How to Choose Your South Carolina Real Estate Brokerage

Your South Carolina real estate brokerage will play a critical role in the early stages of your real estate career. Not only will your broker sign off on your work, but they will also provide valuable information and feedback as you start landing clients and making sales.

But with so many brokers operating in South Carolina, how do you know which brokerage is the right one for you?

Here are five factors to consider when choosing your South Carolina real estate brokerage.

1. Training Opportunities

Before you become a licensed real estate agent in South Carolina, you’ll need to complete a pre-license course to learn the basic principles and practices of real estate. But this is just the start of your real estate education.

In addition to learning about real estate valuation, finance, contracts, and ethics, you’ll need to learn how to run your real estate business. This includes things like:

• Lead-generation
• Prospecting techniques
• Sales skills
• Overcoming objections from buyers and sellers
• Listing presentations
• Business systems and workflows
• Marketing
• Managing business income and expenses

Some brokers expect you to find this information on your own. However, many will provide training opportunities through group training sessions, one-on-one sessions, or even a mentorship program. If formal training is essential to you, ensure it’s something your future brokerage offers.

2. The Reputation of the Brokerage

As a new agent in South Carolina, you don’t have a history of successful transactions or a base of happy former clients. This disadvantages you when competing for business with more experienced agents. But if your brokerage has a good reputation for you to lean on, you can rely on your brokerage’s sales record rather than focusing on your non-existent record.

Reputation is a double-edged sword. A brokerage with a mediocre or poor reputation can drag you down. So, ask around to find out what citizens in your community think of the different brokerages you’re considering.

3. Ongoing Support Provided by the Brokerage

As a real estate agent, you’re effectively running your own business. And running a business requires specific support systems. You may need a conference room for a meeting with clients. Or you might need a receptionist to answer urgent calls when unavailable.

Some brokerages leave you to your devices, but many provide ongoing support. You might get data entry from a shared office administrator, a social media boost from the brokerage’s social media accounts, or even national advertising if you join a nationwide franchise.

As a new agent, these support services can save you the time and expense of seeking out your support solutions.

4. The Commission Split and Fee Structure

Nearly all real estate agents in South Carolina are paid on a commission basis. This means you earn a percentage of the home’s sales price when a deal is completed. In most cases, you will split your commission with your broker.

Generally speaking, the commission split depends on the value of your brokerage's services. A brokerage that provides training and support will likely start new agents on a 50/50 split. And in most cases, your split increases as your sales volume increases. The more you sell, the higher your split.

However, your broker might also charge their services monthly and/or per-transaction fees. If you see a brokerage offering 100% commissions, that brokerage makes its money in the form of fees.

Choosing the South Carolina brokerage that offers the best commission split is tempting. However, you could miss valuable training services and support systems by focusing solely on the commission split. The pay structure is essential in choosing a broker, but don’t let it be the only factor.

5. Work Style Compatibility

Do you want a team environment where agents actively support one another? Or would you prefer to work alone, checking in with your brokerage only when necessary? Matching your work style to the company culture of your brokerage is crucial. When you have a mismatch, your work is more frustrating and less rewarding.

Ask potential brokerages about the office environment. What is expected of the agents? And what can the agents expect of the broker?

Get a Headstart on Finding Your South Carolina Real Estate Brokerage

When you’re ready to look for your South Carolina real estate brokerage, AceableAgent can help! Our new Broker Agent Matching Program is designed to help students find brokerages that will be a good fit.

Once enrolled in your South Carolina pre-license real estate course, you’ll get access to a quick survey. It will only take a few minutes to provide your brokerage preferences; then, our partnership specialist will hand-select brokerages that might be right for you. You’ll have a brokerage selected in no time, and you’ll be ready to launch your real estate business!