Josh Harley, founder and CEO of Fathom Holdings, is on a mission to modernize the real estate transaction for agents and clients alike.
“My vision for Fathom is to provide agents with the greatest value of any other brokerage in the country by utilizing the power of our in-house technology platform to streamline our operations, reduce our costs and pass those savings on to our agents. From there, it’s all about providing our agents with the tools, training and support they need to be their best,” says Harley, who is leading the charge to build a vertically integrated, end-to-end real estate operation.
Placing Agents at the Center of It All
For Harley, who saw the need to shift from a brokerage-centric model to an agent-centric model when he first began his real estate journey, it’s always been about giving more money and more power back to the agent. In fact, he truly believes that it’s the role of the brokerage to lift its agents up and place them at the center of every real estate transaction.
“We can do so much for our agents while only charging a small flat transaction fee per sale,” says Harley, “but we want to do even more.”
To that end, according to Harley, it’s no longer enough to simply give agents what every other brokerage can give them, but at a lower cost.
“I want to give them more than anyone else can give them, and still do it for less,” he explains, as the company closes in on the 10,000 agent mark.
And in true Fathom fashion, the team is doing everything they can to make their agents’ experience better.
Constantly looking for new ways to use the in-house platform they’ve built from the ground up to further streamline their business while providing agents more tools that help them stand out over their competition, the team at Fathom is bringing greater value to its people and the communities they serve by integrating a slew of other services that help support the brokerage, including mortgage, insurance and title, into the mix.
Disrupting the typical real estate model, recent acquisitions that brought Encompass Lending, Verus Title and Dagley Insurance under the Fathom umbrella are being touted as a move that will add new, incremental revenue streams and enhance revenue per transaction.
However, simply making more money is not the main reason Fathom decided to integrate these ancillary services. “Generating more revenue allows us to invest more in helping our agents be their best. It allows us to enhance on our tech offering, create new training and coaching programs, and more,” explains Harley.
Integrating these companies into the Fathom family and its proprietary technology platform, intelliAgent, the company expects to enjoy a higher attach rate for mortgage, insurance and title.
Better control over the quality of their clients’ experience is another benefit that will come with the integration.
“Clients need these services, so why not get those services from us?” asks Harley. “This can benefit the client, but it will also greatly benefit our agents,” he adds.
“Our goal is to provide a frictionless transaction from end to end, with the agent at the hub of the extended service team,” notes Harley. “By incorporating our various companies into our technology platform, with time, we’ll be able to provide a better experience for our agents and our clients.”
While the bar may be set high, Harley has paved the way to achieving his vision by surrounding himself with talented individuals who have the power to execute.
The firm’s agents play an integral role as well, as Harley and his leadership team actively seek their feedback in regard to how they can make the company better.
Embracing the Servant Leadership Mentality
A brokerage company with heart and focus, Fathom has experienced significant growth and continued success over the years.
As Chief Brokerage Operations Officer, Samantha Giuggio—who has been with the company for 11 years—says, “Agents come for the business model…but stay for the culture.”
It’s this resounding refrain, along with the servant leadership philosophy that guides each and every decision, that has helped shape the company along the way.
“There are many specific moments in our history that are not only important, but also key indicators in our continuing growth,” says Giuggio, who points to Fathom becoming a publicly traded company in July 2020 as the single most important milestone in the company’s storied history.
“The true servant heart we lead with in all aspects of the business, as well as the genuine care for the agents and our industry, is the driving force behind each and every accomplishment,” adds Giuggio—all of which have led Fathom to where it stands today: a one-stop shop for real estate.
“We are providing a total package of tools and solutions for agents to use under the Fathom umbrella that will help them within all aspects of the business,” she says.
As Fathom continues to attract even more agents and transactions, Giuggio points to the company’s unique business model as a key piece of the puzzle.
“We are redefining what it means to be a full-service brokerage, and we now have the extended core services as part of our company. We can keep that servant heartedness intact within the various aspects of the company and truly elevate the experience for agents and their clients,” explains Giuggio.
Determined to make a difference, Fathom’s leadership team is always asking how they can best serve their agents and their clients.
“Everything we do at Fathom is done with the understanding that the agent is the customer, which is extremely powerful for the agent,” says Giuggio.
“We have a good understanding of what agents go through in this industry, and we continue to grow by attracting agents who are looking for a complete solution with a brokerage company that not only cares about people, but also does everything they can to make their experience better,” she adds.
Future Focused: Value Always Wins
The future is looking brighter than ever at Fathom, as the team remains committed to ensuring that everything that’s done at the company is not only focused on the agent, but also serving the agent at the highest possible level.
“Moving forward, we have to be more than just a brokerage company,” says Giuggio. “We have to offer agents other tools in the toolbelt that will keep them successful and on the cutting-edge of technology.”
Drilling down further, continued growth and integration will be key differentiators as the future unfolds.
“Being able to successfully implement and integrate mortgage, insurance, title and technology into the model so that it’s easy and seamless for the agent is critical,” adds Giuggio. “The more integration we can provide that makes it easier, the more they’ll buy into it and utilize it.”
Harley goes on to explain that value will always win as the competition heats up.
“Brokerages need to assist their agents when it comes to providing even greater value while helping them master their craft,” he says.
“The value, or lack thereof, that agents bring to their clients will make or break the real estate industry as we know it. When agents become lazy and no longer provide excellent service or value, that’s when the consumer will seek cheaper alternatives—and that’s when big tech or discount commission brokerages win,” says Harley.
“We need to stop the infighting and strive to help one another become better. When we do that, we all win. And that’s what Fathom is striving to do.”
For more information, please visit www.fathomcareers.com.
Paige Tepping is RISMedia’s managing editor. Email her your real estate news ideas to paige@rismedia.com.
