Nick Roth

In today's economy, franchising might be the way to go for many independent brokers. Joining an innovative real estate franchise (like Area Pro Realty) can boost the production and credibility value of many brokerage offices.

Franchising provides brokers with the support and technology tools needed to stay on top of the market. Nowadays, brokers still get the freedom they need to run the brokerage the way they desire and can be backed by companies with entire teams of technology and support representatives.

The real estate franchises available today are vast, and a broker must thoroughly research all of them to find which one fits their needs and vision. Once you determine the best real estate franchise, it's time to sit down and write your 1, 5 and 10 year goal plan. A quality franchisor will help you do this. The real estate franchises for sale today offer numouers business models and systems, be sure to research, ask for references and look within yourself to find the best team for you moving forward

Michael Volkin is the president of Area Pro Realty, a new national real estate franchise.

An innovative real estate franchise shouldn't implement the typical precentage of royalty charges to their franchisees (in the real estate industry the standard is 6%). Of the dozens of real estate franchises available, I would estimate about 90% of them offer this type of royalty structure. Perhaps by a lack of imagination or a desire to blend in, these companies all follow suit of each other. Area Pro Realty has instituted a unique royalty system. Instead of charging a large percentage of a franchisees royalty, we have instituted a system where franchisees only pay an amount per agent per month. Therefore, the most productive a franchisees office is, the more money the broker keeps, not gives away.

To be the best real estate franchise, you have to think outside the box. Before researching one of the many real estate franchises for sale, I would suggest analyzing your needs and evaluating where you think the real estate market is headed the next 5 years. Then, pair up with a company that will fulfill your goals and economic outlook.

Michael Volkin is the president of Area Pro Realty, a new national real estate franchise.

As president of Area Pro Realty, the most innovative real estate franchise available to brokers, I get a lot of questions about franchising. One of the most confusing is the purpose for the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). Each of the many real estate franchises available have an FDD and they all have to be disclosed early in the sales process. But many people don't understand the importance of the FDD.

When a broker is search for the best real estate franchise, they will at some point talk to a franchise sales person. That franchise salesman will give the interested prospect an FDD. This FDD provides a list of disclosures that a franchisor is required to disclose regarding the franchise offering. The FDD will include items like start up costs, company history, and a copy of the franchise agreement. The FDD can easy be 200+ pages. The best real estate franchise saleperson will show the prospect what items are important to read first as the document can be long and confusing.

There are many real estate franchises for sale, be sure to read the FDD to complete your research. Be sure to ask an Area Pro representative for their FDD, you will be pleasantly surprised when comparing Area Pro Realty to other companies.

Not all franchises are created equal. In fact, the word franchise leaves a bad taste in some brokers mouth for various reasons. Some brokers feel they can build a company by themselves and be just as successful and some brokers might have had a bad experience with one in the past. As the owner of the most innovative real estate franchise in the country, I am asking for all brokers who fit the above category to open your mind to a new real estate franchise for sale.

If and when you ever start searching for the best real estate franchise for you, consider one that fits you like a glove. Some are innovative, some push the brand name, some provide great technology, but only one is perfect for you. There are numerous real estate franchises for sale, be sure to do your research and keep an open mind.

One of the myths surrounding franchising is it's better to stay an independent broker when the real estate market is poor. I disagree strongly. Some real estate franchises available offer support, technology and recruiting programs that are vital to the lifeblood of a broker during a bad economy. With an innovative real estate franchise like Area Pro Realty, a broker who has done "ok" or "just good enough" can flourish with the tools offered by a company backed with a large network and great technology.

Determing the best real estate franchise for you is easy with the book How to Evaluate a Real Estate Franchise available at www.EvaluateReFranchise.com.

If you haven't considered a real estate franchise for sale before, now may be the best opportunity for you to take advantage of this market.

Michael Volkin is the owner of the new national real estate franchise Area Pro Realty. You can learn more about Area Pro Realty at www.AreaProRealty.com/franchise