Have you ever looked inside your company manual? Of course, when you begin working as a real estate agent at a real estate agency, you get a copy of the manual to read and follow. However, many real estate agents never look at it much, or if they do, they don’t fully appreciate what it can mean to them. Here’s a brief overview of what’s in a company manual and why you should read and understand it.

What’s in a Company Manual?

A company policy manual contains several sections that describe your rights and duties as a real estate agent working for the company that hired you. Each section tells you what the company’s rules are, what you should expect, and how you should conduct yourself in your role as a realtor.

It’s a policy manual, so it has all the company’s policies about relationships, conflicts, errors, security, and favoritism. Each of these issues will be addressed in the company manual as they relate to various aspects of the work, including:

–          Financial records, reports, systems, and processes

–          Expected practices for you as a seller’s agent or buyer’s agent

–          Legal requirements you must adhere to while working with real estate sellers, buyers, landlords, or tenants

–          Policies concerning administrative duties

–          Human services rules and requirements

–          Requirements and rights for using Information Technology systems

–          Privacy policies

When you learn how to become a real estate agent, don’t forget that you will likely work as a part of a company with a policy manual covering all these areas and possibly more. You need to become familiar with each section to rely on this knowledge when you need it. To find out more about what is in real estate company manuals, take our online real estate course, Roadmap to Success: Foundation.

What the Manual Means to You as a Realtor

You will benefit significantly by working with a company that has a comprehensive policy manual and keeps it up to date. This document lets you know what to expect from other agents in your company and what rights you have as the company’s agent. That knowledge can boost your confidence and help you move more smoothly through your working hours.

What’s more, the manual lets you know a lot about keeping your life in balance. It explains what standards you must meet while you are away from work. Then, as long as you meet those requirements, you know you are free to have a good time and live as you choose.

There’s often a vast difference in company culture when you are somewhere with a detailed company manual. Everyone knows what they should be doing and how they need to conduct business. This cuts down on conflicts, misunderstandings, and errors. What’s more, if those things happen, you have a resource that tells you how to handle the situation.

Overall, your daily real estate jobs will go more efficiently, and your days will be more pleasant and peaceful. While learning real estate in a company with a policy manual, you have valuable information at your fingertips. Even more importantly, it’s a kind of knowledge that you won’t get from your average real estate training courses.

What the Company Policy Manual Means to Your Company

You want your company to be successful as a real estate agent, don’t you? After all, if your company succeeds, you have more opportunities to grow, too. So, how does the company manual help your company? There are several ways it makes life better for everyone who works there and the company itself.

–          It increases efficiency by letting everyone know what to do without constant supervision.

–          Companies with policy manuals tend to be more stable because they have explicit high standards.

–          It decreases the chance of legal problems arising from conflicts within the company or between agents and clients.

–          Because it builds confidence in the real estate agents, the manual helps the company achieve more.

–          Having strict and well-defined standards helps the company build a solid reputation.

A company with a policy manual can sell more homes, help more buyers, and increase its success over time.

Should You Work at a Company with No Policy Manual?

The question you might ask next is, is it essential to work with a company that has a policy manual? What if you find a seemingly great job with a company that doesn’t have a manual? Should you take the position anyway?

While company manuals are not the only factor in your decision, you should prioritize finding a company that has one. Obviously, if your company is struggling, you will struggle. Unfortunately, companies without manuals tend to have problems sooner rather than later.

On the other hand, a successful company makes space for agents to thrive! If that’s what you’re looking for, ask to see their company manual.