boutique real estate brokerage vs. big-box franchise
Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines a Boutique as, “A small company that offers highly specialized services or products”. In fact, a boutique real estate firm is often defined as a small office staffed with well-vetted professionals. Boutique real estate firms have grown in popularity over the past few decades as many highly trained, niche specialized agents have struck out to create their own brokerage firms. Why have these small firms become so popular with home consumers?
Boutique real estate firms place an emphasis on the quality, not quantity of its agents. These small real estate brokerages march to the beat of their own drum, cultivating their own brand and service culture. You will find many mid-career agents have decided to work for boutique agencies, as they have had time to develop as an agent and don’t need the support of a major name brand agency. The boutique real estate agent is able to meet and exceed consumer needs and is not limited to the ready-made tools given by a franchised company.
Don’t consider a boutique brokerage as limited because of their smaller size. The name of the game is customization and choices when it comes to a boutique style. They are not limited to franchise approved marketing templates, vendor restrictions and standardized product placements. Boutiques have the flexibility to explore and implement new marketing options, business ideals and higher quality service standards. In fact, boutique real estate companies have been the trailblazers for innovative marketing strategies such as blogging, website services, social media advertising and video tours.
Still unsure about choosing a boutique real estate agent? Don’t be! Many boutique agents are seasoned and hand-recruited for their exceptional career and personal service. Choosing a boutique agent will not cost you a dime more than hiring a large corporation affiliated agent, but you will probably get ‘more for your money’. Boutique real estate agents cannot rest on the franchise reputation; they have to go above and beyond to create an outstanding service reputation to compete with big box firms. For boutique real estate agents, it’s all about working hard and earning their clients trust by fostering a great business relationship.
Boutique agencies are changing the ideals of traditional real estate services. Leonardi Real Estate is just that, an independent, local and service driven boutique.
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