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When choosing a brokerage, don’t get caught up in the hype… “We are number 1” and other misleading statements that agents fall for. Every agent should qualify their brokerage before agreeing to join. Many recruiters and brokers make agents feel like the agent is the one who is under question and that the broker has the upper hand in the decision. Agreeing to join a brokerage should be a win – win situation for both the agent and the broker. Here are a few key questions to ask before committing to join. Training and Mentoring: Ask to see a schedule and if you can attend one of the upcoming classes. Are the classes free? Who is the mentor? What accreditations and productions has this person made within the last 6 to 12 months? What is their fee/split? How many agents do they currently mentor? What kind of deals are they generally assisting with: rentals, listings, buyers, commercial, residential? Does the mentor provide leads or only assist after the agent finds the business? Fees and Splits: Get it in writing. Many franchises and brokerages have sign up fees, monthly operational fees, transactions fees, franchise fees, desk fees, and worst but not least – hidden fees that come up after you join. Some splits are on a sliding scale based on income, some splits are rolled back every year, and some are standard fixed splits. Can I see a list of your fees and what they cover? Are any of the fees negotiable? How often are the fees reviewed and subject to change? Leads:  What type of leads do you provide: Rentals, Buyers, Sellers, Commercial? Where do your leads come from? Are the leads pre-scrubbed, and if [...]