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Austin Real Estate Agent
Frequently Asked Questions

On average, Spyglass agents increase their production by over 14% year over year within their first year of joining the brokerage.

CONTACT RYAN

 

14

% Year Over Year Increase In Sales

6

TIMES THE VOLUME OF AN AVERAGE AGENT

23

Days less than the avg. agent

3

% Average Agent Sales Volume 7 Million

An Award Winning Brokerage

Award Winning Brokerage in Austin Texas

2020 Indie Broker of the Year Winner
by Austin Board of Realtors

 


Who is the ideal fit for Spyglass?

More than half of our real estate agents were once part of boutique independent brokerages in Austin that were absorbed, bought, or merged by larger real estate companies in Austin, Texas. Many of these top-producing agents felt that during the transition or shortly after, the larger company lost that boutique feel and the company culture was not what they were expecting.

We are also a good fit for agents that started off on a team but need to graduate to being a single agent on a brokerage but still want the feel of a team. We have also been successful with agents who formally did a large amount of volume but, for whatever reason, has seen a slump in their business. If you have been selling real estate long enough, you know that it has its ups and downs. We realize that and we’re here to help our agents get back on track. 

 


What is the makeup of Spyglass Agents? 

I consider our company to be a hybrid of a brokerage and a team. We provide company leads and the agents that take those leads. During the time they are taking leads, they are expected to go to weekly huddle meetings to go over the different techniques and training to deal with those leads. But our Austin real estate agents are NOT required to take leads and two-thirds of our agents are single agents who enjoy autonomy but still participate in our collaborative company culture. This culture is available to all of us but is not a requirement for the agents who are producing and don’t want to participate in every huddle, meeting, or social event that we put on. The best way to learn how our agents feel about our company is to hear it straight from them and you can watch our video testimonials to learn more.

What makes Spyglass Realty different from other brokerages?

For one, we provide services to our agents that are not offered at most of the other Austin real estate brokerages in our size category. We have a marketing system that pushes our agents’ listing to social media platforms as well as Google networks and we do this for every listing at no additional cost to the agent. We also offer targeted marketing over-and-above what comes with the standard package. Need to run an AdWords campaign in order to bag a luxury listing? We do this at cost for you. We also offer complimentary staging consultations to our listing agents, again at no charge.  

 


What about your technology package? 

Brokers talk about technology all the time, but every decent brokerage has technology. We focus on automation, which allows agents to use our technology without having to be ingrained in it. For more about our technology and automation, click here. 

What services do you provide to Austin real estate agents?

We take great care in helping our agents succeed. Our number one priority with agents is that they continue to grow their business and sales volume, year over year. As such, we have a professional development meeting with our agents about once a quarter where we look at the goals that they outlined at the beginning of their journey with us and then we make sure that we are helping them achieve their goals, either through our marketing platforms, coaching or accountability groups. We offer staging services, accountability groups, marketing, and coaching to our agents. A look at this can be found on our services page. 

Do you have production requirements to be with Spyglass Realty?

Yes, we do. But we also look at your history of volume and take that into consideration. Because we have a history of helping our Austin real estate agents increase their production year over year, we look at what you’ve done in the past and help you map out how you can increase your production. One thing we don’t accept is part-time real estate agents.

We are very proud to have a team of high-producing agents and we are very hands-on with our agents as far as coaching, training, helping with marketing, and branding so we definitely want to keep our quality of standard up. If you don’t meet the volume requirements then there is an opportunity to get on one of the teams that some of our agents have built.

Do you allow teams?

Yes! Not only do we allow them, but we help you to get started with them and offer coaching on how to build them. 

What are the key characteristics of a successful real estate agent at Spyglass Realty?

The key characteristics of being a realtor with Spyglass Realty lie in our core values. They are to “be all in”, “take action”, “do the right thing” and “be smart”.

Being all in means that you are into your craft and take advantage of the tremendous opportunities for training and growth that we offer.

Taking action means that you implement the training that we offer and use the technology we offer to build your business and generate referrals from your past clients.

Do the right thing means that you put your clients over commissions and take your fiduciary duty to your clients seriously.

And finally, while “be smart” might seem like a given, the real estate industry is full of people that don’t embody this. We want to make sure our people do.

What type of training and mentorship programs does Spyglass Realty offer for new agents?

We have a lot of training opportunities for agents at Spyglass. Keep in that if you’re a seasoned agent, these trainings aren’t required but we do encourage it and we offer a lot of it.

We have a Sharpen Your Skills class twice a week where we go over various subjects from lead prospecting to contract negotiation, to revisiting issues about contracts and other such information that even a veteran agent may want to revisit.

If you are a newer agent we offer mentorships with our full-time trainer and have several team leads and mentors that are available to mentor agents.

How does Spyglass Realty support its agents with marketing and lead generation?

Spyglass Realty has a lead product that agents can opt into where they can take company leads that are generated through our website or third-party portals such as Zillow and Homelight. Zillow is our best source of leads and we are the highest rated premier flex partner in central Texas and consistently in the top 5 throughout all of Texas.

For agents that want to generate their own leads, we have a full-time marketing director and several software programs agents can take advantage of for generating paid leads on their own. Just because we generate leads doesn’t mean that we don’t allow (or even encourage) agents to generate their own. Our main goal for agents is to get them to a self-generated lead flywheel and we facilitate that.

Can agents work part-time or are full-time commitments required?

We only hire full-time agents. It's part of the “All In” of our core values. 

What is the commission structure at Spyglass Realty, and how does it compare to other brokerages in the area?

Our commission structure is very competitive to top producing brokerage in the area. We don’t have hidden fees or “franchise fees” that top off our fee agreements. Our split for leads is among the best in the area. 

How does Spyglass Realty help agents build their personal brand and online presence?

We have a marketing director that oversees this process. We generate images for social media that agents can take and use as their own content. We have a YouTube curriculum and we have a Content Media day once a month that agents can reserve to meet with our photographer and videographer to get new lifestyle photos and record videos. 

Are there any specific geographic areas or niches that Spyglass Realty focuses on within the Austin real estate market?

We focus on areas all over Austin and recommend agents try to stay close to where they live. We also focus on Farm and Ranch. 

What kind of technological tools and resources does Spyglass Realty provide to its agents?

We employ the best in class technology. We use Followup Boss, CloudCMA, Workplace by Meta, G-Suite, Ylopo, Real Estate Webmasters, Zavvie, Farm Dominator, and much more. 

How does Spyglass Realty promote a positive work culture and environment for its agents?

We have an amazing culture and its evidenced by our awards 5 years as Best Places to Work by the Austin Business Journal and the number one spot from Austin American Statesman Top Workplaces. We provide virtual and in-person training, monthly happy hours, and charity drives, and we have two offices agents can work in. 

Are there any opportunities for career growth and advancement within the company?

We are a growing company and are always looking for candidates to build our leadership with. We also have several teams that we are fostering and helping grow.