Cristina Giral
Realtor-Associate
Carson Realty Group Inc.
I think affiliation with a franchise, if chosen wisely, can certainly help you to succeed. What’s most important is that you’re an agent with a good reputation and knowledge base because that is what you first have to sell to your clients, followed by a company with a positive image in the local marketplace and support provided by the broker. In the end, affiliated or not, as long as you keep your clients satisfied with your work, that is what is really going to determine your level of success.

Marisa DiLenge
Associate
Prudential Florida 1st Realty
I believe that being affiliated with a franchise is extremely important. Brand recognition is still of value in today’s world. People associate with famous brands and connect with names that are familiar. Recently, I got a call from someone who lived in Texas and was looking for a home here. She said she was looking through Realtor.com for agents with Coldwell Banker, Prudential or RE/MAX and she wouldn’t trust working with an unknown company with an out-of-state move. She said she choose me because I worked for a large, well-known company, “looked friendly,” had plenty of testimonials and returned her call first.

Heather Seitz
Realtor
Keller Williams Realty, Palm Beach Central
Unless you are strictly using your license for your own deals, associating yourself with a franchise is a smart idea — even critical if you are a new agent. The key is choosing the right franchise. In South Florida, we have a lot of buyers and sellers moving to other areas, both into and outside of Florida. If you hold your license with a strong franchise, you can build a nationwide referral business and bring in a substantial supplemental income by referring people to agents in other markets. In addition, many of the bigger franchises have corporate — and office — marketing materials that can help with expenses during the slower cycles. For a list of questions to ask to determine if a particular agency is right for you, visit realestateagentsurvey.com.

Summer Greene, CRB GRI
Regional Manager
Prudential Florida 1st Realty
The benefits of a franchise are about branding and recognition — more often today, global recognition. The Internet has made the world much flatter, and the consumer will most likely do business with a name they recognize. In addition, there is the herd instinct, and most people will stick with something they are comfortable with. Coca Cola, Pepsi and Nike spend billions each year branding themselves. There is a reason why Coke and Pepsi outsell every one of their competitors combined.