When planning for your new real estate brokerage, you will need to select the ideal office to nurture a budding business. Why? The office space you select can make or break your brokerage. This is because the office has a lot more impact on the success of your brokerage than you may think.
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Are Brick & Mortar Real Estate Offices a Waste of Money in 2021?
Reflecting back on my 26-year career in real estate, I have seen a lot of changes to real estate brokerages. Most of the changes have been in the use of technology to serve more agents, but the pandemic of 2020 may have forever changed the way real estate brokerages use brick-and-mortar office space.
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How to Create an Inspiring Mission, Vision & Values for Your Brokerage
If you are setting out to start your own real estate team or brokerage, the first step is to create your Mission, Vision, and Values Statement (MVV). The reason you need to take the time to develop your MVV is because, quite literally, every decision you make going forward will be made from the perspective of your Mission (why you are doing it), Vision (what it looks like when you achieve it), and Values (what ideals, standards, and rules will you follow to achieve it).
Furthermore, your MVV will provide direction for your employees and help your customers differentiate you from your competition. [Read more…] about How to Create an Inspiring Mission, Vision & Values for Your Brokerage
How to Craft a Powerful Story to Attract Top Agents to Your Brokerage
Many have tried to open a real estate brokerage and failed. They fail because they simply don’t have a clear and powerful story. When they meet with a prospective associate to join their firm, their message falls flat, leaving the recruit to wonder why they wasted their time.
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Ask Sean: Should I Buy a Franchise or Start My Own Brokerage?
Are you considering taking the leap of faith and heading out on your own, but you don’t know if you should start your own brokerage from scratch or purchase a franchise? It’s OK, I have been there too.
In my 26-year real estate career, I have built two independent brokerages and was an investor in two franchises with Keller Williams Realty. Not to say that I have all the answers here, but I can shed some light on some of the questions you may have when deciding between starting an independent brokerage and buying a real estate franchise. [Read more…] about Ask Sean: Should I Buy a Franchise or Start My Own Brokerage?
The Ultimate Guide to Recruiting Agents for Your Team or Brokerage
It was 2003 when I left my sales position at RE/MAX to partner with another agent to start a boutique real estate brokerage in Denver, Colorado. We were both top-producing agents, so building a real estate brokerage should have been easy for us—or so we thought. [Read more…] about The Ultimate Guide to Recruiting Agents for Your Team or Brokerage
3 Foolproof Team Models for 2021: Hiring, Splits, Lead Gen + More

Dawn McKenna Group, Naples, Florida
In my 26-year real estate career, I have built two million-dollar real estate teams and I have coached a few of the most successful teams in the nation. So I am a firm believer in the value of teams for building long-term success and wealth. The only problem is figuring out which real estate team structure will maximize your chances of thriving—or even surviving—in 2021. To make things even harder, not all team models will work for every team lead. [Read more…] about 3 Foolproof Team Models for 2021: Hiring, Splits, Lead Gen + More
Is the CRS Designation Worth It? + CRS Member of the Year Interview
Are you like me? Looking for productive ways to spend your downtime? As a real estate coach, I spend a lot of time talking to my clients about using time more efficiently. Instead of spending your nights watching repeats of “The Office” on Netflix, you can and should use this time to upgrade your knowledge and even earn a new designation. [Read more…] about Is the CRS Designation Worth It? + CRS Member of the Year Interview
The SRES Designation: Is It Worth It for Residential Agents in 2021?
Let me start out by saying that after 25 years in real estate, I still love niche marketing. Every successful marketing campaign that I’ve ever created was based on a unique angle or specific demographic. In fact, niche marketing is what allowed me to consistently close over 100 sales each year. The SRES designation claims to prepare you for the niche of one of the fastest growing demographics in the U.S.—senior citizens. The question is, is it worth it?
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kvCORE Review: What Does It Offer Teams & Brokerages in 2021?
A few years back, I used kvCORE as the website and CRM solution for my team of 30+ agents. I heard recently that kvCORE added some new features, so I wanted to take a fresh look and review kvCORE in 2021 to see how it stacks up against other CRM platforms.
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