Lynnwood, WA · Member since 2017 · 1 post · 0 votes
Hello everyone,
I just passed my real estate exam here in Washington State and now in the process of finding a brokerage to hang my license with. The main reason for getting a license is for investing (mainly flipping). I'm new to all of this so I'm looking for a brokerage in Western Washington (Lynnwood-Seattle area) that is investor-friendly with low to no fees, that does a great job training new agents. Any suggestions/advice/tips? How do I start doing any research on what brokerages are out there?
Real Estate Agent · Oak Harbor, WA · Member since 2016 · 6 posts · 2 votes
8y
I have my real estate license in both WA and HI. In WA, where we live now, I have it hung with Keller Williams in Bellingham, but they do also have offices towards Lynnwood and Seattle too. I work primarily on Whidbey Island. Keller Williams doesn't have a whole lot of start up fees and the monthly fee for our office is about $65/month. You do have to pay your MLS fees and realtor association fees, but as far as monthly it's just the $65 and my Supra lockbox access at about $15/month.
It's definitely been a great place to have my license hung as they provide a TON of education to their agents. The commissions splits are pretty good too, especially for new agents.
Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions for me.
Rental Property Investor · Everett, WA · Member since 2013 · 389 posts · 222 votes
8y
@Michael Valle low/no fees and "great job training new agents" don't usually go hand in hand. That being said, I work with Champions Real Estate Services based out of Lynnwood. They have a great mentoring program but as with most places with mentoring programs, charge bigger fees in the beginning. However, once you get a few deals under your belt the splits are much more favorable.
Rental Property Investor · Bellingham, WA · Member since 2015 · 6 posts · 1 vote
8y
@Michael Valle You may also want to check out HomeSmart. No Splits, basic transaction fees and it appears to have plenty of online training resources. I am considering it anyway :)
Always consider what you are paying (cost) for the brokerage brand in you business model. It sounds like it will be mainly for investing purposes - great, you may not need a conventional brokerage (KW, JSCott, Bain, Wind etc) Find one locally where investors are involved - not all agents (very few) understand investing.
How to start: Run the hard numbers, grab a spreadsheet and call the brokerages - plug in the hard numbers and then quantify the soft differences (investor mindset, training options, brand advantages, CRM options?)
Buy your top 2-3 choices a cup of coffee. :) Have fun with it - enjoy the journey.