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MetroBrokersTV: Hi. I am Amy Chase with Metro Brokers. Thanks for joining us again today on Metro Brokers TV. I am here this afternoon with Joe Bennell. He is out of our Longmont office. Joe, welcome.
Joe Bennell: Thank you.
MetroBrokersTV: So, tell us a little bit about how long you have been in real estate and what your background is.
Joe Bennell: Well, I have been in real estate now for five years. My previous background was in telecommunications engineering.
MetroBrokersTV: And your situation is a little bit unique because my understanding is when you got into real estate, you started a franchise immediately. So, you are not only an agent, but you are also a site owner with Metro Brokers.
Joe Bennell: That's correct.
MetroBrokersTV: So, tell me a little bit about that process and how you decided to join Metro Brokers. I understand you looked at other franchises. What was that like for you?
Joe Bennell: Well, I had been independent for a while, a business partner of mine and I who started Tailor-Made Real Estate and we were truly independent. I was under his license for the requirement of two years, which is the Colorado regulations and after that point, he decided to retire from the business and I was on my own with this Tailor-Made Real Estate and I just really couldn't get enough forward motion and just decided that I need to get a brand. So, at that point in time, I had looked into RE/MAX and Coldwell Banker. Most of the franchises that I looked into were roughly on an average $20,000 to $25,000 dollars just to get in the door and open up a little satellite office. So, I just put the word out to some of the brokers that I knew and came back and found Metro Brokers through actually one of the current board of directors.
MetroBrokersTV: So, why Metro Brokers? What was the good fit?
Joe Bennell: I am able to run my business the way I want to run my business. There is no particular franchise fee associated with it. There is a membership $80.00 monthly fee. The Metro Brokers brand was designed purely as a marketing co-op and really the marketing co-op and the brand recognition is huge in my business. It is just... you need it to convert buyer and seller prospects into actual clientele. They need to know who you are working for and they need to know that you are backed by a solid company.
MetroBrokersTV: And what was the application process like and tell us about that fee.
Joe Bennell: It was very simple. I just made one $900.00 application to open an office and they asked a few questions about my operating budget and where I am planning the office, what my venue would be, and I think once I submitted the application, it was... I had to wait for a committee meeting to approve the new office. There was maybe a three week turnaround time before I got approval.
MetroBrokersTV: So, a three week turnaround time, low fees, simplicity, now everything is online, kind of a no-brainer.
Joe Bennell: That's no-brainer, absolutely a no-brainer.
MetroBrokersTV: Terrific. Well, congratulations on a job well done.
Joe Bennell: Thank you.
MetroBrokersTV: Thanks for being here.
Joe Bennell: You're welcome.
Posted on September 29, 2008 08:10:16 by  Mark.Eibner
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