1. Bill an hourly rate (like an attorney or marketing exec)… this can be a fee against eventual commission, but the wheel spinning in this business is enormous.

2. Make it MUCH MUCH MUCH more difficult to get a license. I can go to school locally for 75 hours and am “qualified” to sell the Empire State Building. Real estate should have more up-front training to create a higher barrier of entry and then require an apprenticeship under an experienced Broker. This flies in the face of the conventional business model… which has been magnified by the Realogy/ReMax/Prudentials of the world. Load the office with bodies and enough will stick to make money. This is a HUGE disservice to the public and a royal pain for those of us who are true professionals and deal with nit-wits who think that a GPS, a laptop and 75 hours makes them an expert. Do you want someone with 75 hours of school selling your most valuable asset? Finding you the home that you’ll own for the next 20 years? Helping you with a short sale or foreclosure?

3. Franchisors must realize that the sales associates are their customers as much as or more then the folks who are buying and selling the actual properties. Although this is not the case legally… the truth is that we pay half or more of our commissions, plus franchise fees for the ability to work in an office. I don’t mind paying for this, but we should have some input into how things are done.

I love this business… don’t get me wrong. Changes are needed and will come. Anyone with Main Street Realty who is now C21 Main Street will tell you that things don’t stay the same forever.