I started my career in real estate with a small locally-owned land developer that primarily sold their own subdivisions.  When I started, I was “wooed” by the idea of having lots of listings and plenty of leads because of the subdivisions. There were five agents in the entire office at the time I joined. I stayed there for 3.5 years before I made the decision to join CENTURY 21 Canada™.  It was a very stressful decision because I was afraid of change and unsure if it would be the right company for myself, my wife and brand new baby boy. It turned out to be the best decision of my career and I haven’t looked back.

Three benefits I‘ve found working with a “Big Brand” in real estate compared to the small locally-owned one are:

1. Brand Recognition

When you hear CENTURY 21® you automatically think real estate and professionalism.  The first broker I worked for lacked the brand recognition and an identity.  The name was associated with a builder/developer/real estate company and the general public did not differentiate the 3 divisions.  Therefore, when clients thought of me in real estate they associated me with the subdivision and the builder but not so much with their everyday real estate needs.  One of the first listings I got after joining that company confirmed this when the owner told me that he would have used me to sell the house in the beginning but thought I only sold in the subdivisions.

2. Support, Systems, and Training

The support, systems and training offered by CENTURY 21 Canada are second to none.  With smaller brands, they do not have the resources to provide new agents with the proper training and support that is required to succeed in the industry.  When I first started with CENTURY 21 Canada, I was introduced to the support staff that helped with all the day-to-day activities, like uploading listings, sending paperwork to local boards and handling all aspects of administration.  Bigger brands also have more access to quality training programs and courses.  The top coaches in the industry team up with the big brands providing huge opportunities for growth and improvement.

3. Strength in Numbers

One of the clear benefits of working with a big brand is their sheer size and all the evident perks that come along with having a large team.  The more agents that are part of a brand, the more exposure the brand gets and the stronger the brand’s recognition becomes. This results in greater leads and business for all agents in the brand!

Mark Fagan, REALTOR®,

CENTURY 21 Seller’s Choice (St. John’s, NL)