A company’s culture can make it or break it, and Weichert, Realtors Goodchild Homes knows agents help make that culture. Managing Broker/Owner Liz Goodchild and Associate Broker/Owner David Goodchild look for agents with characteristics that fit in with something they call “On the Bus,” derived from Jim Collins’ book “From Good to Great.” This means agents regularly attend weekly sales meetings, are team players and hold themselves accountable for their actions.

“‘Accountability,’ ‘coaching’ and being ‘on the bus’ are buzzwords around the office,” Liz Goodchild says. “These words all describe agents who are successful at Goodchild Homes. We definitely have cultivated a culture of collaboration, holding each other in very high standards, yet in a very warm, family oriented atmosphere.”

The office has several mentorship and training programs they can take advantage of, to ensure they’re working to their utmost potential. Agents can partake in group coaching, one-on-one broker manager coaching, and even “boot camp” sessions. Goodchild Homes also provides monthly HUD training for the entire real estate community – not just Weichert agents – and an REO workshop, where agents are encouraged to bring their clients in to learn about short sales and foreclosures.

These training programs, in addition to an administrative support staff who help all agents with their marketing bookkeeping and technical support as needed, clearly work for Goodchild Homes agents.

“I have a handful of high producing agents in our office who personify the ‘perfect agent,’” Goodchild says. “I also have a few aggressive rookies who are newly licensed who show incredible potential and have already closed several transactions.”

Currently the office, centrally located in Rolling Meadows, with easy access to the city and suburbs via Route 53, has 75 percent of its agents working full-time. Goodchild’s goal is to grow from the current 45 agents to 100 agents in the next two years. With Goodchild Homes’ incentive programs (which take place several times a year, and currently, there is a holiday bonus program if agents close a deal between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve) in addition to the training and coaching programs and wireless office, it shouldn’t be a problem attracting agents.

“An independent survey ranked us one of the top 3 percent of Realtors exceeding our clients expectations, which was in Chicago Magazine’s October issue,” Goodchild says. “Creating a better future for homeowners and communities is at our core.”

Years as broker/owners: Seven
Years in real estate: 24
Number of full-time agents: 45

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