Frequently Asked Questions
1) What are the terms of the commitment?
One-year contract terms: $199/month for the first state the agent is licensed in + $99/month for each additional state.
For example, if the agent is licensed in 3 states but SWR is only licensed in 2 of those 3 states, the agent will: come on board for 2 states and pay $199/month plus $99. For the third state, the agent will remain with their current broker or shelf that license until SWR becomes licensed in that state.
2) Is Errors and Omissions included in my monthly subscription fee?
Yes.
3) Is Cyber Liability/Social Engineering insurance included in my monthly subscription fee?
Yes.
4) Can I, as the agent, choose to be a part of zero MLSs and incur zero fees?
Yes.
5) Are there any other fees besides the $199/month subscription fee?
No. Unlike other brokerages, SWR does not charge any broker fees, desk fees, or technology fees. As a blanket rule, there are no other fees.
6) If I, as the agent, receive leads from SWR, are those leads completely free with no commission due to the brokerage after closing?
Yes, the leads SWR gives out to agents are completely free.
7) Will I, as the agent, be able to access/use regional agent/broker lists of email addresses?
Yes. Don’t worry – if SWR does not own the list you want, we can purchase it for you at the broker rate.
8) What marketing help does SWR provide?
SWR staff will prepare and disseminate E-Blasts of your listings free of charge. SWR also provides use of regional agent/broker lists of email addresses. Additionally, a social media marketing coordinator will be available to all agents.
9) Is there any minimum sales volume I, as the agent, need to commit to?
No. Although SWR fosters an environment that promotes an increased sales volume, there is no required individual quota.
10) May I, as the agent, join as a group/team of agents or as an associate broker?
Yes, absolutely. For additional information and to discuss the specific circumstances of your case, please email broker@serviceworldrealty.com
11) Does SWR provide office space and/or can I, as the agent, work from home?
Yes, any agent may work from home. However, if preferable, SWR provides office space in various states. For more information, please email broker@serviceworldrealty.com.
12) Is SWR planning on expanding to all 50 states in the U.S.?
Yes.
13) Is SWR a franchise or planning to franchise?
No. Therefore, there is no franchise fee.
14) When do I, as the agent, get paid?
Within two weeks of the commission check being deposited as long as your monthly subscription fee is up to date.
15) What if I, as the agent, need support?
- For transaction-related/sale negotiation assistance: A broker will be available to all agents.
- For technical assistance: IT staff will be available via phone and/or email to all agents 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- For questions related to real estate law, ethical dilemmas, and E&O: An attorney will be available to all agents for encouraged consultation, free of charge.
- For real estate industry resources: All agents will gain access to the Knowledge Base on Zoho’s platform.
- For questions regarding additional means of support: Please email broker@serviceworldrealty.com.
16) What professional development opportunities does SWR offer?
- Promotions/incentives for attending National Association of Realtors (NAR) and other conventions.
- Access to Zoho’s Knowledge Base, including articles, videos, and additional resources
- Annual cyber security trainings
- Integrated Technology Systems NYC LLC Weekly Security Shorts
SWR prioritizes staying current on, and ahead of, market trends through innovation and creativity. Therefore, we guarantee that agents will have plentiful opportunities to take advantage of as they arise. For more information, please email broker@serviceworldrealty.com.
17) What is the transaction fee and how is it calculated?
Sales – The minimal fee per residential or commercial transaction is always calculated based on the total amount of commission coming into the brokerage after closing. Please refer to the chart below for a detailed breakdown:
*$1,000 is the most an agent will ever pay!
Rentals – If it’s a rental transaction, the transaction fee will be 10% of the total commission coming into the brokerage.
18) What is a case-specific example of how the transaction fee will be calculated?
a. Sale Example – You, as the agent, sell a $400,000 home and have both sides of the deal. The total commission coming into SWR is $24,000.
i. Total Commission: Tier 3 (> or = $4,001 range)
ii. Transaction Fee Taken by SWR: $1,000
iii. Amount Agent Receives: $23,000 (because, again, there is no commission split!)
b. Rental Example – You, as the agent, rent a three-bedroom house for $2,000/month. The total commission coming into SWR is one month’s rent of $2,000.
i. Transaction Fee Calculation: 10% of the total commission
ii. Transaction Fee Taken by SWR: $200
iii. Amount Agent Receives: $1,800 (because, again, there is no commission split!)
19) How does SWR’s no-commission split/transaction fee structure compare to other brokerages?
Because of SWR’s no-commission split/tiered transaction fee structure outlined above, an agent will never pay more than $1,000 of total commission per sale transaction or 10% of total commission per rental transaction. This means that once joining SWR:
- 1 – An agent will never split their commission with the broker again, and
- 2 – Because the minimal fee per transaction is capped at $1,000, the larger the sale/rental, the more money (or larger percentage of total commission) the agent takes home.
*In the sale transaction example above, the SWR agent keeps 97.22 % of the total commission rather than 50%, thereby making an additional $17,000 (a 47.22% increase) with SWR.
*In the rental transaction example above, the SWR agent keeps 90% of the total commission rather than 50%, thereby making an additional $1,600 (a 40% increase) with SWR.