Jack Bailey, 30-year veteran Broker/Owner of Help-U-Sell Greensboro, sales coach, and community advisor on achieving a debt-free lifestyle for anyone who asks, has also been creating a large presence in 2018. Not only does Jack stay busy closing lots of home seller and buyer transactions and consistently tracking on our top producing sales charts, he also recently decided to take on the opening of a second office in North Carolina.
What can you tell us about your extraordinary revenue and profit growth?
The name “Help-U-Sell” alone generates leads. People see it and have an interest. We follow the Help-U-Sell Real Estate model protocols. We rely a lot on our “Center of Influence” marketing efforts. The corporate office has made that simpler and far less expensive than ever.
I’m also a bit different because the people who work with me are all salaried employees. I pay bonuses, and their expenses like MLS dues, mileage, and other benefits. I find that I am more profitable when people feel secure and they feel they have something to lose. If I paid them pure commission on a 60% split, I wouldn’t be nearly as profitable, they wouldn’t work nearly as hard, and our turnover would be far greater. I’ve done well by running my real estate business like a regular business. We are profitable on the pure volume of sales we bring in.
How many total full time/part time people did you operate with last year and what was your annual number of transactions?
Working with both buyers and sellers are myself and a newer associate, John, who is still in his first year of real estate. My wife, Cheryl, also works for the business full time, overseeing the office administration, along with two part time assistants helping in that department. Last year we had another long time colleague retire, she showed houses for us part time. So right now, three full-time and two part-time employees.
Last year we closed on 136 total sides, which we’re quite proud of both as what we achieved as a team and also compared to Broker/Owners in other markets.
Are you in a high or low priced housing market?
Compared to the rest of the country, our market is lower. Our median price range on a house is between $180,000 and $185,000.
How has the Help-U-Sell Franchise Real Estate System been beneficial to your profit and revenue growth?
When you start off with Help-U-Sell, they teach you all of the systems they have in place and give you the tools that allow you to run effectively. When you have all that ready, you’re able to go out and sell more. You’re going to sell houses more efficiently.
Getting new listings is more difficult now than it was a few years ago because of low inventory, so we are actively working with more buyers now also. I am in the process of bringing on a new person who will be working exclusively with buyers so we don’t leave any potential sides off the table. For April, our buyer and seller sides were nearly equal.
Do you have a Competitive advantage? How so?
If we walk into a house for a possible listing, we have a 98% chance of walking out with the sale. If you present the material well, with a great price and a good personality, there is no reason why you shouldn’t get the sale. A good listing is going to have multiple buyers in a few days.
Are the Marketing Technology Systems effective at reducing time needed to market?
What’s been really cool to witness is the evolution of Help-U-Sell technology over time. They have automated so many things. Center of Influence marketing is vital to real estate. Under the old way, you would often get too busy to do it every day. So you put it off and then days turn into weeks and months, and your hot leads have turned cold. Now, they just take care of it for you. You don’t need to create the marketing pieces yourself. You just choose the template you like, customize it, set your budget and your area of interest and go to work. It’s easy and it doesn’t take up too much time. When you’ve reached your budget, it stops until the next month begins.
How does the HUS system help you overcome a Tight Inventory?
It is a tight inventory for everyone. Low inventory means it makes it that much more important to get every listing you can. What I love about Help-U-Sell Real Estate is it works for a buyer’s market and a seller’s market. It works during a great economy or a recovering one. We present the facts, and the facts are you are likely to be saving a good $18,000 of your equity as a home seller vs. a traditional 6% commission. That’s hard to turn down as a home seller if the presenter is personable and professional.
Lastly, the support from corporate is not just innovative, it’s tremendous. They have created a system like no other franchise. The coaching calls included – they are open-minded to new ideas. They are helpful and are there for us Broker/Owners. In the 30 years I have been involved, what I love most is the Help-U-Sell attitude. We pull together, us against the rest of the real estate world. Owners share ideas and what helps them in their market.
But it’s bigger than even all that.
One of the people in my coaching group reached out to let me know he couldn’t make a call because his infant was terribly ill and had to go to the hospital. He asked me to share his apologies with the group for not being able to attend. We should have been his last thought but he included us. The group responded by asking for his number so they could text well wishes and prayers for the baby. It is both a team and a family, and I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of it.
I am more excited than ever about what Help-U-Sell has coming down the road. My mindset is not about me being profitable. I love helping people.