The Right Chemistry

Linda Kraft
Linda Kraft & Team
RE/MAX One Realty
Year in Real Estate: 22
Region Served: 6 counties in North Carolina including The Research Triangle.
Team members: 16

When and why was the team formed?
A lot of people say they have a team if they have a lot of assistants but to me a real team does not happen until you have a buyer’s agent or other people generating sales for you. For me that happened in 1999. I started my team to leverage my time, to focus on listings, and to let my buyer’s agents take care of buyers.

What do you tell people on listing appointments about the value of hiring your team versus hiring a solo agent?
I actually have a diagram that I bring along showing all of the things that a single agent has to do. There are literally 100 things that an agent has to do. The diagram shows how that one agent has to do everything from making marketing materials to setting up appointments to fielding calls to negotiating contracts ad everything else in between. When they see what the single agent does versus what I can offer with my team, it’s a no-brainer.

What’s your best tip for getting a listing at the right price?
Tell the truth and have a lot of data to support it. Because of the market I have made this switch: I bring people into my office first so they can see my team and my entire operation. You cannot make a good decision with bad information. I get very little resistance. I don’t price the home till I come out and measure, of course, but I do give them a range of value with that first consultation and find out if they are going to be realistic.

What advertising idea created the greatest return on investment?
The Internet. It’s the only thing that works.

What’s your best idea for holding effective team meetings?
Hold them at a regular time every week and make them fun. Every time you have that really good belly laugh together you know you have bonded. Also the meetings need to be about the team so we start out every meeting with “attaboys.” We always want to be positive so we start with what each team member did for another team member that was extra, not in their job description. We also read all of our “raving-fan letters.” Meetings are also a time to find out what buyer’s agents need.

Do you rely on internal or external training?
Most of our training is internal. I go to a lot of seminars and I listen to tapes and read because my team is only as good as my leadership. On Tuesday mornings from 8:30 to 9:30 we train as a company, and we literally let the people tell us what they would like to train on. Last week we had training on open houses. From 9:30 to 10:30 is when I have my personal team meeting. Then from 10:30 to about noon we get in our van and tour the new listings and we also train then. I call it “Tour and train.” I also take advantage of all of the RE/MAX training available and I love everything I learn at RE/MAX International.

How does your broker support you as team leader?
Our office is made up of teams and we have a few that are just two people working together and then we have three mega teams. It’s great. It’s what we do.

Have you formed an LLC or incorporated? We are incorporated. Mainly because I am a big target. Anytime you are well branded and have name recognition you are going to be a target.

Do you have a succession plan in place?
Actually I do. If something should happen to me I want everyone taken care of. I have to know that my team members are on the bus. I have two team members who could run the company without me. I have told all of my team members that I want a legacy. I have spent 22 years building this team and I want a legacy. If I had it to do over again I wouldn’t have used my name and my face for the logo and branding though.

What are some of the most important things that you do to make your team successful?
I give them lots of attention and encouragement. I think it’s also keeping them together as a team and a family and not letting them feel isolated. We do a lot of special things. I cook every year for Thanksgiving. We go bowling together and we go to movies together. You really want to have that family environment. As a result, I have very little turnover. My admin people have been with me forever. It’s very stable and the low, low turnover is no accident. My team members stay with me because they really feel good about where they are working and know that they are valued.

Lesley Geary

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