To unleash your real estate business – to take it to the next level and make the big bucks – requires a team. Whether this team includes just one assistant or an entire office full of buyer’s agents, transaction coordinators and admin folks, hiring staff members helps set you free to do what you do best – list and sell real estate.
Nobody is more aware of this than Baltimore’s Ron Howard. “I have a nine person team; I added a buyer agent six months into my career. My income has continually increased as I have added team members. We’ll do 150 transactions this year.”
While Howard relies on technology for many of his leads, the bulk of his business – 70 percent according to his calculations – comes from referrals. A man of few words, Howard chalks up his referral business to the fact that “we provide great service.”
So, where does the other 30 percent of the team’s business come from? “We have over 50 websites and do a large amount of pay per click advertising as well, and we have strong SEO on our websites.” How’s that working out for him? “We get a tremendous amount of leads from our websites.”
The Ron Howard Team’s RE/MAX website relies heavily on well-produced videos. One of them, in particular, explains the benefits of working with an agent who is part of a team, putting to rest any fears a potential client may have of falling through the cracks of a busy real estate business.
Howard doesn’t come from a real estate background. His dad worked for the government and the family spent a lot of time on the move. Typically, when you ask someone where he or she grew up, you’ll get the name of a city. Not so with Howard: “I grew up in Hawaii, Guam, Alaska, Germany.”
So, what brought him to the world of real estate? Flipping. He and a partner bought, renovated and sold properties, and he brings that experience to his real estate business. In fact, one of his websites is a video blog that features fascinating videos tracking the rehab process of several homes.
Howard’s expertise in streamlining and automating work groups and workflow though technology is not only evidenced in his team approach to the real estate business – it is also reflected in his creation of ProForms, the popular residential real estate contract writing software.
“We were hired by AA County to create automated forms software for their membership. After we completed the software for AA County, very quickly seven other boards wanted to adopt our software and that was the birth of ProForms.”
Howard gives back to his community by being on the board of directors of the Friends of Patterson Park and by chairing the Communications Committee for the Maryland Association of Realtors®.
Between those duties and heading a powerhouse real estate team, he doesn’t have a whole lot of time for fun. When he does, you’ll find this graduate of flight school in the skies or right here on earth, racing mountain bikes.
This risky thrill-seeking matches his notion of what it takes to succeed in real estate: “the ability to get out of your comfort zone and change your business like the market has changed … no pain, no gain!”
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
As a member of the Ron Howard Group, I can honestly say that we provide our clients with superior customer service. As professional Baltimore Realtors, we have the experience to assist both buyers and sellers to navigate through the complexities of our turbulant market, which is why we have become one of the fastest growing real estate teams in Baltimore, Maryland.
“bad economy” is becoming a cop out for lazy agents. People are buying, you just have to work. No more pre-2006 days!
Way to go. It’s always great to hear positive news from someone crushing it in this so called “bad” economy. It’s great advice as well. Thanks for the info
This is amazing advice, and exactly what we have been aiming for here in the New York market… thank you for sharing!!