Jason Waugh: A cautious rein might be more accurate. We’re recruiting more, and I’m happy to say we’re seeing perhaps the best crop of new and prospective agents that we’ve seen for a long while—and we are prepping for a significant investment in social media tools and strategies. Again, it’s a matter of asking yourself, “is this going to be an effective spend?”
Scott McDonald: You can’t lose sight of what’s happening in your market if you’re going to make judicious investments. We’re seeing an uptick in foreclosures, for instance, and some teardowns in certain areas. People need rentals in this environment, which is why we moved into property management. And we took a good look at the low inventory and made the decision to partner with a couple of builders to beef up the new-home sales sector.
LP Finn: The bottom line is that to stay profitable, you need to focus on the things that increase market share in any market environment…recruiting well, and looking at growth opportunities—including mergers and acquisitions—in the same way you would weigh them in any market.
Jeff Barnett: So there are valid reasons to spend more when you earn more, American way or not – but restraint is key if you want to stay ahead going forward.
