The Making of a Positive Real Estate Role Model

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By Paige Tepping

RISMEDIA, September 13, 2008-In the real estate industry for close to 40 years now, Johnny Roberts is proud of the reputation his independent company has built in Southern Alabama. From meeting the unique needs of niche markets to being actively engaged in the community and keeping agents motivated, learn how Roberts is keeping his 220-agent company ahead of competition in his market.

Johnny Roberts
President
Roberts Brothers, Inc.
Mobile, Alabama

Region served: Southern Alabama, primarily Mobile and Baldwin counties
Years in real estate: 39
Number of offices: 8
Number of agents: 220
Average sales price: $201,000
Average time on market: 80 days
Best tip for running a successful meeting: Always make the meeting fun. We keep our meetings light and focus on different aspects of our agents, such as what they are doing to get their listing to sell, to how they are finding success in marketing their properties.
Best tip for dealing with difficult customers: Be kind right from the beginning. We make sure our customers know that we are here to help them solve their problem, no matter what the problem is.
Keys to staying profitable: Managing expenses and protecting company dollars.

What is your company’s best competitive advantage over other real estate companies in your area?

The noncompetitive management team that makes up our company as well as the fact that we have been around for 62 years are two aspects that have been a proven formula that works for our company.

What makes your company unique in today’s market?

We are an independent company that has been around for many years, so our reputation in the industry is one thing that makes us unique. In addition, our company handles niche markets, historical homes, estate homes and new home divisions. Our company has an unusual relationship with the homebuilders in the city, and we are actively involved in the community, which goes far with how we are looked upon by the community.

What strategies do your agents utilize to stand out to clients and achieve customer loyalty?

All of our agents treat their clients as friends and they understand the importance of staying in touch with them even after the home-buying or -selling process is complete.

How do you keep your agents motivated?

Our agents look to the management team to see what we are doing for them in order to stimulate the business. We are constantly seeking new business as well as distinguishing our company from others by thinking outside the box and promoting new ideas. We concentrate on the developers in our town and go after their business and then hand it out to our agents. Communicating with our agents and listening to their ideas is another way to keep them motivated. We are constantly asking for their input about what should be done as well as what needs to change.

What are two fundamentals that you feel are essential to your company’s continued success?

Our company’s reputation and the results that we can show in terms of the homes that we sell. We take pride in the fact that our homes are on the market for fewer days and we sell them close to listing price.

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