Why I Love My Broker

There are salespeople who would go to the ends of the earth for their broker or manager. What makes these successful working relationships tick? What are brokers doing to gain the trust and respect of their associates?

We sought honest answers to these questions by reaching out to the only people who could provide them: salespeople. On REALTOR® Magazine’s Active Rain blog, we found no shortage of people who have great things to say about their broker.

Here, in their own words, is how their brokers create a happy and productive sales force.

Why I Love My Broker ...

Donna Holevoet, SFR
Resort Properties of the Pacific, Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii

Submitted by Carol Skon, e-PRO®, GRI: "My broker is so considerate and caring. She’s knowledgeable and provides great advice. Our office meetings provide learning opportunities and are not just ego trips. Agents in our office feel that we can work together, not just compete. She has given us the opportunity to work with her on her REO listings so that we can learn how to do them on our own. She provides us with coaching and mentoring."

Bud Kleppe
Saint Paul Home Realty, St. Paul, Minn.

Submitted by Teresa Boardman, e-PRO®: "As a more seasoned, tech-savvy agent, my needs are a little different from [those of] a newer agent. My broker stays out of my way and lets me do my job. He treats me with respect and asks for my opinions, just as I treat him with respect and ask for his opinions. We don’t agree on everything, but we have the same values when it comes to how we treat clients and other agents."

Mike Skahen
Lake and Company Real Estate, Seattle

Submitted by Glenn Roberts: "I’ve been with my broker for more than 20 years. When I joined, his instructions were to get a client, serve that client in the best way I could, and never forget that the client comes first. I’ve watched him solve problems over the past 20 years, and that philosophy is at the forefront every time. When I first joined the company, I was a single parent with one child in high school and one in college. Allowances were made.

"Recently I have been treated for cancer and have had to take six months off. During my off time, my broker and the staff were there for me. Besides the emotional support, they showered me with flowers, food, and gifts. This wouldn’t have happened without Mike’s leadership. He has made us all the best we can be."

Shawn Milletary
Century 21 Redwood, Ashburn, Va.

Submitted by Jonathan Bunn: "I would never leave my broker because I know that he always has my best interests in mind. Before working here, I was an average agent scrambling to figure out the business in a difficult market. Shawn invested countless hours helping me improve my services, even going to after-hour listing appointments and making weekend phone calls to assist me with offers. Within my first year working for Shawn, I had tripled my production. I owe a lot of this to him."

Chris Hardee
Century 21 Hardee Team Realty, Magnolia, Texas

Submitted by Charlotte Stilwell: "I’d never leave my broker because he allows me the freedom to run my business the way I choose while being supportive when I need help or advice. He demands the best, and in return his name gives us the recognition we need to bring in the business. We have the tools, the support, and the working environment we need to succeed.

"But most of all, he truly cares about each and every one of us mentally, professionally, personally, and spiritually. I was a good agent before I switched to this company, but I never dreamed of having business like I do now.

"My broker played a huge role in changing my mind-set from impossible to possible. He boosted my confidence, supported me during the struggle between old and new habits, and held me accountable.

"He’s got my loyalty 100 percent. He is involved in the community in many ways—Lions Club, Chamber of Commerce, and his church. His family has been in the area for generations and he truly, deeply cares for the communities we serve. He brought Tomagwa Health Care Ministries to our attention at our last meeting and has chosen it as our company charity because he understands how hard it is for people who don’t have health care. He doesn’t just provide lip service."

Cornelia Steffes
Coldwell Banker Evanston, REALTORS®, Evanston, Ill.

Submitted by Alan May, CRS®: "How do I love her? Let me count the ways.

I love her for the depth and breadth of the agents in the office.
Her soul reaches into each and every one of us.
For the input on deals and transactions with grace.
I love her for her level-headedness, when needed.
For her hands on, when required, and hands off when not.
I love her freely, to keep me on the right path.
I love her to give me a good kick in the ... uh ... behind.
I love her encyclopedic knowledge of everything real estate.
I love her wisdom and knowledge of when to act and when not to act.
She filleth our office with quality agents,
And tolerates fools, not easily.
While it is known that offal flows from the top,
So doth respect, knowledge and integrity,
And that maketh our office the best in the land.
As long as my managing broker
Doth wander the halls of our office.
And taketh the lead of the reins,
I shall haunt her brokerage."

Dave Moeller
Redbud Realty I Asssociates, Oklahoma City

Submitted by Joe Pryor: "Dave is a believer in the virtual office. We use technology to communicate and to avoid wasting paper. Dave is a tireless promoter of the REALTOR® Code of Ethics and the need for complete files to comply with real estate commission rules. He’s always solving problems in a way that benefits all parties involved."

Cynthia Lippert
Keller Williams Peachtree Battle, Atlanta

Submitted by Patty Perry: "Cynthia has a rare ability to see the strengths in each and every agent and gently help us achieve our goals. She’s a brilliant businesswoman who generously shares her knowledge with everyone who crosses her path. She’s fiercely loyal to and protective of her agents and possesses the perfect amount of "nerdiness" and humor in her personality, which keeps her grounded.

"She spends most of her time counseling, training, coaching, and teaching agents. Her talent and her deep passion for her work positively touch everyone there."

Harry Disbrow, ABR®, CRS®, and Diane Disbrow, ABR®, GRI
BayShore Agency Inc., Little Egg Harbor, N.J.

Submitted by Gregory Bain, SRES®: "Harry and Diane know how to make work fun. Not a day goes by at the office when the team-style working environment does not shine. Competition goes by the wayside as they focus on individual achievement and group efforts like a "Biggest Loser" challenge to get in shape and lose weight. We also attend classes as a team to earn designations or certifications such as ABR®, SRES®, GRI, and e-PRO®.

"Harry and Diane not only encourage us to take these classes but also help us pay for them. Working here makes you want to contribute."

Thomas McColligan and Judy Rodonski, CRS®, GRI
Weichert, REALTORS®, Paupack Group, Hawley, Penn.

Submitted by Karen Rice: "I absolutely love working with Tom and co-owner Judy, associate broker. They’re hard-working and dedicated to the success of their agents. Their personal, one-on-one, hands-on training can’t be beat. They encourage (and succeed in getting) a cooperative team spirit.

"Our office has a great atmosphere. I respect their honesty, their philosophy that "being nice works," and their desire to help their agents be happy and successful. I’ve received recruitment letters from other brokerages offering a larger commission split.

"My response: 'No. I bleed yellow and black—I’ll be with Tom and Judy for as long as I live.' And I mean it."

Kathy Wheeler
Keller Williams Metro South, Alabaster, Ala.

Submitted by Ken and Linda Hankins: "Our team leader is absolutely awesome! She’s a mover and a shaker, a motivator, a teacher, an accountability partner, and a shoulder to lean on when needed. About one-and-a-half years ago, my husband Ken was in the hospital for an emergency quadruple bypass. During that stressful time, Kathy helped me negotiate a very difficult transaction and attended a closing for us. She carried the burden for me so that I could focus on my husband and his difficult recovery."

John Manson
GM Mortgage & Realty, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.

Submitted by John and Janis Arendsen: "When I approached my broker about his possible participation in a bridge loan program that would help home buyers who have trouble qualifying for conventional mortgages, he stepped up to offer a helping hand. It will take individuals like John and his growing pool of private investors to help resolve our market’s lending woes.

"If we had more professionals in the business like John and his group of generous friends and associates, we would very quickly begin to resolve the mortgage crisis.

"At a time when financing has become nearly impossible for many, if not most, average folks in America, John and his team of investors are there. Thanks to John and his innate desire to reach out and help, hundreds of potential home owners will now be able to realize the American dream."

John Steinwand, CRB
Naples Realty Services Inc., Naples, Fla.

Submitted by Chuck Westhafer: "The most complimentary and factual statement I can make about John is that he’s always been available to me and all of his agents. About 80 percent of the time that I call him, he takes my call right away or he returns my call within the hour.

"He has been very active with and supportive of the local real estate board, as well as the Naples community through the Rotary Club. He even has a law firm on retainer, available and free to his agents. He led the way in creating and developing a complete and customized MLS software program (SunshineMLS) that’s used by REALTORS® in Southwest Florida."

Michael Studebaker, CRB, GRI
Gallagher and Lindsey, Alameda, Calif.

Submitted by Pacita Dimacali, e-PRO®, SRES: "The company provides a whole curriculum to prepare new agents. We have classes, guest speakers, case studies, and more. The training helps us pass the mandated tests and get our licenses.

"My broker frequently invites different people to present during weekly sales meetings. Guests have included real estate accountants, real estate attorneys, city officials, school superintendents, developers, community advocates. It helps us stay in tune with developments in the real estate industry and become better informed—and, hence, better serve our clients and our community."

Scott Berry, e-PRO®
Sand Castle Realty Group Inc., Naples, Fla.

Submitted by Vickee Douglas, GRI: "My broker is as good as it gets and here’s why: We get 100 percent commission with low monthly fees, and as you refer other agents your monthly fee can be reduced to zero. He’s always on the cutting edge of technology. We’re fully online and it’s a smooth process with our paperwork. He’s there to help answer any question no matter how big or small.

"He’s a hands-on broker and truly cares about this profession. When you’re having some problems with foreclosures and short sales, Scott provides resources. He teamed up with an excellent local attorney to help guide us. Scott recently had major surgery but he never missed a beat. As soon as he possibly could, he was back in the office with his always-smiling face and can-do attitude."

David Johnson
Keller Williams Realty Park City, Park City, Utah

Submitted by Nancy Tallman: "I am so fortunate to have one of the best brokers in the business. David is never too busy to sit down and problem-solve. He has helped me to draft escrow agreements and all kinds of other legal documents to ensure all parties are satisfied and no one get sued after the transaction closes.

"In fact, he’s very proud of the fact that since our brokerage began four-and-a-half years ago, we’ve not had one errors-and-omissions claim. David teaches continuing education classes about once a week. Those classes are open to the entire Park City real estate community.

"Because of his years of experience as an attorney, he is always able to give real examples of how something as innocent as a [land] survey can get practitioners in trouble. I have even poured my heart out to him about emotional real estate matters, and David listens and advises like a father."

Lori Bowers
Lori Bowers Group Desert Properties, La Quinta, Calif.

Submitted by Tina Droessler: "I love my broker. I’ve been with Lori for almost five years and I’ve learned so much from her. I can call her at six in the morning or at six in the evening and she’ll take my call.

"She works harder than anyone on our team and she leads by example. She’s out showing property, answering phones, writing offers, and going to listing appointments just like all of us. She not only truly cares about the success of her agents, but she also cares deeply for each and every one of her clients."