Adalberto (Tito) Gonzalez is casting his net wider this fall. Already the broker/owner of Help-U-Sell South Santa Clara County in Morgan Hill, Calif., he has a second office opening soon in San Jose.
“Now that buyers are off the fence and buying homes, a second office in the San Jose area makes sense to capitalize on future sales,” Gonzalez says.
Business is booming in his Morgan Hill office. “Homes are trending five to 10 days on the market before going pending,” he says. Any home under $500,000 attracts multiple offers, and many houses under $350,000 receive all-cash offers.
His San Jose office, to be named Help-U-Sell Fine Homes and Estates, will focus on properties in the $500,000 to $2 million range.
Gonzalez sees great opportunity with the new office as a means of broadening the brand’s exposure and getting more leads. His biggest challenges will be setting up the new office and splitting his time between Morgan Hill and San Jose.
For franchisees opening their first offices, Gonzalez offers his wisdom earned from years as a Help-U-Sell broker/owner. “Make sure your clients understand your true value as their broker that goes beyond knowledge and service,” he says. “I like to tell my clients that once all the agents have been interviewed for a listing, take a look at the numbers and see which brokerage is actually giving them true value in the form of cash savings in their pocket.”
He encourages Help-U-Sell brokers and agents to communicate with clients consistently, but not to talk too much. Visibility is also paramount for growing the business. He advertises locally, participates in downtown events and solicits testimonials for online use.
How are you going to expand your office’s reach in the near future?