In the following interview, Jennifer Shemwell, president of Phyllis Browning Company, a member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® (LeadingRE) in San Antonio, Texas, discusses the brokerage’s competitive differentiation, culture and more.
Region Served: San Antonio, Texas
Years in Real Estate: 24
Number of Offices: 6
Number of Agents: 200
Favorite Part of Your Job: I love to train our agents to be successful and to be the best they can be.
One Thing People Don’t Know About You: I love to dance. My husband and I dance the jitterbug, polka and waltz.
What is the most important thing you learned in 2017?
When running a business, there’s a lot to take into consideration in order to make a decision. 2017 has taught me to trust my gut when it comes to choosing the best course of action and to surround myself with an outstanding team.
How does your brokerage’s office culture play a role in your real estate career?
At Phyllis Browning Company (PBC), we’re a family that supports one another. Each of our agents is welcome at each of our offices, resulting in an advanced internal communication network. PBC agents are twice as likely to bring an in-house buyer compared to other brokerages in the city. There’s tremendous respect for one another, and great friendships have been made at the company.
What are some of the current trends you see in your market right now?
Real estate marketing is evolving at a rapid pace, driving agents to experiment with new marketing channels such as video, social media advertising, predictive analytics and agent testimonials.
How do your agents differ in the way they work, and what makes them successful?
Some PBC agents prefer in-person meetings, while many agents who are newer to the industry prefer doing business online. The main attribute that each PBC agent possesses is the ability to modify their services to meet the client’s needs. A good real estate professional must be able to listen and understand the buyer’s goals. If you can make the process fun, you will reduce the stress of the situation and make friends with your clients. Happy clients are loyal clients.
What factor has the largest influence on the real estate industry today?
San Antonio and the Hill Country are areas of increasing opportunity when it comes to real estate. The momentum of the economic development in the area is growing at a great speed. As a result, the growth of the housing market continues to rise.
How are you preparing your agents for the future of real estate?
I’m focusing on providing intense training in technology and web marketing to help our agents stay ahead of the competition. I believe in giving agents the tools and training they need to differentiate themselves.
Tell us how your company makes its agents’ jobs easier. We’re a full-service brokerage offering a high level of personalized service. From agent assistants and a full-time marketing department to in-house transaction coordinators and an around-the-clock management team, we stand ready to assist our agents.
For more information, please visit www.leadingre.com.
Liz Dominguez is RISMedia’s associate content editor. Email her your real estate news ideas at ldominguez@rismedia.com. For the latest real estate news and trends, bookmark RISMedia.com.
