Written by: Marcie Geffner freelance real estate reporter, writer and blogger
Lyle and Sandy Longridge were no different from countless other real estate agents who sell property across Canada. That is, until last August, when the dynamic husband-and-wife duo decided to open up the country's newest Assist-2-Sell® franchise. Their new company, in New Westminster, B.C., opened for business in October, and today, Sandy Longridge calls the couple's choice "the most exciting and fulfilling" decision of their careers.
"We wanted to run our own show and be our own boss," she says. "We wanted to do something that we could believe in."
The Longridges settled on Assist-2-Sell after almost a year of research because they admired the company's business model, which is built around giving home sellers and buyers exactly what they want in today's housing markets: Flexible commissions and superior service.
"Real estate is changing," says Lyle Longridge. "The traditional model is not going to survive in the same form as it is now. Assist-2-Sell is a great way for us to position ourselves for that future and those changes."
Assist-2-Sell's mission is to provide home sellers substantial savings and professional reliable representation throughout the home-selling process. Owning a franchise offers real estate professionals an opportunity to start and run their own business, effectively manage a significant volume of transactions and still provide the full service that sellers and buyers want and need.
Assist-2-Sell: "Best Model in the Business"
Many brokers are understandably leery of discount companies that offer home sellers lower costs and less service. But the Longridges discovered that Assist-2-Sell takes a radically different—and far superior—approach to the conundrum of lower commissions and better service.
"The Assist-2-Sell full-service, low-fee commission structure is a big deal," Sandy Longridge explains. "It opens up options for home sellers. They're impressed because they have choices and love that it is not do-it-yourself."
The Longridges both liked the fact that Assist-2-Sell isn't just about low commissions: It's also about good service. While the company's commission model can attract more business and assure significant discounts for home sellers, full service is still the key to the company's success.
"For example, sellers like being kept in the loop," his wife adds. "Assist-2-Sell has a million and one great ways to keep people up-to-date, and it's not just at the beginning of the transaction and the end, but all the way through the entire process."
Assist-2-Sell Begins With Fresh Approach
Assist-2-Sell was founded in 1987, when Mary LaMeres and Lyle Martin left a traditional real estate brokerage behind in search of a better way for consumers to sell their homes. They developed an innovative model that gives sellers all of the services they need, along with a low flat fee. They soon discovered that the model also had strong appeal for home buyers, who appreciated the large selection of competitively priced homes offered through Assist-2-Sell’s exclusive home listings database in addition to MLS listings.
The response to this consumer-friendly model was immediate and significant. Since LaMeres and Martin opened the first office in Reno, Nevada, Assist-2-Sell has grown to more than 400 franchise offices in 44 U.S. states and six Canadian provinces. Over the years, Assist-2-Sell has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing and most successful real estate franchises, a testament to the efficacy of the low-fee, full-service real estate service model. The model is even featured in the company's business-winning slogan: "Results with Savings!"®
Their track record of growth and success really impressed Lyle and Sandy Longridge. "We tried hard to poke holes in the Assist-2-Sell model, but we couldn't find any," Lyle Longridge explains. "We really thought Assist-2-Sell was the best model in the business because it gives people a break on the commission without compromising service."
"We've seen so many problems with other discount agencies," Sandy Longridge adds. "Assist-2-Sell has taken the good qualities of the discount model and the good qualities of the traditional model and put them together. It's a model we believe in and feel really positive about."
Brokers Learn Secrets of Success at Assist-2-Sell
LaMeres and Martin continue to play a vital role in Assist-2-Sell's success and growth. Nearly every month, they personally train new franchise owners who travel to the corporate headquarters in Reno, Nevada. They continue to teach these training classes because they love sharing their ideas, methods and experiences, and they enjoy being part of each new franchisee's success.
Lyle and Sandy Longridge recall their trip to Reno with great enthusiasm. "We got a ton of tips that we've used in our business," Sandy Longridge says. "We picked up a lot of ideas from Mary and Lyle in the class that you can't get through reading a book. It comes from their experience of what works and what doesn't."
That experience continues to shape LaMeres' and Martin's efforts to make the Assist-2-Sell model even better and even more responsive to the needs of today's home buyers and sellers. "You can spend thousands of dollars just to find out what doesn't work," Lyle Longridge says. "But they've already adjusted the Assist-2-Sell model, worked out the kinks and shown us what works. We bought into their plan and everything that came with it."
Assist-2-Sell Model Works in Canadian Markets
Assist-2-Sell first came to the Longridges' attention when a franchise office opened in nearby White Rock, BC and quickly won a significant number of listings throughout the area.
"We were nervous about a discounter coming into our market and taking our business," Lyle Longridge recalls. "But then we looked at the model, and we couldn't find any flaws in it."
"If you can't beat 'em, join 'em," Sandy Longridge chimes in with a laugh. "The owners of the White Rock franchise have been generous with their support and advice on how to apply the Assist-2-Sell model to the Canadian market," she adds. "We talked to other Assist-2-Sell brokers in the U.S. and Canada," she says. "They are all very supportive. You really are part of a team!"
The Longridges say they weren't concerned about the fact that Assist-2-Sell is based in the U.S. The company is well-established and has offices in Canada that are doing well.
The Longridges are so committed to Assist-2-Sell that they've purchased the building that houses their new office, he adds. "We plan to be here for a long time."
For information on franchise opportunities, call 800-528-7816 or visit BuyAssist2Sell.com.