Coldwell Banker Reviews

Pros

Supportive, wonderful reputation, top notch advertising

Cons

Cost for association, need for modern image

Pros

A small-firm family feel
Property Managers were kind and good mentors in that department
There were opportunities to move within the organization
There was a fun atmosphere around each holiday and company celebration
Some managers and brokers very nice to work for

Cons

A hostile environment was not properly dealt with; management said "this is how it is and it's not going to change"
Unprofessional employee not dealt with by management; swearing and sleeping on the job were noticed
Not all assignments were communicated well to staff depending on which broker was lead
Communication an overall issue
No annual performance reviews; No chance to express concerns

Advice to Senior Management

Implement common HR policies like annual reviews, a process for issues among employees, and listen when your employees are unhappy about work conditions. Property Management under Bruce Brophy is well done, but the brokerage side needs improvement.

Pros

It was a great environment and everyone was like family team work was definitely part of every ones work ethic.

Cons

commission split could be a little better however that is just the way it is when you are an ind. contractor

Advice to Senior Management

Keep up good work i like the motivational skills my broker implemented

Pros

As an administrative employee at Coldwell Banker Northern California, I felt like my work was valued by both customers and employees. Compensation was good for my level of education and experience in the field, and based on performance, I was given a few promotions during my short time at the company. Raises and pay increases with promotions were quite reasonable. The office environment was quite friendly.

Cons

When I left in 2009, Coldwell Banker was being hit by poor real estate economy, and there was some belt-tightening around the office. There were some layoffs to the point that we actually gave space back to the office building we were located in. Whether your department was hit by layoffs was mainly determined by how much revenue your department generated. Still, when a department was hit by layoffs, I felt the assessments were fair, and I hear the severance was reasonable when it came to administrative employees.

Advice to Senior Management

Department managers (Vice Presidents) job security was definitely dependent on their place within company political environment. The biggest complaint I have is that although a department might not be hit by layoffs, management was slow to replace leaving employees, thus increasing the burden on existing employees. Management was not the best at communicating about the status of the company, but we were alerted if big changes were coming.

Pros

You can focus on your business the way you to choose to.

Cons

Few people in the office energize with.

Pros

Friendly environment, alot of team spirit and encouragement, frequent learning opportunities (classes, meetings), great name recognition (and alot of national marketing), open door policy with management.

Cons

Pay attention to the compensation structure; there are monthly fees and also deductions take out of your commission checks. You need to make your own business (of course this is the basis of the real estate industry in general but referrals generally only go to seasoned agents).

Pros

Positive atmosphere and encouragement to pursue your own path. People were mostly great to work with on a personal level.

Cons

Lack of ambition and no clear path forward in the face of adversity. The real estate market was crushed. Obviously management had no control over that fact. HOWEVER, it was mostly treated as business as usual. The old ways clearly weren't/aren't working and there was no perceivable effort to pivot and change course of action.

Advice to Senior Management

Accept the fact that the game has forever changed and embrace that change. Decide upon and establish a new set of best practices and train for that.

Pros

Benefits. Company reputation is pretigious. Business model is ARCHAIC in today's real estate environment.

Cons

Salary and the current real estate environment. Heartless about office closures.

Pros

CBPORE is a great place to work due to the friendliness of co-workers, everyone's willingness to work as a team and senior management's encouragement for creativity and new marketing programs. Management is also flexible regarding scheduling, time off, etc.

Cons

CBPORE is located in a small town, so the salary is not very high, however, it is comparable to similar jobs in the area.

Advice to Senior Management

The leadership at CBPORE is great - it's almost like a family environment. There aren't any major issues with management.

Pros

Its a job
Jim does a great job as CEO - if its just a figure-head, pr speaker, or business related decision - He isnt involved in the running of the corp office where help IS needed. (for the minimum staff)

Cons

They dont promote hard workers, continually the same individuals move 'up'
They want to say the lead the way in technology yet dont provide it to the workers to test with and use.

Advice to Senior Management

Realize that its a bit backwards - look at all the Directors and above positions, then cut that number by a third and you have all the rest, the real 'workers'.