Unlicensed Administrative Support

The first hire for a real estate team is often an administrative support position. An administrative position, such as an assistant or transaction coordinator, will be able to tackle the myriad tasks that are essential for keeping deals moving and help agents from focusing on client representation. An assistant or coordinator can handle everything from database management to contract review. These support personnel are paid by the agent, either hourly or on a salary. Illinois requires agents to treat team members as employees, unless the individual “has been and will continue to be free from control or direction over the performance of service,” or meets other criteria, according to the Illinois Department of Labor.

Employee status means tax withholdings and legal obligations. In addition, there are some key activities that unlicensed assistants may not perform in Illinois: hosting an open house, showing property or explaining agreements to clients, among others.

Licensed Team Members

Some agents look for licensed agents to handle specific responsibilities, such as a buyer specialist who will prospect, take on leads, handle property research, consult with buyers, show properties to clients, put together offers and handle certain aspects of negotiation. A listing specialist can prospect for new listing leads, prepare CMAs for listing presentations, and most importantly, bring in new listings. Their expertise in preparing homes and listings for showings, pricing strategy, staging and often negotiating will supplement the lead agent’s activities and help the team streamline its operations through specialization.

Compensation models for licensed agents in a team can be complex. Many true partnerships share commissions on a 50/50 basis. However, if an agent team member runs all their business under the lead agent’s MLS number, the lead agent takes credit and responsibility for all that happens with those transactions. For this reason, the lead agent often gets a larger portion of the commission, even if they never meet with the client. But agents who join an established real estate team may enjoy advantages like a stable income, branding, schedule flexibility and the support of camaraderie.