Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate
/ based on 15 reviews
- Agent Split: 70% learn more
- Fees: $80 learn more
- (866) 698-98938666989893
- bhgre.com
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About
About Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate
With 12,000+ agents, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate is one of the more prominent brokerages in the US. Even if you’re not familiar with the brokerage, you’re bound to know the Better Homes and Gardens magazine, since it’s the fourth best-selling print magazine in the US.
On October 8th, 2007, Realogy Holdings Corp. obtained the exclusive right to use the registered trademark as part of the International Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. You might know of other famous brands affiliated with Realogy, such as Coldwell Banker, Century 21, and Sotheby’s.
BHGRE has created an enabling environment that new real estate license holders can leverage to become top producers. When interviewing with an office, be sure to ask about their share of the market, the number of top-producers in the office, agent count, and what makes them different.
Better Homes and Gardens History
- Better Homes and Gardens Magazine was established in 1978 by the Meredith Corporation, founded in 1902.
- In 1998, GMAC Home Services Inc bought Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate’s operating assets with rights to the name for ten years.
- Realogy acquired the rights to use the Better Homes and Real Estate trademark in October 2007.
- In July 2008, Realogy launched the BHGRE franchise. Each office is independently owned and operated.
- With 26 offices and 2100+ agents, Metro Brokers is the largest BHGRE affiliated company.
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Brand
BHGRE draws from the legacy of the iconic Better Homes and Gardens lifestyle brand, which boasts 97 percent brand recognition. The name is synonymous with quality and serves to create trust. Buyers and sellers know who they are dealing with long before the agents walk into the door.
Experience of working at Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate has a reputation for a great work environment with phenomenon broker support. The atmosphere is cordial and family-like. The training is significantly above average and focused on creating top-producers. Still, there are cons reported by some agents. The common complaints leveled against most franchises revolve around the high fees and low commission splits.
Other top brokerages
FAQs
BHGRE offers numerous tools to its associates & brokers:
- The Greenhouse: Agents use this one-stop online platform to access all BHGRE resources and tools. They can find quick links to the Zap Platform, online classes, marketing tools, news updates, upcoming events & training programs, document repositories, brand assets, and more.
- Agent marketing tools: BHGRE’s suite of marketing tools help agents create custom-signage, social media posts, print materials (e.g., brochures or flyers), buyer & listing presentations, etc.
- PinPoint: Associates & brokers can leverage Meredith’s database of over 100 million subscribers, thanks to PinPoint. This exclusive marketing tool can help agents pinpoint likely first-time buyers, premier luxury home buyers, etc. It allows precise targeting based on geographic location up to the street or building level. Sending postcards or print listing ads enables agents to become known to their prospects.
- Zap Platform: It’s the website builder and CRM of choice used across Realogy franchises. It comes with branded agent sites, communication tools, monitoring & reporting (such as insights on the listings leads are viewing), the ZapScore (for gauging the client’s interest), and more.
- Discounted advertising: BHGRE agents can run ads in the Better Home & Gardens® publications at discounted rates. BHGRE has also partnered with Adwerx, giving associates access to discounted online advertising.
- Gifts: Associates can also use gifts to establish and strengthen relationships with clients. They can send magazines like the BHG Cook Book offered to them at preferred prices.
Better Home and Gardens Real Estate has established and reputable training programs, including:
- Be Better University: You can enroll and sharpen your sales skills, marketing skills, and social media skills, all in one place. Students can also earn certifications in luxury, staging, etc.
- BHGRE Live: These are regional events that agents can attend to learn more about Zap, listing, and more. BHGRE Virtual offers access to virtual training sessions as well.
- Coaching and mentorship: New associates will benefit from the one-to-one training & mentoring from experienced sales associates.
- BHGRE members also qualify for discounts on pre and post-licensing courses.
- The Learning Library: Agents can earn certifications and designations in specific niches at discounted rates, for instance, the SRES® designation course and the NAR’s e-PRO® certification program.
Compensation plans differ from office-to-office.
Agents who complete the X-celerater program get splits of 60/40 on their first six transactions. After this, they are regarded as “full associates,” and keep 70% of their commissions up to a cap of $15,700. Commission splits may differ based on your brokerage of choice. For instance, some offices have a 50/50 split.
Before associates split commissions with their offices, a franchise fee ranging from 5-8% is deducted off the top of their gross commission.
Agents typically pay MLS fees, technology fees, communication fees, Board of Realtor fees, E&O insurance, etc. If you’re joining any of the Metro Brokers offices, you’ll need up to $1,800 in startup fees, inclusive of the first listing package.
For more established agents, monthly fees can range from $80-$130 in many offices.
Most common reasons include:
- Great brand-recognition.
- Access to BHGRE learning and networking events such as Green Nation, Fusion/RGX, APEX, Owner’s Retreat, and more
- Numerous tools & resources, modern technology
- Lead generation opportunities, for instance, answering calls from the call center.
- Skill development and training opportunities
About the Author
Chris Heller brings 27 years of experience in real estate. Chris serves on the Agent Advice Editorial Board and is the Chief Real Estate Officer at OJO Labs. Chris brings deep expertise having held influential industry positions including CEO of mellohome and former CEO of Keller Williams Realty International.
Last Updated: 1/25/2024
What do you like about Better Homes and ...
What do you like about Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate?
I love their magazine and the brand they built for themselves. They have a very reputable name that carry’s weight.
What are some things to improve upon?
Interviewing process. My interview was FOUR HOURS LONG. I did not enjoy the interview process AT ALL. The Atlanta Office was VERY PUSHY. Not only was it unreasonable long, at the end of the interview she asked me to start signing paperwork as if I had agreed to join their brokerage. I told her I needed time to weigh my options and she continued to push me into filling out paperwork which included my Credit Card information and promised to delete it the next day if I did not want to join. The interview was what turned me away from working with this company.
Anything else you'd like to share with other agents?
Make sure you ask how long the interview process is because the corporate office in Atlanta GA interviewed me for FOUR hours. Also they have a 2 year contract that if you want to back out of you have to pay like $400+.
They're really good. I love them. To mak...
They're really good. I love them. To make it even better, they are the number one company in our area.
Very reputable
The best part is they're a huge company and reputable. They provide excellent training so you are really in good hands. I am very happy with them. I think the commission splits were fair. The leads are pretty good.
I like them so far. I love the amount of...
I like them so far. I love the amount of availability and training they provide for their agents. It's outstanding. This brokerage is more than a real estate company. It's more of a lifestyle company, so if you want to be involved with the community, this is the brokerage to be a part of.
a reputable firm
It is a reputable firm and very big. I am happy, not sure if there's anything major I want to change. I think the commissions splits are fair, although the fees are a little bit high for me. Really, I am just here to learn first. They provide training, support, and pretty good leads.
Better Homes and Gardens is a great bran...
Better Homes and Gardens is a great brand and a great place to learn. Don't focus so much on how much money you earn as you get started, instead just worry about becoming a better real estate agent and you'll be fine.
on top of it
They're always on top of everything as far as education and trends with real estate. I have been in real estate for 18 years and I have been with them three times. I have tried other companies, but I always go back to Better Homes.
The fees are a little bit high. The office fees are really high, especially right now that I am not active all the time. I still have my license there, so I still have to pay. That's the price we pay for doing business I guess.
They do provide good training, support, and advertising. It makes our job easier and made us look good!
Great
It's a wonderful business. I get to help people find what they need, for me everything is great. There is education, and support is provided , but we procure our own leads. Commission splits are fair.
I'm not getting the leads I was promised...
I'm not getting the leads I was promised. But besides that, I have no complaints about Better Homes and Gardens.
They will take good care of you.
Our company was recently bought by Better Homes and Gardens and so far I am happy with the transition. I work for a full service brokerage firm and I work in the luxury listing deparment. I think the commision splits were fair, and there's quite a bit of training at a discounted rate. Right now, I don't have anything I would change, I am pretty happy with the services they're providing me. We have an award winning marketing department and an award winning relocation department. I am well taken care of.
-A.M
Current agent at Better Homes and Garden...
Current agent at Better Homes and Gardens in Houston. Very warm environment, and I am friends with many of the other agents. Commission splits depend on the person.
Nice place to work
Everybody I've met at Gary Greene says the training is excellent. They're always ahead of everything, getting us prepared for all the changes that constantly happen in real estate. If you are in relocation, if you do property time, or when you're on the agent on call, you get leads that way.
I wish we didn't have so many fees but I think you get what you pay for and I am happy where I am.
-K. P.
They are very flexible, so you don't hav...
They are very flexible, so you don't have to go to work in the office if you don't want to. You can work from home. When I have questions they are willing to help. My favorite part when I was getting started was the training program.
I worked for several years with Better H...
I worked for several years with Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, on a large team. After several years, I just felt like I was under an umbrella with my team and just wanted to make my own way and have more of a challenge. My split was 50% with my team.
My broker in Dallas mainly gave me leads...
My broker in Dallas mainly gave me leads with very little commission as a reward. I was stuck on the FHA top market. I decided to venture into luxury real estate for an opportunity to make more than what I made at Better Homes and Gardens.