Broker for owners - benefits / advantages?

Yes, because for me it’s not the appearance that counts, but the quality of work.

Yeah, sure. Always this double standard...
You can’t tell me that the overall image doesn’t have to be right. Not even for you.
Or do you go with a good conscience to a very reputable doctor if he has his single-room practice in a damp basement?
I admit, the example is somewhat exaggerated, but in our economy, if you want to earn decently, the outward appearance also counts: I don’t do statistics, but if two equivalent realtors run their business on the same street, people will probably go to the one where everything looks orderly and well-maintained.
Splendor and magnificence are a sign of good business and prosperity – a mirror image is the builders here who invest more in appearance and size than necessary.

My last realtor drove up in a Q5 and was (sorry) a total dumbass and chatterbox.

That may be true, there are plenty of airheads especially in this industry, but also in other professions.
I personally deal with big and expensive cars every day professionally at the moment. But just don’t look around at home... Those cars are all leased through the business, and hardly any are realtors. Today there was an office clerk...

Okay, he shouldn’t show up in shabby clothes and a junker car either, but nobody does that. But if a big car automatically commands respect, I have a very strange worldview.

Well, see.
I once knew someone with a beat-up Ford Fiesta: he mainly did time renting for companies. One sales property per year was always included. For that, of course, a car was rented from Sixt, otherwise you can’t keep up in the market. (that’s actually already the first 500€ investment)

Google says: in 2015, a 3-month celebrity ad (biggest package) cost just 400€. Quote: "Immobilienscout24 costs are thus in the top price range."

But not for commercial users. Memberships for commercial users can be requested personally, and probably include a one-click workflow...

What I quickly found:
Whether the market leader among real estate portals demands too much is hard to say. ImmobilienScout24 charges the following prices for commercial providers (as of April 2015):

– 10 ads: 499 EUR
– 25 ads: 849 EUR
– 50 ads: 1,499 EUR

All prices are plus VAT.

Considering the portal’s large reach, one could say the prices are quite justified. Even if the other two portals offer cheaper prices, realtors have to keep in mind that their reach is smaller. As a reminder, the monthly visitor numbers of the three portals (in June 2014):

1. ImmobilienScout24: 7.6 million per month
2. Immowelt: 3 million
3. Immonet: 2.5 million

ImmobilienScout24 consequently has three times the reach of Immonet. In theory, they could therefore charge three times as much as the third-place competitor.

Aside from reach, realtors have to pay attention to the rest of the offerings. The portal offers a lot of functionality that makes it easier to find interested parties. Over 15 years ago, when ImmobilienScout24 didn’t exist yet, realtors had to invest a lot of money and time in newspaper ads.

When I look at the real estate photos, a simple DSLR with a wide-angle lens is enough, you can easily find one for 1000-2000€. And often the photos aren’t better than those taken with a smartphone.

Aha... and then it’s said again that the realtor works amateurishly. I always find it very questionable when someone judges a professional sector without having any clue what goes on behind the scenes.
Look, here is a realtor who doesn’t shy away from work (except that he once stole my text from my homepage ) immoprofi zahedi behind the scenes google...
And in these photos, you don’t even see the proper lighting setup... (lighting rental: several hundred €) Real estate exposés are pure advertising, and advertising is expensive and elaborate when done right.
Technology has to be operated and learned. You can hardly do that on the side. And if a specialist is hired, that means:
200€? Floor plans
300-1000€ Photographer
500€? Drone rental
And realtors don’t buy these 360-degree cameras at Aldi either...
-> 1700€ investment

What I want to say: The cash flow in income and expenses is apparently enormous but could be reduced relatively easily.

Yeah, then it becomes even more amateurish.
Why would anyone run a company into the ground when they can invest and increase their revenue after several years? Now you are on a completely wrong track.

To the small business with 4 properties a year: The market seems oversaturated and/or you yourself are not good enough. My sympathy is rather limited... there are far tougher jobs with less pay.

Sure there are. I am also currently crying about my salary.

I admit, the example is a bit exaggerated, but in our economy, if you want to earn a decent living, appearance also counts: I’m not into statistics, but if two equally qualified realtors operate their business on the same street, people will probably go to the one whose place looks organized and well-kept.

Now don’t exaggerate please. Please define what you mean by well-kept appearance? Gucci, Armani, tailored suits?! I would say that anyone who can’t manage to look neat and serious with their normal clothes and grooming products has a completely different problem.

And at least with me, a realtor who steps out of his Panamera looking all polished is initially viewed with skepticism. Someone who dazzles like that is usually a windbag – personal experience shows – or has their wealth financed by the clients/buyers. The conversation ends before it even begins then. But I guess there are people who like to be dazzled and think they have to act that way... fine by me, but it’s not my thing.

And you can’t even see the real lighting setup in these photos... (rental for lighting: several hundred €) real estate exposés are pure advertising, and advertising is expensive and complex if you do it properly.
The technology needs to be operated and learned. You can hardly do that on the side. And when a professional is hired, that means:
€200? Floor plans
€300-1000 Photographer
€500? Drone rental
And realtors also don’t buy these 360-degree cameras at Aldi...
->€1700 investment

Pretty exaggerated, in my opinion. Here people seem to think that all problems can be solved with just technology – the main thing is to show off big with drone shots, lighting techniques, and so on. “A fool with a tool is still a fool”...

As an experienced photographer, whether amateur or professional, you surely know that the person behind the camera has the greatest influence on a good result, not so much the technology. This description reminds me a bit of overenthusiastic photography beginners who believe that with a full-frame camera and an L lens the photos will automatically be super great – and then shoot in automatic mode. A (hobby) photographer who understands their craft doesn’t need nearly the equipment you list there. Why should they? What is the added value of a drone shot? Ok, a nice gimmick, but is it necessary for a serious, informative presentation? The insight gained from a drone shot is close to zero. A look at Google Maps provides more, I’d assume. Virtual tours / 360-degree images? Brilliant showmanship with little informational value as well – unless you are selling furnished apartments/houses. But even then, due to the extremely wide-angle lenses, you can’t correctly gauge the dimensions anymore... technically inevitable. So why bother? The feeling of space is ruined by incorrect reference sizes and perspective. Lighting equipment? If absolutely necessary: what does a reflector, bouncer, diffuser, a tripod, and an external flash cost? Certainly nowhere near what you suggest above. And even if it did, what’s wrong with a one-time purchase of €1700 to pursue your profession?! Seriously? All the equipment barely suffers any wear and tear... Photography in good weather under almost arbitrarily controllable conditions – oh dear, if you have to sell that as rocket science requiring super-duper high-tech equipment.

It seems here like someone is desperately looking for a reason to justify the exaggerated commissions. But that doesn’t work if you look at it more closely...

If the market currently yields 250 thousand annual equity, you take it. Other times will come as well. Thats it.

Yes, fine by me, but you can also just admit it and not try to pretend with pseudo-justifications that the 250k annual income is just barely covering costs. I am neither better nor worse off if someone has 250k€ annual equity capital, so I am very relaxed about it. [emoji6]

I personally think that a lot of personal emotions are involved here. Some may be real estate agents themselves, others might have just spat out 30k to the agent, and yet others work for agents... All nice and fine and all has its justification.

When I was looking for a house, I entered the desired postal code and the radius online. If something was within the price range and fit the key data (size of the house and plot size), I contacted them.

I didn't care whether the picture was 4k, 24bit, 1 megapixel or whatever resolution. The "lighting conditions" also didn't matter to me. Hello?! We’re talking about a single-family home in an affordable price range. If you want to sell a millionaire’s mansion, then maybe that makes sense with the pictures. But for a single-family home in an affordable location etc? Absolutely overrated!

As if anyone here says: "Honey, look! 1000 sqm plot, 145 sqm living space, built in 2000, sought-after location, price: 350,000 EURO. OH no!! The pictures are too dark and blurry. So untrustworthy and therefore only worth 100k."

That makes me laugh my head off...

I don’t feel like playing the convert here for people who apparently piece together the job profile more out of envy and resentment.
Yes, I also say: there are these show-offs and more than you’d like. Still, you don’t have to close your eyes when someone objectively says where the revenues flow.
You men anyway have a problem when a man shows up with an even better car or appears more confident than you see yourselves. I still remember this thread with the size comparison here...

I’ll just leave these following quotes from this thread page as they are and won’t flip back the last 9 pages, where there’s surely even more of such narrow-mindedness

Watch in a Q5 up front and was (sorry) a total dullard and chatterbox.

I would say, anyone who can’t manage to come across well-groomed and serious in their normal clothes and care products has a completely different problem.

who steps out of his Panamera looking slick,

Those who dazzle like that are usually hot air machines

Main thing is to show off big with drone shots

Brilliant showboating

The importance of a good photo in the exposé was probably already mentioned here. I remember how disparagingly a point-and-shoot, compact camera or something similar was spoken of here. You may have different standards.
But you shouldn’t compare apples and oranges, because you’re actually expecting a real estate agent to be an all-rounder as well as have photographer qualities? He doesn’t have to. But he naturally has professional costs.

By the way, I’m also used to my trained profession being disparaged here. Doesn’t bother me - those who do that just don’t want to know... they think they can do everything themselves because it’s digital and iPhone 8... or so...

Incidentally, two years ago I had to upgrade technology with four-digit costs, and there was no 1, 2 or 3 in front of that. (Without lighting and frills)
If my equipment falls into water, a replacement costs me around 5000... if I want to pimp myself professionally again to keep up in the market, I’d probably have to lay out 10,000 and invest 20 hours weekly in marketing as well as internal workflows. But I sadly won’t get that income back because I lack the time part-time.
The wear and tear is by the way like with almost any new technical device. Bought and worth only half as much afterward because something new hits the market. I photograph with a good old lens, just like my father still phones with a Nokia 3210.

Man... man... and I wasn’t even finished earlier

There’s also the network... A few hundred in a community won’t get you any further as an agent either... blah blah...
I’m stopping now

This isn’t even really a discussion anymore here - whoever feels offended by a commission isn’t objective anymore.

I’m out of this fuss. Probably a guy thing!