Eleven years ago Coldwell Banker presented a challenging opportunity and exciting career choice. I stayed at Coldwell Banker because I felt there was not a better opportunity at the time. There was no point in making a lateral move to another traditional real estate company. They were all very similar to Coldwell Banker with high fees and top down management. After investigating the 100% houses like ReMax and Realty Executives, I decided I would be just another tenant in the office. These offices did not provide a "Team" environment, in my opinion. Furthermore, in most of the 100% offices, not only are you competing against all the agents in your market, but in most cases you are also competing against the broker.

If money was my only motivation, my best option would have been a 100% house, and I would have saved 300 to 400 thousand dollars over the last eleven years. But, I believe there is more to life than money and enjoying what you do is half the battle. I wanted to be happy at what I was doing and I did not feel that traditional and 100% real estate companies offered me that environment.

In 1996, a good friend of mine, Steve, joined Keller Williams in Denver, Colorado. He kept telling me how different Keller Williams was from all the other real estate companies and the rapid rate at which it was growing, nationally. After eighteen months of listening to Steve, and following the growth of Keller Williams, I decided to do a little investigating on my own.

I spent six months researching Keller Williams and talking to top agents in the organization, throughout the country. I also spoke with owner, Gary Keller and my attorney, who represented the Western-Wayne Oakland County Board of Realtors for eighteen years, whom I have the greatest respect for. My findings were very interesting, and I will share them with you.

Keller Williams is the only real estate company where the agents have a say in running the company. This is accomplished though an Agent Leadership Council. Keller Williams empowers their agents to have an active role and voice in their market center. Keller Williams believes that the agents should also benefit from the success of the market center. Through the A.L.C., the agents are helped to increase their productivity, reduce expenses and increase market center profits. A.L.C. works as a board of directors. At Keller Williams they are partners, not just agents renting space.

Keller Williams has one of the best compensation programs, attracting all agents from new to mega producers. This is the first time I have ever seen a real estate company do this.

Keller Williams has a profit sharing program. In 1998 Keller Williams gave out over $1,850,000 in profit sharing to their agent partners and are on track to give out over $3,000,000 in 1999. I find it interesting that traditional Brokers & Owners are saying that the Keller Williams profit sharing program doesn't work. I am here to tell you it is working great and gets better day-by-day!

Systems - I am a systems person. You cannot do $35 million dollars in sales per year with only 2 assistants and 1 buyer's agent, and take 8 weeks vacation yearly without systems. What I have found is you don't have to have the best product to be successful, if you have the best systems. Just look at McDonald's, they sure don't have the best hamburger but what they have is great systems. They are able to duplicate these systems very easily. Keller Williams has the best real estate systems I have ever seen. Whatever your real estate needs are, they have a system that has been put together by top agents in the Keller Williams organization.

Leading edge technology - What I have found is that most traditional real estate offices won't spend the money to give their agents the best in technology. Most offices do not have the money to spend because they are just landlords and they do not have a lot of money left over to spend. Keller Williams realizes that leading edge technology is key in the growth of a company. If new and better technology comes along then Keller Williams will invest, knowing they are investing in the future of the agents and company.

Exit Plan - In all the other real estate companies out there today if you don't sell anything you won't get paid, and the day you quit the real estate business is the day your paychecks stop. At Keller Williams it is possible that if you don't sell anything one month that you will still receive a profit sharing check. Once you are vested 3 years and 1 day with Keller Williams, it is possible to get monthly profit sharing forever. The top agent in profit sharing with Keller Williams in 1998 received over $100,000 dollars and is on track in 1999 to receive over $140,000 in profit sharing checks. As the company grows, so will the profit sharing checks.

As you can see Keller Williams is not just another real estate company. In my opinion, it is the real estate company of the future. Many agents across the country and in Canada have joined the Keller Williams "Team". Keller Williams has doubled their size every eighteen months.

Keller Williams has opened 26 offices since 1999, with over 3,200 agents, and is continuing its growth pattern. Opened offices since 1999 include:

Ann Arbor, Brighton, Clarkston, Commerce, Detroit, Farmington Hills, Fenton, Grand Rapids East, Great Lakes, Greater Cleveland, Greater Cleveland Southwest, Greater Cleveland West, Kalamazoo, Lakeside, Lansing, Livonia, Macomb/St. Clair, Northville, Plymouth/Canton, Saginaw, St. Joseph, Troy, West Bloomfield, Warren/Sterling Heights, Woodward and Ypsilanti.

In addition the region plans to open additional offices within the Michigan/Ohio Region. As you know, this type of growth is astronomical in the Real Estate industry.

So, why did I leave Coldwell Banker? The answer is simple, Keller Williams. Prior to the opportunity presented by Keller Williams, I had no compelling reason to consider leaving and/or risking my successful career.

As you can see by now, I am very excited about the opportunities offered by Keller Williams. I could probably go on all day about how fortunate I am to be part of such a dynamic organization. I'd like to leave you with one last thought.

If you are happy with that, then I'm truly happy for you, but if you think there's a better way, give me a call and I will share with you the Keller Williams systems.

Thank you for your time!

John DiMora

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