All Forum Posts by: Brian Connelly

@Tony Wooldridge Exactly. It's extremely straightforward. Consider it the classifieds section for outsourcing/freelance work. And the more specific you are; the better.

@Tony Wooldridge I'm on Upwork all of the time - both as a freelancer and employer. It is THE place to outsource.

My advice would be to get on the platform, create an in-depth job description of exactly what you're looking for and go from there. In the meantime, you can create a Google Doc or something else that details the entire project and your expectations.

That's what my hiring process has looked like in the past, although I generally hire contractors for copywriting, design, etc. as opposed to a VA.

Upwork.

Sounds like you're providing a win-win @Rick Santasiere.

Perhaps I can give you a call sometime this week to pick your mind and discuss this topic a bit further.

Hey @Tom Parris, thanks for your response and the great info.

Sounds like it'd be best to find a mentor or someone in a position that I'd like to get to. I would have never thought about reaching out to another agent separate from my eventual broker. That's a great idea.

Learning property management is huge. I see the utility not only as an agent, but as an eventual investor myself. 

Get out of here! @Rick Santasiere

Flip flops?!

I love that. And it's good business too. Seems like there's a trend moving in that direction.

Thanks for your post @Rick Santasiere. Great to hear input from the horse's mouth.

"As long as you are not looking for handholding, and are a great self starter and quick learner, a small broker will take you on."

This sentiment is the reason I'm leaning heavily towards a small broker. The marketing company I own does quite a bit of work for top brokers, investment firms, property managers, etc. - so I feel I have a leg up compared to other newly licensed agents. After all, I have orchestrated the marketing efforts of others agents and brokers (just have never done it for myself).

I love that as a small broker, you don't charge fees nor demand "time commitments." That's huge. 

Choosing a brokerage is starting to remind me of the whole "small school" vs. "large school" debate. I think there's something to be said about the "closeness" (so to speak) of a small broker. There's a personalized element to it, as opposed to working for a gigantic organization/broker.

Thanks again for your post, Rick. Good stuff to keep in mind.

That makes perfect sense @Michael Noto. Thanks for your reply.

The smaller, local broker is something I definitely plan to pursue - especially based on what you said. It never dawned on me just how valuable the flexibility aspect of a broker relationship can be (especially given my situation).

I'm heavily leaning forwards the smaller, local broker or joining a team at a big brokerage. Seems like these are the two best (and most recommended) options.

Thanks for your input Michael!

@Zach Sikes

I'd take the education over cheap fees all day.

Desk fees are a bit more unappealing to me, but I have no problem with commission splits that are heavily in favor of the broker. It's a small price to pay for their time, education, and network.

Wow! Thanks for the detailed response @Joel Owens!

"There is no having your cake and eating it too in this world" - ahhh ain't that the truth!

You make an excellent point regarding the commission splits. Makes a lot of sense, and really isn't something I've put a great deal of thought in. I can definitely see the trade-off (both from an agent & broker's perspective) regarding the eduction and "price" of that education i.e. commission splits.

I've heard great things about Keller Williams and have received numerous recommendations on their behalf. It's definitely one of the top brokerages on my list to interview in addition to the one's @Zach Sikes mentioned.

It seems that joining a team might be beneficial to someone like me who is just starting out even after accounting for trade-offs like lower commissions. Would this be advisable based on your experience, Joel?

It also appears that the simplest way to work with investors is just to have established yourself in a reputable brokerage as the go-to-agent for real estate investors. Just takes time. Am I off with this train of thought?