There have been many posts written on this subject. It all depends what you want from the business and in the way of income and control.

To get bigger you have to have more bodies acting in unison. If not, it's a disaster. I think for a newbie it would be a good idea for training purposes & the fact that your day is pretty much planned out for you by other staff.

It depends on the team structure.

This is a topic that deserves an entire blog, not a quick question. It comes down to how independently you wish to work.

I think it boils down to control and attitude. You lose control over your destiny, but gain support, while giving away a part of each transaction. I think you need to be able to function as a team player, which is attitude. Me-not so much. I would rather forge my own destiny.

Someone else provides you leads, handles all the paperwork for you, buys the marketing, buys the signs, pays for marketing, and all you have to do is work with clients, and show up at closing to get paid.  Sounds like a sweet deal for any agent who doesn't get all the pieces to make crazy amounts of money on their own.  Oh, and have a world class mega agent coaching you with your closing scripts to boot.  

I really do not see a lot of advantage.  I think there are always some that do not pull their weight

I'm not a fan of teams.  Therefore I have no advantages to offer.  I know it takes the right people on a team to make the team work and work well.

I think it all depends on the team! It's a great way for a new agent to jump into real estate.  

 When done correctly, teams are career boosters for the agents.  The team owner is there to serve the team members.

The team owner incurs the financial risk of paying the monthly fixed costs, whether there is production or not.

The team member only pays for all the services and support when they get paid from a closing. That payment is in the form of the team split.

If the team member does not produce, they lose nothing. If the team member does not produce, the team owner still incurs the massive cost of supporting the non-income producing agent.

I love having team members because they allow me to focus on what I do very well, and they get to focus on what they love to do. We have different jobs. Plus, the advantage to them is they don't have to hunt for business, I give it to them. But it took me a long time to find people who work well with me and together. Now I would say I have the dream team.

You always have business covered.

You can cover for each other at all times.

 We are being told that several team companies only learn one part of the business because that is their job.

If you're new, this could help you get your feet wet and gain some experience.  You will loose a fair share of your commission to the team though.

Pro and cons on team,  I was a member of two teams over the last 18 years, one work out for a long time but in the end we split.

I would advise a new person to join an active team to be better supervised when starting in real estate.

It depends on many factors, both objective and subjective.

Debbie Reynolds nailed this one!

Join or form a team if it will lead to a larger income.

Ken's Home Team LLC. | 360.609.0226 | Portland, OR & Vancouver, WA Real Estate Team - when you are on team, you get leads! And yes, you take lesser share - to best of my knowledge.

I love having a team - our buyers love having a team - someone is always available to them and we all know what is going on with a transaction. New agents have great training with the right team leader and the benefits, to me, are endless!  

Oh, not to mention, vacations are so easy when you're on a team - not just for you but, for your clients.  Theres always someone there to support the clients...always!

If it is structured correctly you could increase your income.

Get the team's contract in writing... have an Attorney review it.

A lot of young agents really need that support and guidance.

Ken,

There are some us who like working as as team, and some of us who don't.  When you know who you are, then do it or don't do it.  A

Advantage -support!

Disadvantage- your split!

The disadvantage could be worth the education and fast start

Ken's Home Team LLC. | 360.609.0226 | Portland, OR & Vancouver, WA Real Estate Team Advantage: Team support. Disadvantage: You're always working for the team leader.

More eyes & ears for one thing. For another, a good team can do greatness

Advantage is being able to take time off without being worried about losing business. Drawback is having someone else affecting my reputation.