager or coworker negatively or severely impact another employee’s ability to complete their work. Any employee can be responsible for creating a hostile work environment.“

Now that you have some context, here are six indicators that your “fun” place to work may be anything but.

1. ‘This is the best place to work. We are like family’

Here is what I know after years of speaking with agents and admins. If the manager or broker has a “We are like family” mentality in the office, it can often be a symptom of a bigger problem. It means that while there are many great aspects to working for that team, there are usually major issues with work-life balance and making excuses for long-term agents who have really terrible habits and behaviors that have gone unchecked for, potentially, decades.

• Are you going to get coached and mentored? Or are you going to get called into the “living room” and yelled at by someone who is correcting you like you are their child (instead of an independent contractor) when things go sideways?
• Is loyalty to the team pushed so hard that perhaps some team members are not getting fair treatment “for the good of the group”?
• Are there “family favorites” who get special treatment?
• When agent Bob says crazy inappropriate things in the office and comes in to drink coffee and harass the admin staff for an hour because he still can’t use the scanner, does the broker make excuses or do they actually do something about the agent’s lazy behavior?

This is where “we are like family” comes into play. Are there respectful work relationships, or are team members over-involved in your personal life?

Before moving to a new brokerage, make sure to ask current agents what the management style is like, and if there are any problem agents in the office. This will save you a ton of headaches. Always take some current agents out to lunch to get the real story.

2. You don’t take Diversity Equity and Inclusion seriously

There is no code of conduct, there is no official fair housing training follow-up, and someone is walking around the office repeatedly saying that DEI is what is ruining our country and that we need to get back to “traditional values.” Many real estate offices do not offer any type of HR support at all to make sure that agents have a place to check in with regular office and management issues, while the lack of support and oversight from a third party can also create issues.

3. Tantrums and tea

There’s a now classically famed scene in the movie Office Space where frustrated employees take the fax/copy machine that never works and destroy it with a baseball bat.  If there are folks in your office (including yourself) who have regular violent tantrums, sprinkled with profanity — this is a major red flag and can be a compounding issue of why other members of your team do not stick around.

Unfortunately, as fun as it may be to dish some piping hot tea with your friends, an office atmosphere that is constantly embroiled in the latest gossip can also create a hostile environment that serious professionals will quickly decide they don’t have time for.

If there is constant drama in the office, and you are not on Bravo, you probably need to get a handle on the work atmosphere.

4. Room for activities … and parking

One thing that creates hostility quickly in a workplace is workstations that do not allow for privacy, are poorly constructed, uncomfortable, contain messy conference rooms that no one wants to clean, and — the worst of the worst — don’t include enough parking for team members and customers.

The cleanliness (and smells) in the space can also contribute to a hostile environment. Don’t cut corners on professional cleaners; no agent wants to be assigned a chore chart when they come into the office.

Make sure that essential office supplies are available, and if you can provide a few healthy snacks, it shows your crew that you are invested in their well-being.

Make sure that your office space is not so posh that it is not ADA-compliant. Creating a cool, hip boutique brokerage is, of course, the “fun” part of developing your brand, but if the furniture is uncomfortable, and someone with a wheelchair can’t access your restroom, workspace or conference room .. then you have a major problem.

I have also had agents tell me that they have not chosen a brokerage because of the style and culture of the office; they felt like they wouldn’t fit in with the “clique” that worked there.

5. You constantly have a vacant admin position

If you cannot keep an admin working on staff for you, you may have all of the problems above and then some. I find that the best-run offices are not looking for an “office mom” and a “babysitter” but understand that a great admin who is a pro at transaction management is worth their weight and gold — the secret sauce to attracting and keeping top-producing agents who get things done.

6. Bullies, bros and hazing

When it comes to sales coaching and motivation, if your office looks more like a frat house or the bullpen from Wolf of Wall Street, there is a major problem in your office.  It’s not Rush Week, it’s not the ABC’s, and you shouldn’t be forcing agents to cold call or door knock against their will.  If the antics in the office are out of control, then you may have a serious problem.

A beer fridge and a video gaming system, cigars and a whisky room shouldn’t be the selling point in your recruiting strategy. Professional training, an agent conduct handbook, and educational resources should be available and easy to access for all members of your team. The drinking problems in our industry are out of control, and every brokerage should offer a sober option for agent events and social occasions.

Final thoughts

One of the top stories recently was about some less-than-flattering ways agents make themselves look unprofessional.  As a broker or team leader, it’s your responsibility to have a handle on the level of professionalism you expect in and out of the office.

If your office space is “hostile,” then it doesn’t matter how great your guidance, and packages are. You cannot put a price on a clean, safe, and peaceful place to bring clients to or to come into and quickly knock out essential tasks.

It’s up to brokers and team leaders to make sure that their office is not a chaotic or less than comfortable space. Try to find the Zen for your agents. They will appreciate it.

Rachael Hite is a former agent, a business development specialist, fair housing advocate, copy editor, and is currently perfecting her long game selling forever homes in a retirement continuing care community in Northern Virginia. You can connect with her about life, marketing and business on Instagram. 

Leaders in luxury: Sam Jenkins

by Leo Pareja | Aug 5, 2024 | Industry, News Feed

Despite its status as a busy metropolis, Chicago, Illinois is known for its approachability and friendly midwestern charm. “It gives people a lifestyle that’s hard to find in other cities,” says Sam Jenkins, Real Estate Professional at Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty. “It’s accessible and easy to navigate, has an incredible system of parks, lakes and beaches and is a global hub for dining and industry.” Jenkins himself relocated to Chicago from the UK. “It was my first big-city experience and I fell in love with it and wanted to stay,” he says.

Jenkins was working as an elite personal fitness consultant when he was first introduced to the real estate industry by a client, entrepreneur Sean J. Conlon — and went on to work for him. “A lot of the skill sets required were very transferable,” he says. “You’re working with people who are busy and who have a goal.” Jenkins has now been working in real estate for 20 years and his team has made over $700 million in closed transactions.

Understanding your client

These initial people skills have remained a core part of Jenkins’ practice to this day. “If you’re able to interact with and understand people, then it gives you an advantage because a real estate transaction is ultimately an emotional journey,” he says. Building that trust, he adds, makes the process “easy.”

Communication is vital, especially during the initial interview stage with a new client. “Often buyers don’t actually know what they want,” Jenkins says. “Talking with people, letting them speak, understanding where they are on their journey and why they’re going where they’re going — that’s a huge part of the process.” Then, he says, you can give people options, find off-market deals, or open them up to new neighborhoods.

Once a strong connection has been built with a client, it needs to be maintained. “Don’t look at it as one deal, look at it as a lifetime of deals with that person,” says Jenkins. “That person needs to hear from you regularly — if you haven’t been in touch with them, they’re not going to use you again, they’ll use someone else.”

A global network

Referrals are another hugely important element of the job. For Jenkins, his connection to the Sotheby’s International Realty network means that he is connected to respected brokers around the world that he can refer clients to without any fear. “You don’t end up at a Sotheby’s International Realty brand unless you know what you’re doing,” he says.

The connection to Sotheby’s auction house is also useful when dealing with international clients who may be new to an area and unfamiliar with the market there. “The strength of the brand gives comfort to luxury buyers,” says Jenkins. “They feel comfortable because they’ve heard of the brand. That is a big part of what helps us to be successful.”

Managing the process

Of course, there are times when you have to manage expectations of buyers and sellers, especially when they differ. “The emotional aspect is the biggest obstacle,” says Jenkins. “When two people want the last word, deals can fall apart.”

On the other hand, successful sales — where things fall into place, and real change is made — have a lasting positive impact. “When you help a first-time buyer close a deal, you see this new chapter of someone’s life opening up before them,” he says. “You know you helped them to get there, and that is incredibly rewarding.”

Communicate value! But how? A step-by-step buyer’s presentation

by Kendall Bonner | Aug 4, 2024 | Industry, News Feed

Inman Connect is moving from Las Vegas to San Diego in 2025 and it’ll be bigger, better, and bolder than ever before. Join us July 30-Aug. 1, 2025, with the brightest minds in real estate to shape the future of the industry. Reserve your spot today for an exclusive discount.

Unsure how to communicate value in a buyer-broker presentation? Team leader Andrew Undem has the answer as he shares his “8 pillars of value” buyer presentation that succinctly communicates the value he brings to his clients throughout the buying process.

“You win business through your reputation or your preparation. Ideally both, but you must be prepared, prior to the opportunity, to be able to clearly state the value you bring,” said Andrew Undem, managing partner and team leader of SURE Group with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Homesale Realty, serving the Baltimore Metro area.

Undem continued, “Everyone knows that bond and rapport, making other people comfortable, is important, but you can’t make other people comfortable until you’re comfortable. You must become unconsciously competent, and that only comes through preparation.

Undem communicates his value by explaining his “8 pillars” of the buying process, which creates a framework for the explanation of each and how he brings value to each.

1. Loan preapproval

The process of buying a home begins with loan preapproval. Undem provided the following script as an example of how he communicates value when explaining this portion of the process:

“When you’re going to buy a home it’s important to understand all the loan options and different programs available. Here in Baltimore, a lot of times buyers don’t know they can get grant money, down payment assistance, or even tax credits with certain loan programs that are available. There are so many options that I can assist you in finding that can unlock some value for you in the loan process.

“One of the components of value we bring to this part of the process is to understand what programs you might qualify for and to assist you in not only getting preapproved but in getting your assets verified. This is doing heavy lifting before you start the process of seeing homes so that we can work with the lender to help us convey to the seller how strong you are.

“So right from the start, we will work to save you money by finding loan programs and specific loans that fit your needs. We will also help you find a loan partner that can help us present an offer that is compelling to the seller.”

2. Home search

Undem then moved to his second pillar, which is the home search portion of the process. Skipping the portion everyone knows, like building rapport and identifying their wants/needs, he went right into the language he uses to convey the value he brings.

“Ask the question: ‘When you’re searching for homes, how are you doing that now?’” Undem said. “Most will answer on Zillow, Realtor.com or another search portal online. That’s great, but that is exactly what everybody does. The problem is that that doesn’t include many of the coming soon listings and off-market inventory.”

Here’s what you should say to the buyer:

“You should absolutely keep looking that way, but you’re only seeing homes an agent has put in the MLS that these websites have pulled from the MLS, and it is only a portion of the overall market and the homes that can be bought. Most agents are going to wait for a home to show up on the MLS, show you that home and collect their fee.

“We bring value by sharing all the potential homes for sale with our clients and working behind the scenes to provide you with information about homes before the other buyers that you will be competing with to find the best deal for you and your family. Did you know we can see all the homes that someone wanted to sell that didn’t sell? Those are called either expired or canceled listings. We want to look at those.

“Pocket listings are homes that are preparing to come on the market; we network with other agents to know about those. New construction listings are usually on a portion of the homes and floor plans a builder has available. We work to find those opportunities for our buyers as well. This is why during the search process, it is important for me to know what you are looking for so I can begin to provide you with a full view of all the homes available.”

3. Market dynamics

The next pillar is market dynamics. Here’s how he explains this segment to buyers:

“As you are searching for a home, you need to understand the market dynamics. The market dynamics are the relationship between active listings, homes that are under contract, and the homes that have sold. If you are narrowing in on a specific town, neighborhood or school district, it is nice to know a few things about that specific area.

What’s the average list-to-sale ratio?

“This helps us understand if the average buyer is paying a little less than list price, list price, or a little more than list price. Historical data is very important because it helps us create a compelling offer once we find the right home for you.”

Are there any closing costs sellers in this area have been paying for the buyers?

“We can see this by looking at the historical sales data. The national news shares what is happening nationally, but it is more important to understand exactly what is happening in your desired micro area. I want you to understand the micro market dynamics better than most real estate agents so that we can get you the best deal possible.” 

4. Offer research

Undem continued:

“Once we find the home, my job is to shift the focus to offer research. My job is to gather as much information as possible so we can create a compelling offer that gets you the best deal.

The research I want us to understand includes, but is not limited to:

• • How long has this home been on the market?
  • How many showings have they been getting?
  • Why is the seller selling?
  • Are there any critical dependencies for the seller in terms of the time frame for a sale or sales price?
  • What did they pay for the home when they bought it?
  • What type of financing did they get when they purchased the home?

“These are all pieces of information we can use and potentially leverage to get you the best deal possible.”

5. The components of an offer

As Undem transitioned into the next pillar, the components of an offer, he said this is one of the most compelling portions for agents to communicate value.

Here’s what to say to buyers:

“When most people find a home that, for instance, is priced at $400,000, they say, ‘I wonder if they will take $380,000?’ That’s a good question, but price is only one of the five components of an offer. These include purchase price, closing costs, contingencies, deposit and settlement date.

“The purchase price is obvious. We are going to utilize all the research information I mentioned earlier to suggest an offer price that helps you buy the home at the lowest price possible. The closing costs are the costs associated with buying the home, including mortgage expenses, title expenses, deed transfer fees, and several other purchasing-associated fees.

“Due to the number of transactions we do, I will be able to direct you to the providers with the lowest costs and leverage our size to provide as many of these expenses as possible at a discounted price.

“The contingencies are particularly important. My job is to protect you through the process and the contingencies are one of the ways we do this. You will almost always have a contingency on a home inspection, a contingency on your appraisal, your mortgage and any other contingencies we need to protect you.

“Keep in mind, when we come to an agreement to purchase a home, we have the right to buy that home, we do not have to buy that home. The seller only has one house to sell, we can buy any home we decide to buy. Therefore, we are not going to give our power away, and we are going to protect you through the process by the contingencies we utilize in the offer.

“The fourth component is the earnest money deposit. Typical in our market is 1 percent, but we may adjust this based on how we may be able to increase the attractiveness of your offer. The last component is the settlement date. By understanding if there is a time frame the seller needs to move by or if having some additional time for closing is desirable to the seller then we can adjust our offer in a way to potentially accommodate them in this area to get what we want in one of the additional components.

“Once we have the offer together, the presentation of the offer is another way to make your offer stand out from others. We submit every offer in an organized fashion along with coaching the listing agent on how to present our offer in the best possible way. The email includes one clean PDF, with our verified approval, with an easy-to-understand summary of the offer. This makes the job of the listing agent easier and shows him/her that we are going to be easy to work with.”

6. Contract period

When it comes to the contract period Undem will say to buyers:

“Once we have a signed contract, all the dates become live. We have a specific amount of time to apply for your loan. We have a specific amount of time to have your home inspection done. Each step of the way, our entire home services ecosystem is going to get involved.

“This includes the lender, the inspector, the appraiser, the title company and anyone else involved in the transaction. This is where our administrative strengths through my team are going to move this transaction to settlement while maintaining your protection throughout the process.”

7. Settlement

Here’s how Undem explains the settlement:

“At the settlement, one of the components of value we bring is our relationship with our settlement attorneys, who guarantee to provide you with the lowest fees, will settle anytime, anywhere, at your convenience and will work to get you a reissue rate if possible.

“A reissue rate is because the seller of the home, in most cases, has a title insurance policy in place from when they bought the home. By requesting a copy of that policy, which most agents don’t do, the settlement attorneys may be able to utilize that policy to provide you with a reissue rate that can be substantially lower than purchasing a completely new policy.”

“I will work to drive your closing costs down in every way possible because I can effectively manage the entire real estate ecosystem.”

8. Post-settlement

Undem wrapped up the summary of his buyer presentation with the following:

“The closing of the home is just the beginning for my services, and I’m here for you if you need anything. You need a contractor, a painter, a mover, anything, you have access to our clients-only home services guide so that we can continue to assist you with anything you need going forward. Do you have any questions about this process and anything I went over?”

For more information on Andrew Undem, check out his website.

Can Kevin Sears put NAR back on a firm footing? The Download

by Julia Lashay Israel | Aug 3, 2024 | Industry, News Feed

Victims awarded $12M in flipper scheme repped by HGTV stars

by Craig C. Rowe | Aug 2, 2024 | Industry, News Feed

Zillow finalizes lawsuit settlement with ARMLS, Metro MLS

by Phillip Cantrell | Aug 2, 2024 | Industry, News Feed