Pros
At the time that I was hired, I was offered a small base salary and range of benefits, including healthcare, future stock options, paid vacation days and time off, and retirement savings, which were all perks and benefits that are not offered with traditional real estate brokerages. Through the company's website, Redfin generates a high volume of leads, which they claim are better qualified leads compared to those typically received from competitors, like Zillow and Realtor.com. They company invested a lot into its technology and support services, therefore streamlining systems and services, and supporting a higher volume of business at once. The statewide and regional sales managers that recruited and hired me had plans and a vision to increase market share, which was very small at that time.
Cons
Almost immediately after I was hired, there was a sudden and frequent turnover of management, and there were 4 different managers in less than 6 months. None of them lived in this state, or had any experience working here previously. The Qualifying Broker was also based out of state, and had never worked or sold a single property here, nor did they bother visiting in person even once, and often provided instructions or advice that was in direct contrast to local real estate laws and practices. They operated with unreasonable performance metrics that force agents to work 7 days per week, very long hours, and leave you chasing leads that are obviously not qualified or not legitimate customers. It is not a company for seasoned agents with their own book of business and extensive experience. Those customers will be disappointed with the service and experience that you are able to provide them due to the systemized approach that is designed for a high volume, low quality type of business.
