Keller Williams Select Realty is co-owned by Ron Birmingham and Tom Clift, who were busy at the Ramada St. John’s Thursday, presenting to other agents.
Some people were there to hear about working under the Keller Williams umbrella, while others had already signed on with Birmingham and Clift, taking the opportunity to get in more questions on incentives and corporate structure with Keller Williams’ regional director Marvin Alexander.
“We don’t have an office space yet, we’re looking at space today, to be into something soon,” Birmingham said. “But we’re really in the early stages of creating what we’re hoping is going to be one of the premier companies in the city.”
The timeline for the launch was pushed forward earlier this year, with the sudden closure of Exit Realty on the Rock. The move not only freed up agents being considered by Birmingham and Clift as prospects, but Clift himself was working with Exit Realty on the Rock.
He was on vacation, outside the country, when word came down.
“It’s caused a damage in that it’s taking up more time than it should (in conversations),” he said. “But as far as the integrity of each individual agent that was within that company, I don’t think anyone’s ever going to question that.”
Over the course of seven years, he had moved from thinking about his own brokerage to laying the groundwork. He took a shining to Keller Williams’ operations, he said, given the corporate standards, profit sharing model (48 per cent of corporate profit is shared with realtors) and, tied to that model, open books.
“I like the open disclosure. Everything is open for everyone in the office,” he said. “There’s no hidden agendas for anything.”
Clift met Birmingham in 2010, at the grand opening for a new Keller Williams in Halifax, N.S. Actually born and raised in this province, Birmingham made the move back to the island in late 2014.
He and Clift now have a green light from Keller Williams for a new operation here.
“In my opinion, coming to Newfoundland with a new model, when the economy is slightly down, is actually an ideal time, because agents will see and appreciate what we have to offer that can help them be successful, even though the economy is down,” he said.
“No. 1 for me is integrity. Always has been,” Clift said. “I want top producers, everyone does, but I’m more interested in the integrity and the quality of the people we’re hiring first.”
The pair are looking for rapid growth, if the right people are available.
The company has picked up 15 agents formerly working with Exit Realty on the Rock. Once in operation, the brokerage would like to all but immediately be able to offer a list of 40 agents.
“The average Keller Williams office ... were over 112 realtors in Canada,” Alexander said. “On average.”
Keller Williams has a presence in more than 30 countries worldwide, with more than 135,000 agents representing the brand.
