KWLS – Keller Williams New Listing Service

PRWeb – has a press release on Keller Williams new listing service KWLS. The press release has some great info and figures. Here are a few to whet your appetite.

The Headline:
Keller Williams Realty Grows to 72,618 Associates in Shifting Market; Real Estate Firm Strengthens its Lead as the Fourth-Largest Real Estate Franchise in North America

Keller Williams Realty CEO Mark Willis attributes the company’s steady growth rate in the midst of a shifting market to Keller Williams Realty’s agent-centric, learning-based business model and razor-sharp focus on technology and the Internet.

“Market trends are a non-issue at Keller Williams Realty, because no matter what the analysts say, our No. 1 mission has been — and will always be — to provide our associates with proven business tools, models and technology that get results in any market,” Willis says. “I think the associates who are choosing to be in business with us embrace our stance that you can leverage the marketplace to work to your advantage.”

See our posts:

Keller Williams – It’s the Business Model that Brings in Agents

EXPOSED! – Keller Williams Profit Sharing Plan

If you have an interest in learning more about KW – send us an emal The Harper Team

Honk if I’m Blowing My Own Horn Too Loudly

I was having lunch today with Lisa Harris, a Keller Williams real estate agent that works out of our Danville, CA. market center. I think Lisa will be perfect for a niche market  we are going after and we were chatting about that and how biz is going for each of us, being so new in the business.

Lisa, like many Realtors I’ve met, isn’t as web savvy as yours truly. I was explaining a little about blogging to her and the reasons to blog. We were standing outside after lunch and I thought – why don’t I just demonstrate. So I pulled out my digital camera and took a quick pic. Then I pulled out my Treo and recorded a couple of questions I asked her.

Her Pug’s name is Charlie and he is two years old.

So here it is Lisa – took ten minutes including downloading the image and formatting it for the Internet.

I also demonstrated how easy it is to initiate conversations and hand out business cards. I had her take out one of her cards and I told her I wasn’t leaving her side until she engaged a person in conversation and got rid of that card. It’s amazing how fast people can do things when they are motivated!

I think I helped her to move beyond the “I’m fixin’ to” stage to the “gettin’ to” side of business. You’ll have to ask her.

Keller Williams – It’s the Business Model that Brings in Agents

Since joining Keller Williams Real Estate in August, I have heard many interesting stories of why people have left an office they were with for years and came over to Keller Williams. Many people have the misconception that KW’s agents are mainly motivated by the profit sharing plan to recruit other agents, but I have not found that to be the case as I indicated in my EXPOSED: Keller Williams Profit Sharing Post.

So, I decided to investigate some of the reasons people switch. I asked a few people the following questions:

• Why did you choose to move to KW?
• What do you see as the advantages KW offers to agents?

Marcus Wimmer

I came to Keller Williams for the wonderful people. More specifically, I came to work with Jim Walberg. He is a fantastic person and a great mentor. I have been in the business for over 5 years now after starting at Prudential. Keller Williams is the first real estate company where I feel that I won’t get “nickled and dimed” to death. It seems that from all of the information that I gathered on other companies that they have a tendency to create profit centers at every opportunity, i.e.: e & o insurance, desk fees, (fees here and there) commission structures, etc. I have also found that the training classes are a great resource.

 

Paul Ward

I decided to move to Keller Williams just over two years ago after twenty-one years at Coldwell Banker in Danville for a number of good reasons. Number one was my dialog with Kristin White, Team Leader, for over a year and during this time I research the company and did the numbers on what it cost to be with Coldwell Banker compared to KW. The cap on commissions and franchise fees were big as well as the genius business model that Gary Keller developed. It just made a lot of sense to me.

The growth of KW nationally over the previous four years was also very impressive. I also believed in Kristin as a person and I could see how she loved KW and so believed in it. I felt she would be great to work with and in being a part of a growing Danville Market Center. The culture and profit share didn’t mean a lot to me at the time because you have to experience the culture. You can’t get it just by someone telling you about it or observing it from the outside. The profit share was just the frosting on the cake. I now appreciate its value in passive income for the future.

I also liked the freedom to grow my business in a manner that I wanted to without big brother looking over my shoulder. The “agent’s first” thinking was foreign to me since CB did a good job of brain washing agents to believe that their success is directly tied to the CB name. (False) The bottom line is I am pleased I made the move and enjoy coming to work each day much more than I did at CB. CB is a fine company and has been around for over one hundred years, but I discovered a better way. The future in real estate is the KW model.

 

Gene Ward

 

I am a licensed California real estate broker with 8 years experience so my choice of real estate brokerages was pretty much unlimited. I started my career with a well known brokerage and had negotiated a great commission split. I did very well but in the fourth year started to suffer burnout from working 7 days a week. I took 3 years off from full time real estate to develop a software program for agents. During that time I worked under my own broker’s license. I really missed full time real estate so I decided to join a real estate firm. I investigated then interviewed with about10 real estate brokerages to determine where I wanted to hang my hat for the next 10 years. What’s important to me is not the money (commission split), as the money comes in this business if your doing the job right. I felt strongly about the following and was not willing to compromise:

A company that…

• Treats all agents, new and experienced, as equals (no prima donas)
• Can pay their bills to keep the office infrastructure going without dipping into my pockets when the market slows.
• Offers continuous training, even experienced agents need training and coaching.
• Has no expensive monthly fees.
• Where agents do not compete with each other. At Keller Williams, a profit sharing company, when an agent helps another agent, everyone wins.
• On the leading edge of technology.
• A big advantage that Keller Williams has is the 100% commission. 100% can be achieved after a little less than $100K in commissions. That might seem high to some in areas with lower home selling prices, but in our area the SFH prices start at about $700K. After about 4-6 sales, your at 100% commission.
• Continuous training is offered, either free, or for just the cost of the materials.
• Profit sharing. Who of us ever thought there would be retirement income in this business, that doesn’t stop when you retire.
• The camaraderie among agents in the office.
• Freely sharing ideas and information with other agents in the office.

 

Bob Gibbs

I chose KW because it makes great business sense. The reasonable cap and was enough to make the move but the profit sharing really sets it apart.

The advantage to KW for the agents, in addition to the low cap rate, is the on-going training and openness of the agents to discuss methods of lead generation, prospecting, and customer service.

 

So, there you have it from experienced agents that decided to make a move based on what they saw as a better business model and a greater opportunity.

The training is something every KW agent seems to mention. I wrote this post back in November to address it.

Keller Williams Team Meeting – Danville/ San Ramon

It was a brisk 43 degrees this morning and the real estate agents at the KW team meeting were most appreciative for Owen bringing the hot Starbucks in.

One important theme in this area – Danville – San Ramon – Dublin, CA is that business is happening at Keller Williams. It seemed like half the crowd had new deals in escrow or buyers getting ready to tender offers.

The Harper Team, has consistently reported on its blog that the media’s negative hype is leading the public to a misconception about the local market. Sales remain steady and inventory is falling. Inerest rates are steady.

The past is the past. It doesn’t matter if you are a buyer or a seller – educate yourself about current market condition. Those in the know with the best negotiator are going to smile big. The Harper Team updates their blog several times a week with market trend information for buyers and sellers.

RMA Holiday Party

Photos of the Realtors Marketing Association Holiday Party at the San Ramon Community Center December 14, 2006.

I’m sorry to say that half of the pictures were too dark due to distance and not enough light and flash. Here’s what made the cut – starting with our caterer from Ruggies and ending with Chuck who seems to have developed a split personality due to stress. (click on the images to enlarge)

Group Hug – The Keller Williams – Danville Team

Here are some of the fine real estate agents, Realtors, and support staff that helped to make Keller Williams Realty in Danville, Ca – The Residential Real Estate Firm of the Year – awarded by the East Bay Business Times. Kristin Whit, Team Leader (front row, white sweater), is holding the award. Click on the photo to enlarge.

You can read the article here

 

KW 2006 Holiday Party Pics

Click on thumbnails to enlarge. We start with our affiliates – the generous people who helped make the party a success – and end with proof that Jim Walberg does own a pair of socks.

San Ramon Realtors Marketing Association

San Ramon, CA – It’s Thursday, Dec. 7th – Do you know where your Realtor is? If they’re not at the San Ramon Realtors® Marketing Association meeting, you need to ask why.

The Harper Team comes to these meetings for more than the great breakfast. This is the weekly primo event for networking and getting properties sold. We’re here to maximize results for our clients and breakfast!

Quarterly, the RMA honors a realtor and an affilate for outstanding service and representation to the community and the RMA.

As you can see from the pictures, my photo skills are as sharp as ever.

Diane Harrison, Intero Real Estate, received the Realtor award.

Jonas Champion, Mason-McDuffie Mortgage, received the honors for affiliate.

Next week is the big holiday breakfast event. The Marines will be there to collect for Toys for Tots. Chuck advises that they will be armed. Thus, he is expecting record donations!

It will also be Chuck’s last week as the RMA V.P. It’s bye bye Miller Time and hello Willer Time?? Chuck sang several arias to help hasten his departure.

There was a confirmed report that Jim Walberg, once again, arrived sockless. Ann Marie was reported to still be in PJ’s.

Keller Williams – Danville – Team Meeting

On Monday mornings we have our Danville Market Center team meeting at the local Women’s Club. Cheryl Herrera, that’s here to your left, from Land America helps with providning the building. Thank you Cheryl!

To your right is Owen Hennefer our in-house lender with Metro Cities. Owen’s new to our office and he’s saying all the right things to get business from the Keller Williams real estate agents you see in these pics. Owen is very popular at these early-bird Monday morning meetings because HE BRINGS THE COFFEE!!!

In this picture, you see Tamera Diamond (left) and Kristin White (right). Tamera is the chairperson on our KW Cares committee. Kristin, our team leader, is recognizing Tamera for all the recent fund raising. Here is Tamera’s recap of recent donations:

So far in 2006 our office has donated over $5,000 directly to KW Cares Int’l. They distribute this money as they see fit based on grant requests. We have also raised over $5,000 to donate to local causes that we feel strongly about. This year we have chosen the following organizations

• $1,000  Cash donation to Monument Crisis Center for the purchase of food baskets and grocery gift cards for needy families of Co.Co.County
• $1,000  Cash donation to Children’s Crisis Center of Co.Co.County for purchase of backpacks, toiletries, small toy and emergency clothing. This organization takes in children at a moment’s notice and holds them (no questions asked) for 3 days to assist parents in crisis.
• $1,000  Cash donation to the Green Family Trust. This is the family that lost the father in a car accident right outside our office recently.
• $1,000  Cash donation to Monument Crisis Center to be used to purchase gifts/clothes for families in need.
• $1,000  Carol Peterson, Susan Villagomez and Corinne Barlow purchased and wrapped gifts for 12 children who were left on the Blackhawk Real Estate “Giving Tree”. We decided to show our KW Spirit and help out another RE firm that was having trouble meeting their goals.

I mentioned in an earlier post how generous real estate agents are.
Here are a couple of group shots.

And here is a shot of Kristin dealing with one of our slow learners (me). She’s working her heart out trying to make something of me. Behind the camera on this one is that imp Jim Walberg who we have mentioned before.

San Ramon Realtors Marketing Meeting

Today I took my Treo and my digital camera to the San Ramon California Marketing Meeting to capture a few candid photos of individuals and the group. I recorded a few comments (see below) to explore how easy or difficult it would be to do a blog post. So here it is… like it or not.

Here’s the view from the back of the room. Why is everyone staring at me? I said good things about them in an earlier post you can find it here

The network wires are smoking!

Does anyone have a Jiffy Lube or need a beach house in Costa Rica?

In case you hadn’t heard the housing market is on a slide. So, Vickie is feeding the near homeless this month.

Linda Kralik – Den Mother to this Band of Ne’re Do Wells
How did being a flight attendant prepare you for presiding over the San Ramon Marketing Meeting? I figured if I could deal with unruly passengers in the wrong seats, with the wrong drinks and the wrong whatever… I could certainly deal with a group of real estate agents.

What do you think of these people? I love them. I love them dearly.

Chuck Miller – Fidelity National Title – “It’s MILLER Time!”
What do you like about coming to the SRMM? Camaraderie of people coming together and the networking.Has it been good for business?That’s hard to quantify, but yes – you build good relationships and business comes out of that. Chuck was mentioned in a previous post.

Kris Viers – Diablo Funding – SRMM Secretary
What do you like about the San Ramon Marketing Meeting? It brings people together and gives perfect networking opportunities. It engages people in good real estate activities and good friendships.

Kim Pettigrew – First Blackhawk Financial -San Ramon MM – Treasure
What do you like abut the SRMM? You caught me speechless. The people. I’ve been coming for 4 years.

What do you like about taking money from Realtors? The fact that we donate it to worthy causes throughout the year.

Jessica Fribley – First Alliance Title
Why do you come to the San Ramon Marketing Meeting? The camaraderie. Meeting new people.

Is that good for business? Absolutely

David Quintana – NOBIS Financial Group
What do you like about the San Ramon MM? It’s a great pl;ace to meet great people in order to network and there’s great camaraderie here. They do a lot for the communities with charity.

Anything else? Bunch of good looking women.

Nathan Ellis – GMAC Mortgage
What do you like about the SRMM? The people here are just awesome. It’s a great network of folks. We have a lot of fun and help each other to get business.

Is it true that you’re here to get chics? Yes
How’s that working out? Not very well

Debbie Gibbs – Keller Williams Real Estate- Danville
What do you think of the SRMM? I think it’s wonderful. This is my second meeting.

What do you hope to accomplish here? Getting to know other agents and networking. Getting to know my inventory.

Jeff Garcia – Keller Williams Real Estate – Danville
Why do you come to the SRMM? It’s a great place to network and meet people and it’s a great way to do business right.

Has it been good for you? Very helpful. I’ve met a lot of nice people. People are very creative in doing business. It’s a fantastic place to come to.

And that’s it for the San Ramon California Realtor’s Marketing Meeting today. I warned everyone that by tonight they would be all over the Internet – I don’t think some of them believed me! You can check out my other real estate blog here.

The Harper Team is proud to be associated with these fine people and the hundreds of other members of the SRMM.