Category: Help-U-Sell

Help-U-Sell for Agents

There is a misconception among traditional real estate agents that Help-U-Sell is not a place to have a great career.  After all, we are not known for paying large commission splits!  And with our Low Set Fee structure, there can’t be much money in it for an agent, right?  Wrong!

First, consider why a traditional broker would be willing to pay a high split.  In that traditional office you are responsible for getting  listings, making sales, finding sellers, finding buyers,  producing your own leads, prospecting, prospecting, prospecting, paying your own marketing and office expenses and on and on.  You are shouldering the lion’s share of the business expenses (and running around like a chicken with your head cut off!) –  so you should be getting the lion’s share of the commission!

But maybe there’s a better way.  Maybe the Broker should take responsibility for developing an effective marketing plan, for producing a steady flow of quality leads, for providing all the tools you need to do your job.  Maybe you should be focused on just one aspect of the business:  taking buyer clients the office has handed to you and turning them into closed sales and satisfied customers.  You’d have no prospecting demands, no angry sellers, no open houses you must hold, no advertising bill to pay.  Because your job description would finally be manageable (and quality leads would be steady), you’d be able to do many more transactions.  That’s the way we do it at Help-U-Sell.

At Help-U-Sell, we expect our Buyers’ Agents to close at least two sides every month — way above the national average.  Because our offices are lead generating machines (and because we never add agents until we have the leads to support them), that’s a very attainable goal.  As a result our agents are happy, calm, excited, busy, productive . . . and they still have lives!  Now, let’s consider the dollars.

While your production may be different (and we invite you to work through these calculations with your own numbers), the average real estate agent production today is less than one closed side per month.  Consider this example:

  • Average Sale Price:  $300,000
  • Average Commission per Closed Side:  3%*:  $9,000
  • Average Agent’s Commission Split:  75%* =  $6,750 per closed side
  • Rounding average production UP to 1 closed side per month (12 per year) = $81,000 Agent’s Gross, from which from which desk fees, marketing expenses, and cost of doing business must be taken.

Now, consider the same parameters at Help-U-Sell:

  • Average Sale Price:  $300,000
  • Average Commission per Closed Side:  3%*:  $9,000
  • Average Agent’s Commission Split: 50%* =  $4,500 per closed side
  • Assuming you meet our minimum production standard for Buyers’ Agents, that’s 24 closed sides a year =$108,000 with NO marketing expenses, no desk fees, no prospecting, no calling FSBOs, no angry sellers . . .

The big difference is that the traditional agent had to develop all of his or her own business.  The Help-U-Sell agent left that job up to the office and focused on turning Buyer leads into sales.  The Help-U-Sell agent also had time for family, friends, hobbies, vacations . . . a life.  Isn’t it time you had one?

*Of course, commissions are always negotiable, as are commission splits.

Download a PDF copy of Help-U-Sell for Agents

Help-U-Sell for Buyers

Imagine . . .

  • Calling a real estate office and connecting with an agent who tells you not only about the property you’re calling on but three others that are similar and close by . . .
  • Being offered great free tools that make your home search easier . . .
  • Taking advantage of an opportunity to spend a few minutes with a knowledgeable professional to develop a real estate plan, not just for your next house but for the rest of your life . . .
  • Working in partnership with a local expert to find the perfect house at the right price with the best financing .

It happens every day at Help-U-Sell.

That’s because our Buyers’ Agents begin their careers in a comprehensive, activity-driven training program, ‘Science to Sales.’  It’s been hailed by industry experts as the finest Buyers’Aagent training program in the industry and, after a few intense weeks, produces agents who know more about the local market, financing and contracts than many agents with years in the business.

Help-U-Sell Science to Sales trained Buyers’ Agents are absolutely clear about the great value they bring to the transactions on which they work and their buyer clients perceive this value from the very first interaction.  And isn’t that what sales is all about?  It’s not about getting people to do things they don’t want to do.  We think it’s about being so valuable in the transaction that they can’t imagine proceeding without you!

Working with a Help-U-Sell Buyers’ Agent is different.  That’s because your agent is focused only on the buyers’ side of the transaction.  They are not chasing down a new listing or trying to meet an advertising deadline or holding an open house.  Those activities are handled by other people in the office.  Our Buyers’ Agents are just that:  Buyers’ Agents, focused on and dedicated to home buyers and their unique issues.  It’s the kind of help you’ve always dreamed about.

Often, in addition to the ‘normal’ financing routes many agents know, there are special programs available through local municipalities, State governments and non-profit groups.  Sometimes these programs can mean lower down payments, lower interest rates and even reduced purchase prices.  Unfortunately, because these programs are unusual and don’t flow through normal mortgage lending channels, many agents know nothing about them.   At Help-U-Sell we pride ourselves in knowing every possible avenue to purchase available in our local markets and bringing them into play whenever possible.

Not only will your Help-U-Sell Buyers’ Agent have access to all the homes on the market, regardless of which broker has the listing, they will also have access to some listings only available to Help-U-Sell agents.  Often these are listings where the seller is saving significantly on sales commissions and is therefore in a better position to negotiate.

Isn’t it time you got some benefit, some value from the agent working through your transaction?  Isn’t it time you felt comfortable and confident you are getting the best help possible in your home purchase project?  If so, it’s time you called Help-U-Sell!

Download a PDF copy of Help-U-Sell for Buyers

Help-U-Sell for Sellers

Home sellers love Help-U-Sell.  Not only do they save with our low set fee pricing, they also experience a freedom of choice in the process that they didn’t know possible.

For us, one size definitely does not fit all, and sellers may opt to go into the MLS (and offer a commission to a selling broker) – or not; to hold their own open houses (thus increasing the probability they will produce their own buyer and save the greatest amount of money) – or not; or to offer a selling fee to the Buyers’ Agents in our own offices – or not.  The best part is:  no matter what options they choose, in the end, they will pay a fee based on how the sale was made.  A seller choosing to go into MLS and offer a co-op commission who then finds his or her own buyer will pay only our low set fee, not the set fee plus the optional fee to the outside broker.

While commissions and Set Fees are negotiable, many traditional real estate firms charge as much as 6% of the selling price.  On a $300,000 sale, that could be $18,000!  With the Help-U-Sell System there are at least three ways a home could sell:

Note:  the ,950 Set Fee used in this example is just that: an example.  Set Fees vary from office to office and market to market. Set Fees and Commissions are always negotiable.

So, what does a seller get for the Low Set Fee?  Marketing power (listing on HelpuSell.com and dozens of syndicated sites, signage and inclusion in our ongoing local marketing) along with our negotiating and transaction management skills.  Many times this is enough to create a satisfactory sale.  Sometimes the additional involvement of the buyers’ agents in our offices and/or the MLS is required.  In any case, sellers almost always save over what they’d have to pay a traditional broker to sell their home.

With tightening markets and falling prices, Help-U-Sell makes even more sense today.  Our fee model enables sellers to price their property more competitively and retain more of their equity.  It’s a great solution!

Download a PDF of Help-U-Sell for Sellers

Marketing Material and Vendor Update

One of our goals for 2011 is to update and upgrade our vendor program.  Robert Stevens is spec’ing out a template that will make it possible for our brokers to access approved suppliers directly on the website back-end, OMS.  We’re also working with our vendors to redesign all of our marketing materials so that everything has the same look and feel.

I’ve just created a new folder in the Download Library called ‘Vendors’, in which I placed a PDF doc listing some of the vendors we currently have on-board with contact information and product descriptions.  I’ll be working to complete that listing over the next several weeks.

Suddenly, this is all very important because . . . things are starting to move.

Have you noticed?  Somehow, in December, the economic news turned more favorable and I’m hearing from most everywhere that there is activity this month at a level we haven’t seen for some time.  Buyers seem to be out, trying to take advantage of low prices and low interest rates while they still can.  As a result, everyone’s talking about marketing.

We’ll be talking about it a lot over the next few weeks.  I know our Wednesday Rountable and Training calls will  feature segments on using Facebook pay-per-click ads, new marketing capabilities at Listingbook, and a reintroduction of 1 to 1 and Excel, their websites, tools and product offering.

So go get your marketing hat out and dust it off.  Let’s start planning for that Spring selling season!

2010 – The Year In Review

2010 was a great year for Help-U-Sell Real Estate.
As we continue to re-tool our technology to lead the industry in systems for the broker and the consumer, we experienced a number of milestones.  The first quarter saw a buildup of excitement as we worked toward the rollout of the Help-U-Sell Broker websites in March.  They were introduced at the Tech Summit programs held in Sarasota and Las Vegas.  Brokers from across the country attended the events, got excited as they learned about the new tools, and enjoyed reconnecting with other Help-U-Sell brokers they’d not seen in many months. Rallies were also held across the country and weekly training and round table calls saw plenty of great ideas and content being shared amongst brokers.
Thank you for being part of this magnificent team.  There is no lack of passion in Help-U-Sell and that is an energizer for all of us.  Let’s all work to make each other proud in 2011!

Gains in Technology
During 2009 we moved our corporate website and email into our own control and onto our own servers. We also started working with focus groups to drive the direction of the new broker websites which were revealed at the Spring Technology Summits. Since then the broker websites have been tweaked and new features have been added.
Being able to build our websites to suit our brokers needs in today’s ever-changing internet world is just one of the many benefits of building our technology in house. This also provides us with the ability to support our products and not rely on third party vendors for maintenance and support.
Another huge benefit is the cost savings. Since these products are built at cost by Help-U-Sell and our in house development team, we do not pay any hefty profits to development companies or third party service providers.
The savings in technology cost has allowed us to offer broker websites, email and MLS integration and data hosting free of charge to our brokers, making Help-U-Sell  the first company to provide all these services to our offices in house.
The broker websites also come with a powerful Content Management System (CMS) which allows you to add and edit pages to your website. You can also easily set all the meta data for each page. This puts the power of customizing and editing your website back in your hands. Our support team is also available to help with localizing your website.
MLS Integration
In 2010 we mapped data from 41 MLS boards covering about 85% of our offices. In October we started pulling additional data fields from the MLS boards which will be vital for our January 2011 project of upgrading our search pages.  New searches will include include additional filters such as school districts, neighborhoods and counties, property views and additional types to name a few.
Tech, Roundtable and Training Calls
Early in the year, we expanded our regular twice a week broker teleconferences to three:  Tech Tuesday, Roundtable Wednesday and Training Thursday.  Each session was well attended, but the strain on brokers trying to make the various meetings was intense.
We elected a few months ago to combine the Thursday call with the one running on Wednesday.  Wednesday’s call now might be a Roundtable call, Training or a National Sales Meeting. The two hour long meetings (Tuesday and Wednesday) remain one of the principal ways we use to communicate with our team members in the field.   Rallies
A full schedule of rallies took place through the Spring, Summer and Fall.  Groups of brokers came together for updates, camaraderie and brainstorming in locations across the country, from Baltimore to Oakland to Minneapolis.  More are planned for 2nd and 3rd quarter 2011 and you are urged to attend. The information shared at the Rallies and the quality of broker-to-broker interaction is not to be missed.
NAR
In November, Help-U-Sell returned to the National Association of REALTORS Expo and Convention in New Orleans. It was the first time in three years we exhibited and we did so to announce to the world that we are ready to start selling franchises and growing the brand again.  We were well received, with a number of attendees from around the world showing interest in Help-U-Sell.
Help-U-Sell Stimulus Program
Finally, we worked through 2010 with the help of the Help-U-Sell Stimulus package.  Royalties for the year were reduced from the current 6% rate down to 5% on transactions closing between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31 for those offices that “opted in” on the Royalty Modification Program amendment.
We are pleased to announce that, given the continuing uncertainty in the market, the program will be extended through Dec. 31, 2011.  That’s right:  Royalties will remain at 5% through NEXT December!
New Members
Though we weren’t actively selling franchises in 2010, we did add a few new members to the Help-U-Sell team.
Roy Perry came in to work Elko/Spring Hill, Nevada.  Roy is a 30 year veteran of the industry and is off to a great start.
David Reading recently converted his office in Ventura, CA, recognizing that a strong brand and consumer offering could help him grow as the market begins to turn.
Long time Help-U-Sell Franchisee, Tammy Whitehead, returned to the brand after a hiatus of several years.  Her office in Riverside, CA is doing remarkably well and she continues to be energized every day.

What’s coming in 2011

Franchise Sales
As mentioned earlier, 2011 will be a year of Franchise Sales and growth for Help-U-Sell.  Ron McCoy has created a plan to reach out to the Realtor community that includes email marketing, targeting and even some print advertising.  If you know of a broker in a neighboring town who might be an asset to the organization, please share that with Ron McCoy.  We want to be careful in our growth to bring in the best brokers possible and you are in the best position to know them.
University
As we gear up for Franchise Sales, we’ve put more energy and resources into completing the new Help-U-Sell University.  The new program will be administered online and will include content delivered via multimedia modules with coaching follow-up all the way.  University will also be activity driven so that the new member can complete the learning process with business already taking place.  Jeanne Strayer, whom many of you know is working with us to complete this big project.
Rallies
We will be announcing a Spring – Fall rally series in the first part of the year and will be giving you enough time to make plans and travel arrangements.  Even if you are a couple of hundred miles away, most areas have a regional airline that makes it affordable to go to the meeting early in the morning and return home in the evening.
Retreats
Finally, we’re planning a Broker Retreat for late Fall/early Winter.  Though it’s been a few years since we held such an event, they were always well worth the investment of time, energy and money in the past.  Help-U-Sell Brokers from around the country will come into a location for a couple of days of meetings and fellowship.  We will have details for you by the end of first quarter 2011.
Technology
• We will be adding a free virtual tour service in January that will be added to Listing module in the OMS.
• There will be a Seller back end and tools accessed via the brokers website.
• We will upgrade the Advance Search function on HelpUSell.com and all broker websites.
• A new Leads Management Module is scheduled for March 2011.
• The Drip Email Campaign module is due in June.
• The new Help-U-Sell University will be available online.
• We started with re-branding the OMS and it should be completed before the new year.
Industry Update
From an industry perspective, things appear to be slowly improving around the country.  Interest rates and prices seem to have hit rock bottom, making this an excellent time to buy and consumers seem to be getting that message.  Retail sales are up, the stock market is improving and real estate seems to be waking up.  Just as most of our offices did better in 2010 in 2009, we expect 2011 to be incrementally better as well.

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