Help-U-Sell Presence Grows 50% in Florida

Everyone familiar with the Help-U-Sell Real Estate brand knows there has always been a strong representation of franchise offices in the state of California. Over the past few years, we’ve been working to grow our presence in Florida, and those efforts have been paying off with a growth of 50%. Please meet our three newest members of the Help-U-Sell family.

Hugo Calvillo, Help-U-Sell Sunshine Realty

When Hugo Calvillo wanted to return to selling real estate after the market crashed in 2008, he studied several franchise options before deciding to open a Help-U-Sell Real Estate office in Orlando, serving the Space Coast region and surrounding counties.

Mr. Calvillo started with a traditional, 6% commission-based real estate company. While grateful for the industry knowledge gained, he wanted a different experience for both himself and the home seller, so he forged a new path. “The business model that Help-U-Sell offers is a good disruptor to the conventional 5% to 6% model that everyone else is using. Many other franchise options exist within a similar price range, but Help-U-Sell offers a lot more flexibility. They have over four decades of experience fine tuning this model, whereas many other options have come and gone over the years. Help-U-Sell continues to exist and thrive for a very good reason, it works well,” Hugo said.

Hugo went on to share, “What stood out for me is the fact that you disrupt the new web-only companies. Sure, there may be a flat fee for the home seller, but the seller also pays for every other service. There is another option to list your home for 1%, but literally all they do is put the home on the MLS. There’s always a catch that leaves the seller short. Help-U-Sell is the exception because they offer full-service in conjunction with the savings.”

There is also more simplicity with the Help-U-Sell model. “There are real estate franchises that require you to have 3,000 square feet of office space. You’ll also need furniture, computers, and people to fill the offices. You rack up utilities. You spend more money advertising the agents rather than the business. I’ve already done that, I love my little office and the two in-house members of my team. By keeping my expenses low, I can pass those savings on to the consumer. I know they see and appreciate the difference when they get their check. They get everything they needed, more than they expected, and they haven’t missed out on a full-service experience,” Hugo explained.

Brian Meyerowitz, Help-U-Sell Broward Realty

Brian Meyerowitz and his wife Aimee are the best kind of Help-U-Sell Broker/Owners, the returning kind, warmly referred to as “alumni” by fellow Brokers and staff alike. Brian and Aimee spent a number of years in Chicago where they owned a Help-U-Sell office. They later moved to Florida and expanded their real estate offerings by getting involved with property management.

While Brian spent time in a traditional real estate format, he recently felt the call to own his own shop again and wanted to run things a certain way. “We did very well in Chicago in the early 2000’s. We closed 50 sides in our first year, and grew steadily through the ensuing years. The brand recognition worked well for us. I have always liked the concept of providing deeper service, a set fee, and the Help-U-Sell branding message. I am thrilled to return as Help-U-Sell Broward Realty,” Brian said.

Returning to Help-U-Sell was easy. “We are already familiar with the brand and business model. The corporate office has made several advancements in their technology and marketing systems. Plus, we love the idea of having a business to pursue together.”

 Jim McCarthy, Help-U-Sell 4 Less

Jim McCarthy built a very successful brokerage after moving to Spain in 1998, but loved Florida so much that after a three-week vacation, he and his family made Florida their adopted home. Jim initially focused on a niche market of European clients seeking commercial investments. When the market shifted, he expanded to include residential real estate. Creating a hybrid of a traditional office and a reduced fee format, Jim had 25 agents working for him and managing properties, but something was missing. “What I didn’t have is 40 years of experience, a national reputation, and a brand that people recognized and valued. I really liked that,” Jim said.

After researching options, Jim found that the Help-U-Sell Real Estate model was close to what he had in mind. “My office would often give discounts on the commission of homes. The Help-U-Sell model was easier to explain to my clients,” Jim added. Rather than continue with a big office and staff, Jim pared operations down to four people, including himself. “It was easy to choose Help-U-Sell versus staying independent because I’m getting leads, I’m passing them to my team, and there is zero pressure for the clients. Once we explain how it works, we generally have enthusiastic agreement.”

The set-fee model that saves home sellers thousands of dollars per transaction was an enormous draw for Jim, “I have strong opinions about clients not getting ripped off. Under a traditional brokerage model, I’ve seen agents charging between 5% and 7% in a transaction fee, which is a lot of money. Anyone who works with me is trained to look after clients, first and foremost. I have built an honest name for myself and my business over these last 25 years. My job is to convey the message that there are no catches and we’re here to help. The Help-U-Sell Real Estate model makes it easier to achieve my goals compared to what I was doing on my own. We’re going to do well.”

For more information on opening a Help-U-Sell Real Estate franchise in Florida, or any other state, call Dave Patterson, Chief Marketing Officer, at 941-951-7707 x 2001.

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Help-U- Sell® Westside Realty Shatters Spring Sales With $10.5M Home Sale

Los Angeles, CA (May 15, 2017)  – It’s always brisk business at the Help-U-Sell Westside Realty but recently things have taken a decidedly sharp turn upwards at the busy Los Angeles office, where just a few days ago franchise owner/broker Henry Ho reported the successful sale of a $10.5M home in Bel Air.

“Because of the flat-fee system we use here at Help-U-Sell, we were able to save the seller well over $350,000 over the traditional commission based model, which is truly monumental savings,” said Henry Ho, who established the franchise office in 2007.

“Detractors have implied from the beginning 40 years ago that we’re just a discount broker. We are in different times where people don’t want to throw money away on outsized commissions – it’s just unnecessary. This successful sale of this home proves that our model excels just as well in the luxury home market as it does the residential,” said Robert Stevens, Chief Operating Officer.

The custom-built home boasts a gorgeous, one-of-a kind pool, housed in a cathedral styled glass-dome. In addition to two complete bedroom suites and a primary master bedroom suite, there is a temperature controlled wine cellar and breathtaking views of Moraga Vineyards and The Getty.

Instead of the traditional percentage-based commission, Help-U-Sell Real Estate charges its sellers a set fee and a menu of services, allowing clients to participate in the selling process to save as much money as they would like. Help-U-Sell brokers are fully licensed members of the National Association of REALTORS and can offer sellers and buyers a full-service experience.

About Help-U-Sell Real Estate

Created 40 years ago, the Help-U-Sell Real Estate model was the pioneer for providing an alternative to the dated commission structure, something that had gone uncontested for years in a market overrun by a monopoly of traditional brokerage firms. Help-U-Sell Real Estate forged a revolution in the real estate industry by proactively challenging the commission structure, and has continued to perfect its full-service, set-fee model today.

Flat-fee Versus Commission-based Real Estate Business Models

On April 25, 2013, Help-U-Sell Bay Beach Realty broker/owner Dan Desmond and Scott Einbinder, a veteran real estate salesperson and consultant, in Toms River, N.J., will debate which real estate business model is superior: flat-fee or commission-based. Proceeds from the highly anticipated event will benefit the local Habitat for Humanity chapter.

Dan Desmond, Help-U-Sell Bay Beach Realty
Dan Desmond of Help-U-Sell Bay Beach Realty will debate the merits of the flat-fee business model on April 25, 2013.

While Desmond will be speaking on his own behalf and not as a representative of Help-U-Sell Real Estate’s corporate office, we are looking forward to cheering him on in about two weeks’ time.

Since we began operating in 1976, Help-U-Sell Real Estate has practiced the flat-fee (or set-fee) business model. Our founder, Don Taylor, thought the idea that consumers paid high commissions, based on the sale price of a home and not on the actual cost of marketing the home, could be improved upon.

Our brokers, all members of the National Association of REALTORS, offer the same full service as commission-based brokers, but charge a flat fee instead of a variable percentage. The flat fee is always at a savings for our sellers. However, we are not discount brokers. Our brokers determine their flat fee based on solid business practices (the market conditions, their profit margin and the cost to perform services) and not based on what the broker next door is charging.

Last year, our offices saved sellers $12.5 million in commission fees, when compared to a 6% commission. To us, a flat fee just makes sense for everyone: our sellers, our brokers and our brokers’ agents.

If you would like more information about how Help-U-Sell Real Estate’s set-fee business model works, visit our Franchise Opportunity Center website or contact us.

The Broker-Centric Business Model

In the past few weeks, two opinion articles touting the merits of the smaller, broker-centric business model have appeared on renowned real estate news websites, AGBeat and Inman News. We couldn’t agree with these sentiments more. Help-U-Sell Real Estate’s business model has been broker-centric since the company’s founding in 1976. We believe that it’s the best real estate model because:

    1) it’s more efficient.
    2) it creates agents who have had more transactions and, therefore, more experience which enables them to better serve buyers and sellers.
    3) it’s more cost-effective.
    4) it creates a more manageable workload for agents.
    5) brand consistency is better controlled when one person (the broker) is in charge of all advertising and marketing.

The entire staff of one of our most successful offices, Help-U-Sell Direct Savings Real Estate
The entire staff of one of our most successful offices, Help-U-Sell Direct Savings Real Estate in Waynesboro, Va.

Most importantly for us, however, a broker-centric model enables our offices to offer consumers choices, ultimately saving the consumer money compared to the old-fashioned agent model. That model, while slowly fading away, seems to exist only to support the inefficiencies of that old business model.

If you would like to learn more about our business model, we invite you to visit our Franchise Opportunity Center website.

We also encourage you to read the two articles, if you haven’t already, and leave your comments as to how the broker-centric business model works for you.

Help-U-Sell® Real Estate Announces New Franchise units in California

Sarasota, FL. – Help-U-Sell® Real Estate, the industry’s leading provider of set-fee real estate services, is proud to announce new franchises in Upland, Corona, and Redlands, California. Unlike traditional real estate companies that are struggling in today’s slower market, Help-U-Sell®’s unique business model is designed to allow their local broker/owners to thrive, regardless of the market conditions, while still providing a significant savings to consumers.

“While many of our competitors are downsizing or in a retreat mode because of the current market conditions, we’re launching an aggressive growth campaign,” said Ron McCoy, Franchise Opportunities Director, Help-U-Sell® Real Estate. “While our primary effort will still be the service and support of our local broker family, we can’t deny the response in franchise interest these past many months. This, along with the encouragement and support from our local brokers, has allowed us to again begin the pursuit of adding new members to the Help-U-Sell® Family.”
Tammy Whitehead, owner of the new Corona, CA office said, “Help-U-Sell® gives me a competitive advantage unlike anything else. The website and technology platform drives leads to my door and my set-fee offering is the best deal out there. It’s a win-win for both my clients and my business.”

Created 30 years ago, the Help-U-Sell® model was the pioneer for providing an alternative to the dated percentage based commission structure common in the residential real estate business, something that had gone uncontested for years in a market overrun by a monopoly of traditional brokerage firms. Help-U-Sell® forged a revolution in the real estate industry by proactively challenging the commission structure, and has continued to perfect its full service set-fee model to this day.

Help-U-Sell® Real Estate’s success has been founded on the ideal of providing its franchise offices the products and services needed for them to be as efficient and effective as possible, and seize a growing opportunity in their marketplace, while at the same time providing consumers with an alternative to the traditional commission structure.

In an industry that can be plagued by the false promise of the entrepreneurial myth and guessing what it takes to succeed, Help-U-Sell® has formed a unique, comprehensive and integrated set of business systems for its Network of offices. These business systems have been built by leveraging leading edge products, services, ideas and techniques. By creating this comprehensive system, Help-U-Sell® is taking the “entrepreneurial guess work” out of succeeding. And the result is one of the most dynamic, consumer-centric real estate systems in the world.

For more information on franchise opportunities with Help-U-Sell ® Real Estate, please visit www.helpusellfranchise.com or call (888) 619-7776.

Help-U-Sell® Real Estate is the world’s first set-fee real estate company, with offices in 36 states, and operations in South Africa, and the Philippines. The company has revolutionized the real estate industry by focusing on information and transparency to consumers. Help-U-Sell® differs from traditional brokers, not in the level of services provided by its licensed brokers throughout the country, but in the dollar amount that the consumer pays for those services.

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