No desire to be a cat wrangler!

Yes. I opened my own real estate company after finishing law school without working for another broker.

Sure I have.  As a 3rd generation Realtor I might understand the risks and costs of doing such a little bit more, since both my grandmother and mother had their own brokerages.   For the cost and LIABILITY  I am very happy where I am at.  For tax purposes and liability, I started a PLLC I am under and hang my license at the brokerage, Tierra Antigua Realty.

Debbie and I started Albuquerque Homes Realty in 2006.  Best move we ever made! 

I don't think it would be for me --- I did some managing in my prior career and was happy to move away from that....I like to manage transactions, can't really imagine managing a group of agents....on this point, I think I'm with Susan, not interested in being a "cat wrangler"....love that!

I think about it all the time.   I haven't made the leap.  I like my office. I like my broker.  I'm  comfortable right now.   The timing just never sems right.

It takes gifts to be a great broker/owner that I just don't have.  I tried being an managing broker for a local firm, and listing and selling is so much more fun.

Yes I did and had one for 10 years and now am back to working for a broker and the thought constantly pops into my mind.

No, because I'm not nuts!  We net about 90% of the gross commission for our side and the broker takes all of the liability.  I don't worry about rent, utilities, insurance, E&O or someone messing up and me ending up in court over it.  I won't be going bankrupt due to the actions of another either.

I opened my own brokerage 15 years ago.  It is not always easy, With the extra reward comes extra responsibilities.  I work much harder than I did as an agent for someone else and probably much harder than most of my agents.  In the end I feel like I am in charge of my own career and that is worth the extra work.

That is something I have given some thought to. I'm not ready to leap out on my own yet, but it will probably happen someday. 

For now I am staying with my company. I don't have the time now to handle starting my own.

Tony and Suzanne,

We have worked with several clients on this subject.  It really depends on their temperament and their goals.  A

We are under the umbrella of a broker who charges a small monthly fee and then for each transaction. Don't need anyone else's headaches...

As brokers and franchises continue process that stifles providing real solutions to real estate issues experienced by home owners, this option becomes increasingly attractive.

As an example, the seller stated, seeing the inside pictures of her home on Zillow from the time it was listed when she bought it, "FREAKS ME OUT!" she said.

Don't allow my house to be on Zillow. Because of the action of my broker, franchise and MLS, I can not meet the sellers need for security, not placing her family and the buyers family in enduring peril, without compromising effective marketing. 

But she did call the right real estate professional. 

I did at one time. However, I found out I enjoyed helping my clients much more as opposed to when I was building the business. Besides, the liability was much less.  

I just work for a team, no need to ask for more stress.

Years ago I thought about it, but I much prefer being a team leader and letting our MC broker handle all the brokerage type headaches.