A Broker Services Company
The word "realty" is in our name more for historical form rather than function. In truth, Wynd Realty is a brokerage services company for real estate sales professionals.
As a Micro Broker, Wynd Realty eliminates the excesses of the traditional franchise brokerage format and focuses solely on the services that require Broker participation. In this simple format, agents get the brokerage services they need and require at a fraction of the cost normally associated with Broker affiliation.
A t l a n t a - A r e a R e a l E s t a t e
"Our survey found few differences among the major real-estate companies. So if you’re looking for an agent, shop by personal recommendations of friends and neighbors or by commission".
Consumer Reports
September 2008
"The number one determinant of surviving is expense management. Evaluate every single business expense -- and if it doesn't make money, eliminate it!
"Shift" 2008
Gary Keller - Chairman, Keller Williams Realty
Real Estate Lobby
OUTSPENDS
OIl & Gas Lobby
Real Estate: 696M
Oil & Gas: 687M
Decade of Lobbying Dollars
by Industry, 1998-2008
Readers Digest Jan, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 5, 2010
Wynd Realty First in Atlanta to Offer Agents a “DBA Program”
Atlanta, GA—Wynd Realty is the first real estate brokerage company in Atlanta to offer its agents a program that allows them to brand and advertise their services independently of broker affiliation.
Under the program, simply known as “the DBA Program”, agents can create and market their own realty companies as their own brand. Traditionally, agents have been tied to their Brokers for both marketing communications and identity branding. But, under Wynd’s DBA Program, Jane Doe can create, build and market Jane Doe Realty or any other name she wants to use as her corporate identity. She can create a logo, print literature and build a website all under the brand she chooses.
“This is really an extension of our Micro Broker concept and it highlights how the Brokers role has become, at least at the consumer level, a background function”, said Jeff Bergstrom, Managing Broker of Wynd Realty. Wynd believes the consumers’ relationship with the agent is far more important than the relationship the agent has with whichever Broker they are associated with. Recent surveys appear to back that claim. Consumer Reports states there is little or no difference between brokerages big or small. And, Broker affiliation has no effect on an agent’s ability to service and realize new customers. Instead of the Broker being front and center and sharing in a percentage of the revenue, Wynd Realty’s unique business model moves the Broker to the background where they can charge a simple flat fee. “From a marketing standpoint we simply get out of the way of our agents and their marketing efforts. Traditional brokerages don’t operate under that business model”, noted Bergstrom.
“I believe agent branding has a huge potential for growth. New realty companies could literally sprout up over night. They could specialize in particular areas, types of real estate and types of buyers. And the result is the playing field between a multi-billion dollar franchise operation and a single agent branding a specialty would be leveled, said Bergstrom.
Another factor helping the development of DBA companies is technology. Websites used to be very expense and almost impossible for the novice to update. Today, professional looking websites are readily available for under $20.00 a month and if you can edit a Word document you can edit a webpage. Providing consumer access to the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) system used to be cumbersome and expensive. Today, an agent’s website can easily integrate an area’s MLS information and the ability to do so is now free.
While Wynd Realty is very excited about its DBA Program, it’s quick to point out the Program isn’t for everyone. Agents have to have a certain degree of drive to make their company happen. Fortunately, the DBA Program helps agents focus. “When you are just another agent in a sea of agents you can tend to get lazy. But, when it’s your name on the sign it helps bring clarity to your mission”, said Bergstrom.
Wynd Realty, located in Atlanta Georgia, was founded in 2008 and has over 180 agents. To read more about Wynd Realty and the Micro Broker concept, contact Jeff Bergstrom at, 404-933-4017 or visit their website: www.WyndRealty.com Micro Broker is a trademark of Wynd Realty.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 11, 2009
“Micro Broker” Concept Taking Root in Atlanta”
Atlanta, GA—Wynd Realty celebrated their one-year anniversary like they do most things: quietly. Last summer Wynd Realty introduced a new, “Broker”, business model for real estate agents looking for an alternative to traditional franchise affiliation. Wynd Realty’s Micro Broker concept focused on providing agents with only the essential brokerage services they need to run their businesses.
“Our concept starts with separating brokerage services from realty services. Wynd Realty is a brokerage services company. We are an agent’s brokerage partner, not necessarily their real estate partner. Our agents run their own real estate businesses as they see fit, said Jeff Bergstrom, Broker for Wynd Realty.
Historically, real estate brokerages, “franchises”, were very involved in every agent’s business. Wynd Realty believes the opposite; they see the Broker role evolving into one of oversight and administrative support. “We believe a Broker can step back and let the agent market, promote and brand themselves. Real estate is local and it’s personal, so agents should be focusing on what’s best for them and their clients and not necessarily what’s best for the promotion of their Broker’s business”, said Bergstrom.
This departure from tradition seems to agree with a growing number of Atlanta area agents. With little marketing Wynd Realty grew, mostly through word of mouth, to over 100 agents in less than 12 months.
Wynd Realty believes technology is fueling this industry change. The traditional Broker business model provided features that agents couldn’t otherwise have afforded; i.e expensive computers, fax machines, voice mail, websites, email, etc. But today, inexpensive technology gives agents all that capability and more, most of which can be delivered right to the palm of their hands. So from an expense standpoint, today’s agents are not nearly as dependant on their Brokers as they once were.
Additionally, some surveys claim (September, 2008 Consumer Reports) the buying public doesn’t necessarily care that much which Broker their agent is with. Customer satisfaction is based on the buyers/sellers’ relationship with their agent. The Broker hardly comes into play as they are not involved in the sales process at the consumer level. To some, the traditional Broker is nothing more than a logo on a yard sign.
Still, selling a new concept and asking agents to align with an unknown Broker could be a lot to ask for. Wynd Realty feels their price point has helped turn agents into believers. “We provide a simply service. We don’t carry around all the financial baggage of a franchise operation. That is why we charge only one-tenth the cost of the traditional format”, said Bergstrom. Bergstrom added agents can be an active with Wynd Realty for an entire year at the cost of a single month at many traditional franchise brokerages. Additionally, Wynd Realty is also one of the many Atlanta-area brokerages that offer their agents 100% commission. “We don’t help our agents get clients and we don’t get involved their sales process unless asked. A sale is an agent’s deal, it wouldn’t be right to take any portion of their commission”, said Bergstrom.
Does this approach signal the end of the traditional franchise brokerage? Wynd Realty doesn’t’ think so at all. “Industries like real estate don’t change very fast at all. The franchise format will always be here. We simply want to provide agents with a lower cost, common sense alternative approach. We certainly aren’t for everyone”, said Bergstrom
Wynd Realty believes the real estate industry will emerge from its recent troubles, leaner, more efficient and decidedly agent-centric.
