Each Friday, Robbie Briggs, CEO of Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty, writes about luxury, trends, business and more in the advertising pages of the Mansion section of The Wall Street Journal. Below is his letter of January 28, 2022.
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE
I get asked a lot about what makes our brokerage different than all the rest. And, I’m proud to say that the answer can be a long one.
But one answer that really raises eyebrows — especially when I’m talking with agents from other brokerages — is our referral network.
Because we are part of the Sotheby’s International Realty family around the globe, our agents have relationships with the other best agents in the business, like them. They number 25,000 now — in every place you can imagine.
A story on Inman, a source for news about the real estate industry, just made several great points about why this particular network is so unique. I’ll summarize:
The network brings more volume — and value — to an agent’s business. (One agent says that of the 52 transactions he had in a year, 13 of them were referrals from the Sotheby’s International Realty network. That’s a solid 25 percent.)
Our agents align themselves with a recognized, respected brand. Being a Sotheby’s International Realty agent opens up unbelievable networking opportunities in North Texas and around the world, and it helps win big listings. Almost every agent at our brokerage will back that up. Another plus? Our agents make genuine, lifelong friendships with their peers.
The Inman story then gets into tips on how agents can maximize this unique, powerful, professional network. Just a few? Find out where your feeder markets are — the places where new residents in your area have come from — and connect with colleagues there. Cultivate real relationships. (“Every time I travel,” says one agent, “I make sure to stop by the local Sotheby’s International Realty office and network with the agents there.”) And, take advantage of the network’s events — at home and away.
If all of this sounds a little too warm and fuzzy, consider this: In Texas alone, three of the brokerages in the Sotheby’s International Realty network referred each other more than $311 million in sales in 2020. That’s right — almost a third of a billion dollars.
Agents who are this connected, thoughtful and successful are exactly who I’d want handling my real estate transactions. Don’t you agree?
Robbie Briggs
CEO
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