Vitals: Dorsey Alston, REALTORS®
Years in Business: 71
Size: 2 offices, 242 licensed REALTORS®
Regions Served: Metro Atlanta
2017 Sales Volume: $837,475,014
2017 Transactions: 1,556
No. 321 in sales volume in RISMedia’s 2018 Power Broker Report
www.dorseyalston.com
Michael Rogers, current president of Dorsey Alston, REALTORS®, started with the firm in the spring of 2000. The thing he loves most about the residential real estate industry is the fact that it touches everyone. He also understands that providing the best counsel to homebuyers is of utmost importance.
A second-generation Rogers and the third Atlanta native to own and run the firm, he’s helped keep the firm a leader in the area over the years.
How is your market faring so far in 2018?
Michael Rogers: Our market continues to shine. Demand continues to outweigh supply, making it a great time for sellers to enter the market.
What is your growth strategy? Are you planning to grow your firm in the next 12 months?
MR: Our growth is very organic. While our No. 1 priority is focusing our support on the team we have, we continue to selectively add agents as we’re introduced to or approached by candidates.
What sets your firm apart in the marketplace?
MR: The focus that we put on our agents is a point of differentiation for us. In fact, no other firm has a unified leadership team whose sole focus is the support of their agents. We’re also selective when it comes to who joins our team. Ethics, character and the resulting culture motivate us more than production. We have a long-term view for this company, and we’re committed to holding true to the principles that have contributed to our 71-year history.
From your viewpoint, what are the biggest challenges the industry is facing?
MR: In 2016, 235 real estate tech companies received venture capital funding, compared to just 72 in 2012, according to Inc. magazine. In 2017, several of these start-ups entered the Atlanta market to test their models. Some companies are attempting to change the way homes are bought and sold by moving to an online-only model, using complex systems to price homes sight unseen, then buying the homes if they don’t sell for that price. Others are bringing virtual reality and real-time data to the home-buying and -selling experience. All of this is potentially disruptive to the residential real estate business.
How is your company responding?
MR: It puts pressure on us to continue to hire the best people in the markets we serve, and to help sellers realize the value of working with a professional with the highest ethical standards and with a company that cares deeply about the community. These tech firms are presenting challenges, but they’re also creating an excellent opportunity for us to continue to distinguish ourselves by creating value for our clients and our agents.
What are the biggest opportunities for increasing business right now?
MR: Millennials are on the cusp of surpassing baby boomers as the nation’s largest living adult generation, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This is a huge opportunity for Dorsey Alston, REALTORS® and our business. We have more than 30 real estate professionals who fall into the millennial generation, which accounts for more than 10 percent of our agents. We’re focused on not only hiring the top young real estate professionals in the field, but also on giving them the training and support to succeed. With millennials transitioning from renters to homeowners, we’re well-positioned.
How are you updating your technology and training to provide the resources agents need to succeed?
MR: We’re in a very competitive market where marketing materials and mediums are as important as ever. To that end, we’ve made new hires focused on social media, graphic design and personal marketing support for agents. We’ve also made greater investments in production equipment this year than any other time in our company’s history.
What do people enjoy most about working at your firm?
MR: We’ve not only created an environment that fosters business success, but we’ve also created a fun working environment and a place that appreciates all the individuals that comprise our team. In addition to our focus on our clients, we also emphasize giving back to the community and building our camaraderie within.
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