Broker Spotlight: Putting People First

Above: Robert Bray and Michelle Urlacher

Robert Bray
CEO
Michelle Urlacher
President
Bray Real Estate, a member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®
Grand Junction, Colorado
https://www.brayandco.com  

Region served: Mesa, Montrose, Garfield and Delta Counties
Years in real estate: Robert: 51; Michelle: 20
Number of offices: 2
Number of agents: 63

What are the biggest benefits associated with operating a family business-based brokerage?
Robert Bray: What has allowed us to stay successful and survive the tough times is focusing on our clients and our people. While we provide a lot of heavy support for our people, that’s also dependent on having full-time, committed agents. We are the largest real estate company in Mesa County due to the exceptional services we offer in all our divisions, and that’s because of our focus on people and the community. Our company is really about the people, and we do a lot of social events externally—including customer appreciation days, giving to charity and volunteering in the community. We also do a lot of internal events. In addition to hosting company picnics, we engage spouses and families, and we get everyone together to celebrate birthdays once a month. 

How does your company support its agents and promote that family atmosphere?
RB: Like our colleagues, we developed a set of core values years ago, but what we’ve done differently for the past eight or nine years is keep those core values out in front of our people. We created the Bray Way Awards, and once a year at our annual breakfast, we recognize three or four people within the company—those who exemplify our core values by their actions. It’s probably one of the most popular parts of our program.  

Michelle Urlacher: At our brokerage, we adhere to the principle of having full-time professional agents. We believe clients deserve a dedicated real estate agent who continuously learns and negotiates on their behalf. This commitment to professionalism sets us apart. We pride ourselves on having professional staff as well and have more staff than other companies. We believe this support allows our agents to deliver superior services to our clients.

Michelle, as a next-generation broker, what inspired you to join the family business?
MU: I just love the people. Being surrounded by people who care so much is really invigorating. I grew up with real estate agents, and seeing them work to make their clients happy and get them what they deserved was contagious. Simply being around others and seeing what they’re striving for inspired me to get involved. 

While economists have been predicting an incoming stabilization in the housing market, does the state of your market reflect normalization?
MU: I think we’re still in a very heavy seller’s market, but I believe the trends within the next year will move us closer to a middle market. That said, I don’t think trends in the last three or four years have been easy to predict either. 

RB: Having been around the organization for many years, I’ve experienced booms and busts of all types, but the thing that has gotten us through those tough times is staying connected. I would also say that from a financial perspective, we’re a pretty conservative company. We attempt not to spend all that we make, and we have reserves set aside because we must continue to support the organization and our people—especially in those tough times.

How can brokerage leaders prepare agents to weather any storm, so to speak?
MU: A lot of it comes down to keeping your head focused. Our agents are really good with change, and while that’s not an easy thing, it’s important to stay focused. If you’re focused on your people and doing good business, you’re going to do well in whatever type of market there is. You’ve got to be good at getting your agents to be good at being uncomfortable because real estate can change a lot.

RB: I remember when the industry was more or less a brokerage-centric model. It was all about the broker, and there maybe wasn’t enough attention given to the associates. Then it moved to the agent-centric model, and lately, it’s moved to the consumer-centric model, which I totally embrace. We like to look at our associates and employees as partners in our mutual success. When you sit down with somebody who is joining your firm, it’s important to set expectations as far as what he or she expects from the company as well as what the company expects of them. Revisit that conversation from time to time to modify or enhance those expectations. 

What is your best advice for agents looking to advance into leadership positions?
RB: Watch your ego. Don’t let your ego control your desires, or it won’t end up well. A healthy ego is good, but an ego that’s out of control is not. When people move into a leadership position, they typically remain involved in the sales side, so you have to be able to find that balance. Unfortunately, I’ve seen people get so caught up in the business side of things that they forget the family side of it. 

Tell us about the role mentorship plays within the brokerage.
MU: Mentorship is seen throughout the company. All of our agents employ an open-door policy, and they mentor one another—whether they’re new, experienced or a high-producing agent. One thing that sets us apart is that we only employ full-time, dedicated professionals. They’ve got to be continuously learning. Some of our successes can be traced back to mentoring, and those agents who are willing to learn and apply it do well.

What attracted you to Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® (LeadingRE)?
RB: LeadingRE is a fantastic organization. The real privilege has been networking with brokers across the country through office visits, meeting at conventions or through a simple phone call. We all have similar challenges, but everybody has a solution that’s a little bit different. That’s been wonderfully rewarding to our company over the years. 

MU: As the business continues to change, our affiliation with LeadingRE provides mentorship from people throughout the network who are located in all different countries. Not only are they an exceptional company, but they’re also relationship-driven, and that aligns with our business. 

For more information, please visit https://www.leadingre.com.