Real Estate Broker

☛ Describe the technology that I will need to be successful:

☛ What software do you provide and at what charge?

☛ What software do you require or recommend that I must purchase?

☛ What Apps should I have on my iPad, Smart Phone or other device?

☛ What is your web-site address? (Note: You should have visited the web site before the interview.)

☛ What consumer services do you offer on-line?

☛ Would I have a company email address and a presence on your web-site?

☛ May I use my own website? If so, what requirements do you have for my website?

☛ What social media platforms are you regularly using to promote business?

This question is meant to see if the agent would be happy at your brokerage.

Each company will have its own guidelines governing the way commission is split between agents and brokers. New agents typically receive a smaller split because they require more help from their broker. Your commission split should become greater as you sell more homes and become more independent. There is room to negotiate here, however. Point out to the broker any reasons why you might be more valuable than the typical new agent—maybe you have a large contact list from a previous job to draw on, or you have a successful track record in another sales position.

This takes us back to the culture of the brokerage. Are the managers passionate about coaching? Do they take the time needed to train new agents exceedingly well? Perhaps the company thrives off of already-established agents with training and experience already under their belt, and the new agent training program isn’t everything you need it to be. See if you can sit in on a training session and find out for yourself.

Let's hope the candidate's answer is the city they'll be serving. Agents should be local experts.

Don't beat around the bush, this question is the equivalent of asking for a pay history.

All agents in today's age should have atleast a personal website.

This should give you some insight into which programs they are familiar with and how tech savvy they are. If the candidate is not familar with your CRM, lead generation, or other Real Estate service software program, see if they are eager to learn new programs.

You may prefer to target market a specific area of homes, only to learn that that particular area is being heavily marketed by other agents. Be sure to make your marketing intentions clear from the very beginning to avoid awkward situations down the road, and to work out a marketing plan with your manager that meets your goals.

Each state has rules about how many hours of certified continuing education real estate agents need to complete each year. Does the office offer this education to its agents? Who pays for it? Are educational opportunities available beyond what is required?

The prospective agent should

1) have a reasonable answer as to why a client was difficult to work with,

2) what steps they took to have a better working relationship and

3) what they learned from the situation.

Print advertising popularity is on the decline, so how is the company providing alternative ways to capture leads and route them back to you? Company-hosted lead capture websites, web and print marketing, floor time and open house availability all come into play to provide you with contacts. Keep in mind that ultimately, the most lucrative real estate businesses are built through referrals of personal friends, family and past clients and colleagues.

When asking this question, prospective agents should

1) provide a professional reason why this lead was difficult to work with,

2) what steps they took to try to repair the relationship before ending it and

3) what they learned from the experience.

The interviewee should touch not only on what traits their brokerage would mention, but how their personal traits led to a positive outcome for the brokerage.

Real estate agents are responsible for all aspects of running their own business, but brokers can help out by providing them with items like business cards and signs as well as office and tech support.

Some brokers might like an agent whose lead generation matches that of other agents at their firm. Others might like an agent that uses methods they'd like their other agent team members to learn, such as social media, blogs, or search engine marketing.

This is the candidate's opportunity to shine. Look for those interviewees who really sell themselves and tell you why they'd be a great hire. Seek candidates that list more than just personality traits (i.e. a hard worker, or fast learner), but those who can provide examples from their previous work history that exemplify those traits.

The culture of your brokerage should play into this question. If your brokerage is located in a small town, maybe phone calls work best. If your brokerage is in a large city, maybe text messages or emails are preferred. Also consider what forms of communication match your agnets' client base best.

Compare the candidate's answer to other agents at your firm. Maybe this candidate could help your agents with newer platforms like Instagram or Snapchat.

Newly licensed Realtors have specific training needs. They need to be provided with hands-on coaching on all elements of real estate business ownership, starting with the most elementary “best practices” as well as receive a thorough comprehension of contracts and forms. Mentorship programs, coupled with an extensive new agent training series, is usually the best way to provide a well-rounded education to newly licensed agents.