As to owning my own brokerage, it’s a matter of timing and money. Starting any new business requires some type of capital. A real estate brokerage can be minimal since we don’t HAVE to have a store front. Many agents and brokers work from the comfort of a home office. And now, with the ever increasing number of home buyers and sellers looking for their home, and maybe even their agent online, a “bricks and mortar” office is not always needed. But there are still expenses in setting up a business, such as the form (LLC, S-Corp, etc) and there are the costs of joining the local listing service. And signs. And logo design. So all those costs start to add up. But one day my little grasshopper…..
The second question is who you choose to affiliate with. For those of you NOT in the real estate business, (and I’m speaking for the State of Georgia as real estate license rules vary from state to state) a real estate agent’s license must be held by a Broker. I am currently an Associate Broker, which means I am now licensed to have my own brokerage when I’m ready to do so. (Note paragraph above) So that is one reason for an affiliation. From there, the reasoning can go in a number of directions.
Thomas Ramon Realty recently changed our affiliation to Palmer House Properties. While our primary reasons were financial decisions, there is something to be said about being with a company that seems to add agents to its roster on a weekly basis. That, and the fact that Palmer House Properties was ranked #8 of Atlanta’s 50 Fastest Growing Private Companies certainly had something to do with it. And, it was just time for, well…new real estate!
Ray and I have a spacious office in our new new building, complete with conference rooms, a kitchen and the ability to do our client’s closings right in our office! How convenient for our clients. We are excited about this new change, and our new office! If you are in Atlanta, we invite you to stop by and say Hello. Mind you, a “heads up” phone call might be wise, since we could be out showing property, or working on videos and our blog to keep our clients informed about what is happening in Midtown Atlanta! But, it the time is right, the wine will be chilled, or the coffee fresh and hot!
If you’d like to know more about us, just drop us a quick note and let us know how we can help you.
Thomas Ramon Realty + Palmer House Properties = “Can You Feel The Vibe?”
