Patching up a house divided
The Davison Files
By Marc Davison, Tuesday, July 1, 2008.
Curtain call and lights grow dim
Tragedy, love all lie within
Each player takes his chance to play
And lives to fight another day
--The Damned, 1977
Our industry had its heyday. Business boomed. Organization memberships ascended. Buyers flocked. Sellers scored. The economy rocked. Good times rolled.
But that's over. And the haze of 10 years of real estate's sex, drugs and rock and roll has lifted.
The hotel room is trashed.
Many of you are burnt out.
Some will never be the same.
And what's left is …
A house divided
Let's not beat around the bush. There are deep issues festering in real estate. I've addressed some of them: The disconnect between the industry and the consumer. The barricades thrown up against discounters and alternative models. The 100-year war for control.
But brewing deep in the pit, at the bottom of it all, is a "War of the Roses" between real estate agents and brokers. A house divided. Michael Douglas on one side. Kathleen Turner on the other.
I've been inside the house. I've worked closely with brokers. I have at times worked even closer with the agents. The indignation is pervasive.
The Cause
l think you should hear the story, though. lt might matter to you.
-- Gavin D'Amato, "War of the Roses"
Here's how it all looks to me, a guest in the living room:
Brokers:
- The day you agreed to cave on splits you might have made your agents happy financially, but you lost their respect. Your concessions spoke volumes about your inability to provide equal value. From that day on they began to question your existence.
- As technology emerged, you failed to pounce. You outsourced it to vendors. They stepped in. Rubbed your agents' feet and gave them their happy endings.
- Those hunting licenses you awarded through your affiliate programs were often not awarded to the best or the brightest. But your agents didn't know that. And after all that money they spent on things that didn't work, well … they feel you sold them out.
- You've recruited anyone with a pulse. Hence you became big rather than great. You damaged your brand. And shortchanged your best agents. You forced them to build their own brand. Or leave yours to start their own.
- You lost location where it now matters most: online. Others -- the ones you now buy leads from -- are the local destination of choice.
There are more issues. Feel free to continue the list.
Agents:
- Your independence is a termite. It eats away at your broker's legacy. And destroys whatever meaning they attempt to place on their brand -- your brand.
- You're addicted to things that no longer make sense. Office space. Paper. Newspaper spreads with vanity ads. These cost your broker a fortune -- money they no longer have.
- You lag educationally. This is not about intellect. This is about knowing your industry and buying into the notion that real estate today is as much about technology, branding, marketing and service as it is about sales. And using it.
Brokers, you have voiced more concerns. Feel free to add them to the list.
The Cure
Brokerages are not going away. They will consolidate. Agents are not going away either. Especially the really good ones. So in everyone's best interest here are some ideas for a truer collaboration:
Brokers:
√ Redo your corporate Web site. From scratch. Ditch the stock photos and confusing user interface. Get mapping. Get data. Rethink search. Focus on find. Make your site the destination for your marketplace. Build something that adds value to your agents. Something that's an advantage to them, not an embarrassment.
√ Get out of the cockpit and into your company's cabin. Start partnering with your agents. Form advisory councils amongst those with category savvy and allow them to participate in critical decisions that affect them such as vendor selection, listing partners, etc.
√ Rethink how you charge your agents. They feel ultra-squeezed having to support archaic processes such as cubicle workspace and 10,000-square-foot facilities that sit empty on Main Street.
√ Do something bold. Buy out a competitor. Strike while the iron is cold. Build an internal social network that connect agents with each other where they can communicate about listings, share information and tap into the collective.
Agents:
√ Co-brand with your broker. Especially if you're part of a still-strong brand. It simply makes no sense to be part of a company and not combine your brand with theirs unless the firm you're with is trash. Which then begs the question: Why are you with them?
√ Stop demanding useless things from your broker -- like that office space we talk about above. And buy your own pencils. Free your broker's profit and loss for new line items that matter. Wean yourself off things that no longer work -- that your broker pays for to appease you.
√ Attendance. Your broker needs you to show up at office meetings. Conventions. Award ceremonies. Even vendor presentations. From their top producers down to the newbie agents. This is your opportunity to show some solidarity. Lend your voice. Share your thoughts and help craft a culture -- the rebar of a brand.
A house aligned
Many of these things above are intertwined, and change will not occur unless these issues are exposed and placed on the discussion table.
Ask yourself how young firms like @properties with a born-on date of 2000 rose to become the number four brokerage in Chicago with five-year, quadruple-digit revenue growth. The company is but one of several incredible examples of what happens when an operation runs with a house aligned.
It can be done. It must be done.
Marc Davison is a partner at 1000watt Consulting. He can be reached at marc@1000wattconsulting.com.
***
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Submitted by Paul Eastwood on July 1, 2008 - 12:19pm.
Great post - I agree that the Web is going to play more and more of a role in building real estate brands.
Paul
Single Property Sites - Web 2.0 Real Estate Marketing
Submitted by Ardell DellaLoggia on July 1, 2008 - 1:34pm.
I posted on Twitter that this is the most important read of the year. Quite excellent, Marc. Beyond excellent.
"Wean yourself off dependencies on things that no longer work, that your broker pays for to appease you."
I have a different take on this one sentence...will write a post on it on RCG. Too much for a comment.
Submitted by Catherine Read on July 1, 2008 - 1:36pm.
This is the best Marc Davison post I've ever read - and I'm a fan! Your points are so clear, so true, and so beautifully articulated. You have walked the walk - that's evident. For those of us who see what you see, and believe as you do, these are difficult times to be working in this industry. I wish every single broker and agent really understood what you wrote here and why it's important to start making the changes now. Thanks for putting such important insight into such a well constructed post.
Submitted by Michael Byrd on July 1, 2008 - 1:39pm.
Dead-on as always, Marc.
Submitted by john geering on July 1, 2008 - 1:47pm.
Great suggestions to bring the real estate business into the 21st Century !
It's amazing how many Brokers & Agents keep doing the same old thing, expecting different results, i.e. for example, sitting on luxury listing which are not selling, earning NO commissions & not satisfying the listing sellers !
Look into our specialty - co-ownership of luxury 2nd & 3rd vacation & resort location homes.
"IT MAKES TOTAL FINANCIAL & LIFESTYLE SENSE"
LUXURY CO-OWNERSHIP HOMES
Coronado, CA
jg@LuxuryCoownershipHomes.com
http://www.LuxuryCoownershipHomes.com
Submitted by John Rowles on July 1, 2008 - 1:50pm.
Wow. That is the toughest dose of tough love I have ever seen here. Good on ya!
The one sacred cow you didn't touch was compensation. Allow me:
A friend recently sold a house here in RI in this tough market. It took 6 months. His agent or agents from his office showed the house 8 times.
It was a standard 6% deal. He paid $18k in commissions at closing, and felt absolutely, 100% ripped off.
I explained the split between Buyer and Sellers Brokers and agents. He agreed that his agent earned the $4500 he likely got from the deal, and that is where it ended.
He wanted to know:
Why did the buyer's agent's broker make as much or more than his agent for not doing a damn thing?
Why did the buyer's agent make as much as his agent for not doing much more than the broker?
Why should Real Estate brokers and agents be paid on a percentage basis in the first place?
He had toyed with going to a discount broker or the FSBO route and went traditional because it was easy. But no one explained to him what he got for the $18k. Now, he is sitting on the sidelines, renting, waiting for the bottom to buy his next place. He swears he will be looking to deal direct with sellers first, and will never use an agent to sell his own property again.
How many sellers leave transactions feeling as sick about them as my friend just did? And he knows he has options that he didn't used to have.
I agree that Brokers and Agents need to come to some kind of new understanding. I just hope they figure it out in time to turn their attention to the taste they are collectively leaving in the mouths of Buyers and Sellers who are as well informed as they have ever been.
John Rowles
Managing Director
MainRhode LLC
Google-Powered IDX Search
www.mainrhode.com
Submitted by Jay Thompson on July 1, 2008 - 1:55pm.
More Davison brilliance.
"You've recruited anyone with a pulse. Hence you became big rather than great. You killed your brand. And shortchanged your best agents. You forced them to build their own brand. Or leave yours to start their own."
Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. I see offices (BIG offices) closing all around me. Yet broker's continue to march to this mantra.
Just the other day I got an earful from a long-established broker telling me how much I was missing out on because I basically charge my agents at cost for E&O.
"Do you realize what a killing you can make on E&O?" he said.
Good grief. Last I checked, I'm in the real estate business, not the insurance business.
The same broker suggested I pay for new agents real estate licensing school. That way they are "tied to working for you". Yes, this guy will hire anyone that has a license and can fog a mirror.
I'd rather have agents in my brokerage that are committed to their clients, and committed to building our business together.
Jay Thompson
Broker / Owner
Thompson's Realty
Blog: www.PhoenixRealEstateGuy.com
.
Submitted by Jon Strum on July 1, 2008 - 2:08pm.
Marc, I feel like I'm being redundant by saying that you've hit a home run here...and though you've covered so many of these points in other excellent posts, this is just a great distillation of exactly what brokers and agents need to hear, discuss and use as a jumping off point in determining their joint and separate futures.
The only remaining question is who, or how many, will pick up this ball and run with it?
Jon Strum
homsho
Blog: www.LARealEstateBlog.com
Submitted by Valasie August on July 1, 2008 - 2:20pm.
Marc...Jon is correct. You touched on just about every ailment our industry is struggling with in its tentative efforts to stay healthy. For those who are willing to come out of their self induced coma, there is hope for the future of their business. For those who chose not to self medicate and saw the business opportunities for what they could be and did something about it...Congratulations! There is still time for change but the window of opportunity will not be there forever...Valasie August
Submitted by MaryAnn Morrar on July 1, 2008 - 3:23pm.
Great post. You are so right on the money. I really liked "You've recruited anyone with a pulse. Hence you became big rather than great. You killed your brand. And shortchanged your best agents. You forced them to build their own brand. Or leave yours to start their own."
And "Co-brand with your broker. Especially if you're part of a still-strong brand. It simply makes no sense to be part of a company and not combine your brand with theirs unless the firm you're with is trash. Which then begs the question: Why are you with them?"
Those two points really hit home.
Submitted by Joseph Ferrara on July 1, 2008 - 4:43pm.
This fella can flat out write.
Submitted by Marc Davison on July 1, 2008 - 5:35pm.
Seriously guys, thanks but this is all your doing!
I merely echo what I hear.
And then try to set up against a cool song.
Brokers - write a missive. Fess up to your agents if you feel you relate to some of their gripes.
Agents - do the same.
Agree to sit down sometime. Vent. Work it out. Do not wait for catastrophe to occur for you to band together. I always think, what if Google opened up a RE office on Main Street. Or Apple Real Estate.
Those are your competitors.
Not each other.
At least that's how I see it.
Marc
1000Watt Consulting
Turn On!
Submitted by D. Sullivan on July 1, 2008 - 6:06pm.
Sorry I can't join the love-fest over Marc's entry. Why would should brokers who offer more competitive commission splits to agents deserve disrespect? If traditional brokers demand agents attend award ceremonies and vendor presentations, the agents' independent contractor tax status comes into question.
The real estate brokerage industry is built on a tenuous business model of puffery and proprietary listing/sales data. It thrives on contrived complexity -- the confusion among clients about definitions of "agent" and "REALTOR," for example.
Increasingly strapped consumers continue to subsidize the brand puffery and inefficiencies of the industry. Awards ceremonies and vendor pitches. Pfe.
Submitted by Michael Espiritu on July 1, 2008 - 6:55pm.
Paying your best agents a competitive salary,becoming an employee instead of independent contractor status, offering benefits, demanding excellence in thier work,is a great way to guarantee relevance in the marketplace.
There was an earlier piece written about "innovate or die" and that really is the tag -line for our industry. Yes, I place a newspaper ad in the largest area newpaper once every other month to appease clients and I get zero calls. Newspapers are dead for advertising and the dinosaurs who utilize that medium regularly are throwing countless dollars away.
On-line advertising is where the majority of advertisng expenditures should go.
Bigger is not better when it comes to service and integrity. I have dealt w/ flaky brokerages and flaky agents throughout my career and I do notice that the agents I deal with now are in for the long haul, have been through other cycles before and truly care about the client and not just the commission or payment at the close of escrow.
This "purge" of the indusry was needed and the best of the best will survive.
Office space-irrelevnt
Big Brokerage-irrelevant
Drive, commitment to the client, continuing education, technology, ethics and innovation can never be replaced and will always have value.
Michael Espiritu
Broker
Copeland Wealth Management /CWM Real Estate
Submitted by Catherine Read on July 1, 2008 - 8:14pm.
One of my favorite quotes is: "Life is about perspective. What you see depends on where you are standing." Think about that literally - as an artist would in painting a picture.
One of the greatest benefits of the Internet has been the opportunity to see through the eyes of others: on websites, in videos, in the interaction that blogs and online media provide. Each of us brings our experience to share with others, and part of that is taking away from these discourses a view from a different place and space.
The world keeps on spinning and the picture will keep on changing even for those who choose to remain rooted in one spot.
Submitted by Susie Blackmon on July 2, 2008 - 12:18am.
Hit the nail on the head why don't you! We have the big office on the main drag that has the cubicles.. and every day both floors for the most part are empty but for those who are afraid to embrace technology and 'that blogging thing. Too bad they aren't lucky enough to be subscribed to your blog and to Inman.
Susie Blackmon
http://www.BuckingtheRealEstateTrend.com
Submitted by Jim Duncan on July 2, 2008 - 4:03am.
Fantastic post but for one thing - I disagree that agents' destruction of the brokers' brand is necessarily a bad thing. From my little corner of being part of a small office, part of a C21 franchise, my clients either don't know or care what my company name is. I am the brand, and this trend of agents becoming more valuable than the brokers will only continue.
Many brokers are facilitators and liability shields for their agents and do not offer much to the experienced/successful agents. They should be courting these agents with vigor, as these independent agents represent the future of the industry. (that, and likely salaried agents as well.)
Regarding everything else you said - Amen.
Jim Duncan
434-242-7140
http://www.realcentralva.com
Realtor/Blogger
Submitted by Marc Davison on July 2, 2008 - 7:04am.
In your case Jim - as part of a C21 brand - you are right. It might not be a bad thing. C21, the largest brand in real estate means literally nothing to the consumer.
What I had in mind where the stong Indie brands like Watson, Harold Hanna, Tomlinson Black, Jenny Pruitt, Corcoran, McGuire, et., that have long histories and meaning within their communities.
These are the brands that are dying on the vine of agent independence. Independence is not a bad thing but perhaps we can look to some of the light weight branding coaches in real estate for intervening here and making agents believing that posing with a horse or throwing a Frisbee on a beach is a way to build a personal brand and co-branding with a legacy broker isn't.
Marc
1000Watt Consulting
Turn On!
Submitted by Ralph M on July 2, 2008 - 7:11am.
Marc, very good article to read.
I will add another action -
If you want respect as a professional, wake up and command respect for you self and your industry.
Value yourself.
Submitted by Marc Davison on July 2, 2008 - 7:27am.
Agreed Ralph. But can you expand? Can you offer some examples of non respectful behavior as well as some examples of what is professional behavior?
Marc
1000Watt Consulting
Turn On!
Submitted by Daniel Rothamel, Inman Community Manager on July 2, 2008 - 9:15am.
Marc,
As an agent and manager of an independent, family-owned brokerage, I have seen this from both sides of the fence.
Before we started our own firm, we grew very frustrated with our brokerage. There was little listening being done, and no involvement in decision-making that directly effected us as agents. Two issues that you mention.
Once we started our own firm, and had agents wanting to come on board, we realized very quickly that most of them wouldn't work, hence the reason we have chosen to remain small. The attitude is all wrong. Too many agents walk in the door asking only the question "what are you going to do for me?" without ever mentioning what value they bring to the table.
In order for the system to work, there has to be a mutual respect and shared responsibility for success and failure.
Which leads me to this: as long as the commission structure remains in place as the primary form of compensation, the problem will continue to fester. Agents view commissions as "their" hard-earned money for doing the work, so when they have to share the split, they view the brokerage as "taking." If there was a system of salaries that were augmented by commission, the agent would literally be receiving from the broker first, then their hard work would be compensated duly as bonus income. That's just one way to do it.
I can't, for the life of me, figure out how the industry has survived for this long, in this manner. The professions that agents and brokers see themselves most aligned with (lawyers and accountants, for example) don't compensate that way. It just doesn't make sense.
Of course, now the problem is that with a system that is so heavily ingrained, how do we extricate ourselves from the situation?
One brokerage at a time, I reckon.
http://www.RealEstateZebra.com
Submitted by Marc Davison on July 2, 2008 - 11:24pm.
Lot's here I'd like to comment on Daniel.
Not sure how to do it without a lengthy discourse. My short answer is:
I don't see how you can extract from the commission situation. I think that would be a mistake anyway. Maybe it is a sound model. And maybe, what's broken are the people.
Marc
1000Watt Consulting
Turn On!
Submitted by Daniel Rothamel, Inman Community Manager on July 3, 2008 - 5:21am.
Marc,
Some of the people are definitely broken. That is for sure.
I think that it is the system that encourages leaving broken parts in the machine.
http://www.RealEstateZebra.com
Submitted by Ralph M on July 3, 2008 - 7:48am.
Agreed Ralph. But can you expand? Can you offer some examples of non respectful behavior as well as some examples of what is professional behavior?
Thanx. I am always looking for invite on my thoughts.
Examples of NON- Professional behavior below -
1-When the real estate competition gets the listing that you were seeking to get,
A-Don’t Trash the competition in any such way because you did not get the listing and they did.
2-When a real estate professional is not a member of the MLS
A-Do not trash them, they are licensed and considered a real estate professional by the same state and same rules you are
3-If you represent your sellers best interest, actually Represent your sellers best interest
A-Don’t disclose the bottom price the sellers shall accept, just to get your fee
B-Do not publicize your seller’s Days On Market.. 1 day or 100 days is BAD to disclose
C-Actually be present at all of your sellers showings because you worked so hard to get it
D-Lose the “Open Houses” and command that sellers have an “approval” or “Bank Statement” BEFORE every showing
4-If you are a member of an association, DON”T bash it or its actions in public one day, then go to a potential listing and promote it
5-If you are a “Buyer’s Broker DO NOT call the listing agent with your 1st question, “How much am I going to get paid if my client buys it” when you client has not even looked at it.
6-When a Listing Real estate broker informs a Buyer’s Broker that there is no co-broke and the Buyer’s Broker informs their customer (they did not sign as a client) the House is either “Sold” or “In contract’ …..
7-When a Real estate professional does not SIGN a Ready Willing and Able buyer to a Buyer’s Broker agreement and “expects” the selling agent to co-broke.
8-Not keeping your clients updated every 10 days – 2 weeks, regardless of good/bad news
9-Not updating your clients information, photos, or videos when the weather or circumstances change
10-Being a member of an association with “Creed of Ethics” and or “Oath of Actions” and calling other real estate professionals names in public
I have to end it there, because I can spend all day on this
Examples of Professional behavior below
1-Getting paid for your time, effort, and services even when you do not sell a property
a- Consultant fees
b- Bpo Fees
c- Video Fees
d- Collect “After Termination” fees (advertisement, hourly, and miscellaneous pertaining to the marketing of the property you listed)
e- “FEE FOR SERVICE” (All the above) are allowed under your state and federal guidelines but 99% of associates do not collect fees for the above services.
2-When a real estate Broker contacts another Real estate broker to ask them /give them a common courtesy phone call concerning your agent jumping ship to their company
3-Saying NO to a seller and walking away in any circumstance where the needs/wants do not fit the real estate professionals initial direction and goal.
4- Showing up for all closings/title transfers (as long as the closing is not being completed by mail)
5-Continual acceptance to have an “Open Eye” and understanding to something that may be new or different.
This is the best one;
Do not expect/assume the real estate industry owes you anything. It is the greatest industry in the world, You owe it. Create and work to make it better in lieu of it making it better for you.
Submitted by Marc Davison on July 3, 2008 - 9:48pm.
This really needs to a post all of its own and should in someways be part of an mandate for real estate.
Very well done Ralph M.
Marc
1000Watt Consulting
Turn On!
Submitted by Ralph M on July 7, 2008 - 7:05am.
Thanx.
www.aarsteam.com
Submitted by Ralph M on July 7, 2008 - 12:00pm.
it already is mandated............to all AARSREPS who sign the "Oath of Actions" as a member of AARSTEAM CORP of www.aarsteam.com
Submitted by Bill Lublin on July 8, 2008 - 2:04am.
Bill Lublin CRB,CRS,GRI
CEO CENTURY 21 Advantage Gold
Visit me at MovePhilly and REreflections Or Click Here to
Find Homes in PA & NJ
Marc;
Great post and terrific comments. What should be a symbiotic relationship of agent and broker is too often seen as adversarial - I think partially because the growth of some franchises encouraged the misconception as part of their recruiting efforts.
I do have to disagree with the statement "In your case Jim - as part of a C21 brand - you are right. It might not be a bad thing. C21, the largest brand in real estate means literally nothing to the consumer. "
We find the brand to be well accepted by consumers in ou rmarketplace. (And obviously, because it is my choice I believe it to be a good one) I do however think that any franchise is only as good as the execution of the franchisor however, and that is key to the consumer's perception in a given market.
Submitted by Marc Davison on July 9, 2008 - 1:31am.
Bill,
Thanks for your kind words.
Regarding C21, I mean no disrespect.But when asked the simple question "can you tell me what the difference is between a C21 agent and an ___________ (fill in the blank with almost any brokerage) you get a long hard stare from the respondent. I've seen many of those stares. And he blank faces they are painted on.
Now I know C21 is trying to alter that by defining for us what a C21 agent is in their "Path Home" video by telling us that the C21 agent is my "expert negotiator." Or my expressway to tomorrow" (what does that even mean?)or my Internet listing guru"?
I think this is a good attempt at defining what a C21 agent is but until every C21 agent can deliver on that promise and make those words mean something, the consumer is going to remain confused by the brand.
Perhaps your individual brokerage means something locally and if that is the case, I would think it's because you have found a way to put meaning behind the brand. But across the national landscape, unless consumers can, en mass, define C21 agents as expressways to tomorrow with same conviction they define McDonalds as two all beef patties, special sauce, cheese pickles... the brand will not hold much meaning other than its association to gold jackets.
I understand the attempt of the ad but unless every agent can fulfill that expectation, set by the commercial,
Marc
1000Watt Consulting
Turn On!
Submitted by Ralph M on July 9, 2008 - 7:40am.
Bill,
I agree with Marc in every which way. Your brand, along with other real estate Franchisors means little to nothing. See your own association to the FREE websites C21 has associated theirselves with.
Century 21 and others have diluted their own importance, members and products with creating relationships with FREE real estate websites furthermore diluting their own "REALTOR" association where their members pay a fee for a service while their own C21 installs the same listings onto a free website.
What does C21 offer a seller that no one can????
Answer - Nothing
Branding does not sell a house.
and apparently installing a listing on www.realtor.com is NOT important if C21 is installing their members listings onto FREE sites.
www.aarsteam.com
Submitted by Marc Davison on July 11, 2008 - 10:58am.
Perhaps it even goes deeper than this folks and C21 is not the only party that is slighted by this problem which is as follows:
No corporation in real estate can mandate a level of education, professionalism, savvy or technical know-how when their representatives are all independent contractors that bow to the alter of their own sensibilities and ego.
In the case of C21 for example, at the very top, they may consider themselves Internet Listing Guru's, but for that to mean something, the C21 agents down at other end of the funnel should make sure they at the very least know what the letters "URL" mean and be able to post a sign rider on their yard sign with a URL to a website where I can view the property. At the very most, they should be equipped to submit a listing they take to the dozen main listing sites in the USA.
When that does not happen - which is frequent - the entire message and brand become diluted, meaningless and worthless.
This problem exists everywhere inside every brokerage.
The solution is not going to occur if you try to fix things with agents. They are independent and have the right to do or not do things based on their own personal model. The solution however, can be controlled by the message - the ad campaign itself.
Marc
1000Watt Consulting
Turn On!
Submitted by Holli Boyd on July 14, 2008 - 12:42pm.
Don't flame me for this - cause I ain't trying to build my downline or anything - just saying :) Keller Williams already does many of the things that the author recommends for both brokers and agents - we have advisory committees for every office (the ALC), all agents pay the same rate for office space/copies/email/web sites (and we have open books so that we know we are paying what our broker pays), and we cobrand everything. And in every market center education and training is key to staying on top and being the most professional local expert in the area.
Thanks for the article - going back to read the rest of your portfolio now - very well written and I enjoyed reading the comments as well.
Submitted by Tina In Virginia, Hampton Roads Realtor on August 5, 2008 - 4:24pm.
Couldn't have said it better myself. I would like to add something, however. The Brokers, for the most part, don't get technology. They bring in a "tech guru" once a quarter and expect that to teach their agents "technology". How many Managing Brokers were at Inman learning the latest and greatest? How many are blogging on a regular basis? How many offices have a knowledgeable, in house tech trainer & consultant to help the agents? I was extremely disappointed to hear from BHG at Inman, when asked what will happen to the agents that don't embrace technology, she said, "They'll just go away". As a trainer, that is VERY disturbing to me. Give me an agent with 20+ years of experience who is willing to learn and I will teach them the technology! Don't let them "go away!" These are the agents who have been through economic cycles and know how to overcome objections, read body language, negotiate, etc. The agents who have about 5 years under them are the ones I have a problem training. They came into real estate when all an agent had to do was open the door and pre-write the contract while the clients went inside. They don't know how to sell, negotiate or handle problems. As for hiring the new people? It seems nothing has changed...if you have a license and can breathe, someone will hire you.