Join the Team at Real Estate Unlimited

We pride ourselves in providing agents with reliable, accurate information, a positive attitude, and support whenever needed.

Broker/Owner Fran Evola started the company in September 1999. She felt agents needed broker support, but with the changing technology, a company office was a waste of space… agents don’t sell real estate from the office and don’t need the overhead. Fran is a Broker and HUD Broker in both Kentucky and Indiana. With over 42 years of experience, she knows the Louisville and Southern Indiana markets! 

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES FOR YOU?

All our agents are all on the same split, 90/10. (If you are newer in the business, we may have to assist you with your first couple transactions at 50/50 to help you get started.)

You won't be asked to pay for franchise fees, our company website, the company signs, or "your share" of any company expenses; those are our expenses, whether or not you are affiliated with REU.  There are no monhtly fees, transaction fees or technology fees.  You just pay for your own expenses - with no mark-up or handling costs added.  Realtors with our company can tell you, there are NO hidden fees. 

We have the best Errors & Omissions coverage we can get - your cost $215 for this year.  It fluctuates a little each year but covers you in both states.

We offer recruiting fees for agents you bring along with you or recruit later - 25% of the 10% that Real Estate Unlimited earns on the recruit's closings.  This is in effect for as long as you are both with REU.

We are available to answer questions 24/7. 

We provide one yard sign for each of your listings. 

We upload your listings for you.

You get paid on your closings almost instantly!

We answer the phones almost 100% on the time.  There is no irritating voice mail system for your clients to deal with. 

You get all your leads.  There's no floor duty agents scarfing up your leads.

You have the freedon to negotiate the commission with your sellers.

You have the ability to work on both sides of the river, wherever you are licensed. 

We are members of 3 MLS systems:  GLAR, SIRA and OKH

You also have the opportunity to auction your listings.

Are you right for Real Estate Unlimited?  We are looking for agents who are self-motivated, ambitious, work out of their homes and want to keep more of their hard-earned money.  You need to have all the necessary tools of the trade at your home office; computer, fax, digital camers, etc.  But most importantly, you need to be experienced, independent, competent and ethical.  If you fit the bill and want to lower your overhead in this tight market, let's get together and talk.  We don't care if your are full-time or part-time at real estate.

Stop wondering what the real deal is! Call to set your confidential appointment to speak with Fran in person! Give yourself that raise you deserve and this could be your best year!

Currently, there are about 90 agents with REU and we are ranked in the top 20 in Business First's Largest Real Estate Firms; a great accomplishment for a virtual company!  In fact, we are the largest non-franchise company in the area.

Real Estate Unlimited - Our Company Philosophy

 

We are real estate professionals. We believe that for this firm to be successful, we must set out our philosophy of doing business clearly. These things, above all else, are important to us:

 

Integrity. No other single attribute of a person or of a business can have such an impact on success or failure. We believe that every action must be taken with truth and honesty, and if we must ask ourselves if it is all right to do something, it probably is not. There must be honesty in every action, truth in every word. We expect honesty from our employees and our sales staff.

 

Service. Our clients and customers have a right to expect outstanding service. We need to work in their best interest. Our role is to assist our client as if we were ourselves the client, and to be truthful with our customers. We are paid not for our time, but for our service. If we expect to be well paid, we must provide the highest level of service available. We expect our employees and our sales staff to provide excellent service.

 

Hard Work. No organization can grow and prosper unless each member of the team puts forth the maximum effort. Often, we feel a tendency to “let down,” and to do less than our best. We expect hard work from our employees and our sales staff.  Get it done today; tomorrow something else will come up.

 

Professional Competence. We should never undertake an assignment for a client or customer unless we have the training, experience, determination and enthusiasm to do the job. We believe in continuing education, for only by learning better ways to provide service can we enhance our reputation. We expect our employees and sales staff to continue learning.

 

Cooperation. An organization can be great when all members are working together for a common purpose. It can be only mediocre when some are rowing in a different direction. Helping one another when possible will bring harmony and wealth to us all. We expect cooperation from our employees and sales staff.

 

Accountability. Our clients and customers must be happy with the transaction, or we shall not get repeat business. If we make a mistake, we must be accountable and make it right with the customer. We expect our sales staff to be accountable for mistakes if a client is damaged.

 

Professional Ethics. The Code of Ethics of the National Association of REALTORS® is a guide for our daily business operations. The laws of this state are clear as to our obligations to our clients and customers.  We need to avoid any conflicts of interest and keep the interest of our client uppermost in our minds and actions.

  

 

These things, above all else, are important to us. We shall not vary from these principles under any circumstances.

Are you overpaying your broker?

 

At Real Estate Unlimited, everyone is on the same split – 90/10!

 

If you want to know if you are paying your broker too much:

Step One:  Pull out the closing statements from all your closings for last year.

Step Two:  Add up the commission checks that went to the firm with whom you are affiliated.

Step Three:  Add any referral, BPO, warranty fees, etc. that your broker received or other income that went through the broker (the gross amount, not what you received).

This is the gross amount received by the broker.

Step Four: Deduct the amount on your 1099 for last year.

Step Five:  Add any fees you paid for franchise fees, monthly fees, shared expenses, technology fees, and office charges that you paid your broker (specific to that company, not license fees, dues and MLS fees).

This is what your broker really cost you last year.

 

If what the broker cost you last year is less than 10% of the gross amount received by the broker, you have a great deal!

 

If you don’t have such a great deal and want to give yourself a raise, please don’t delay in calling Fran Evola, owner of Real Estate Unlimited, to find out how you can give yourself a raise!  502-445-3040  You will be under no obligation or pressured in any way. 

Do you really know what your E&O policy covers?

What are your limits?

Are you covered for:

Environmental issues

Agent-owned property

Complaints at the commission

Multiple states

We carry the best coverage available.  We do the shopping; you get the benefit of great coverage.  We can provide you with a copy of our policy for comparison with yours.

Call Fran Evola anytime to consult about this topic or other topics.  502-445-3040

Levels of competency:  (which are you?)

               

Consciously incompetent – You know that you don’t know

Unconsciously incompetent – You think you know more than you actually know

Consciously competent – You know that you know and you work at it

Unconsciously competent – You have internalized your knowledge no longer have to think about it

 

The first two levels are extremely dangerous for agents.  New agents know they don’t know enough and sometimes they don’t ask enough questions or pursue enough education.  Then, they learn a lot but aren’t aware of how much they don’t know.  They may even get answers from other agents who are Unconsciously Incompetent.     

The third level is the professional level where you have learned that attending as many classes as you can get to, offered by truly knowledgeable instructors, on a wide variety of topics, will keep you up-to-date on what’s changing.  You learn who has the best answers for when you need to ask questions later.

The fourth level is only reached after years of fielding questions and gaining so much knowledge that you could wisely teach the class, at least on some topics.

 

Fran Evola, President of Real Estate Unlimited, is available to consult with you on how to get to the next level of competency.  502-445-3040

Living “On Purpose”

 

Some questions to ask yourself:

 

How is my life blessed?  How am I a blessing to others?

 

What is my purpose in life?

 

Have you ever wondered where did the year go?  Look back at last year.

 

Are your activities getting you closer to your goals?  Or eating up your precious time?

 

Are you in control of your money?

 

Are your expenses in line with your goals?  (latté factor – do you waste money on small stuff?)

 

What is cluttering up your life?

 

Are you utilizing your talents?  Are you having fun?

 

If you died today, would your family be able to easily find all important documents?

 

Have you really sat down and planned the year?  If not, set aside a couple hours with your spouse, or without your spouse, but then consult with your spouse.

 

Consider where you wish to be at the end of the year.  Then work backwards.

 

Order creates peace.

            De-clutter rooms

            Clean something

            Organize closets

            Donate or sell excess

                        Have a yard sale box ready

                        Ebay items

                        Have a donation bag ready

 

Simple systems create freedom. File things immediately.

                        Paid receipts

                        Tax-related papers

                        Investments

Insurance

Bank statements

 

 

For balance, set AND DISPLAY goals in all areas of your life:

 

Example Personal Goals Areas:

            Health

                        Weight

                        Diet

                        Exercise

                        Medical check-ups/tests

                        Dental check-ups

            Spiritual

                        Church/Faith involvement

                        Daily prayer / meditation

                        Retreat

            Spouse

                        Time/activities together

                        Birthdays

                        Anniversary

            Family

                        Time

                        Activities

                        Traditions

                        Birthdays

                        Anniversaries

                        Holidays

            Financial

                        Net Worth

                        Budget vs. actual

                        Retirement plan

                        Investments

                        Emergency Fund

                        Cash vs. credit

            Document Files

                        Will

                        Living Will

                        POA

                        Insurance Policies

                        Titles

                        Investments

            Vacations

                        When

                        Where

                        How

            Social

                        Friends

                        Hobbies / Sports

 

            Civic

                        Community

                        Neighborhood

                        Voting

                        Blood Donation

            Educational/Growth

                        Classes

                        Creativity

                      Books to Read

            Charity

                        Money

                        Items

                        Time

            Ecology/Conservation

                        Grocery bags

                        Recycle items

            Household

                        Detailed to-do list

                                    Exterior

                                    Room by room

 

Business Goals:

 

            Make them attainable and measurable and broken down into doable parts.

 

            Put deadlines on your calendar and work backwards from there.

 

            Make lists.

 

            When prioritizing, ask yourself:

                        Is this activity going to make money for me or the company?

                        Is it going to get me closer to a goal?

                        If I was going out of town today, which items would I have to do today?

           

            Don’t confuse activity with accomplishment.

 

            Don’t let others waste your time.

 

It’s great to have an accountability partner or group to assist you with setting and attaining the goals you have set, otherwise, you may lose momentum as you run into difficulties.

 

Fran Evola, President of Real Estate Unlimited, is happy to consult with you about setting up a trustworthy group to consult with on an ongoing basis.  502-445-3040

The Auction Option

Some agents view auctioneers as their competition rather than their partner.

Some properties will bring more money at auction than they would through a traditional listing.

If you truly care about your client, consider all the options when you go on a listing apt.

If the seller has a list of potential buyers who have expressed interest in the property, you may have a perfect auction situation.

If the property is in an estate, full of personal property and the executer or administrator seems overwhelmed, you may have a perfect auction situation.

If the property could be divided, you may have a perfect auction situation.

If the property has to be sold quickly, you may have a perfect auction situation.

With the auction option- you can make more money!  You still represent the seller as the listing agent, but you don’t have to advertise, hold open houses or take calls.  We make it easy!  So, before you get the listing signed, be the ultimate professional and suggest that you and seller meet with an auctioneer to see if auction might offer a better solution for your client.

Fran Evola, owner of Real Estate Unlimited, is always available to consult with to see if auction is an option.  812-288-6080

What’s in your car?

It’s said that “if you’re not ready to do business, you won’t”.

Part of being ready to do business is having a vehicle well-equipped for real estate.

 

Here’s a checklist:

Forms - or ability to produce forms

Business cards

Tape measures

Flashlights/batteries

Tool box/ gloves

Sticky notes/marker

Insect repellant

Trash bags

Wire ties / nippers

WD40

Paper towels

Hand sanitizer/masks

HUD keys

Supra key or EKEY

Key tags

Pens

Name badge

Paper clips

Large envelopes

#10 envelopes

Old towels

Bucket or gallon of water

Ice scraper

Gloves

GPS

Area maps

Wet wipes

Plug-ins

LBP booklets

Bottles of water

Snacks

Umbrellas

Flyer boxes

 

Fran Evola, owner of Real Estate Unlimited, is always available to consult with you on how to improve your readiness to do business.  812-288-6080

Frequently Asked Questions:

Agents – What is your commission split?

All the agents at Real Estate Unlimited are on the same split – 90/10.  If that seems hard to believe, just check with any of the agents.  Many have been here for many years.

Agents – What are your office fees?

There are no office fees, franchise fees, technology fees, transaction fees or any other fees.

Agents – What do I pay for myself?

Each agent pays for advertising their listings. The advertising is determined by the agent.  We have negotiated a discount at The Courier-Journal so the agents are allowed to utilize our account.  When the bill arrives, the agent will be notified of their share.

Agents pay for their license fees, Realtor Board dues and fees, Supra fees, Errors & Omissions Insurance, forms and business cards.

Agents – What do you provide?

Access to experienced brokers, timely uploading of listings and changes, almost immediately payment of commissions, the freedom for you to negotiate listing commissions, the ability to offer the option of auctions to your sellers, one yard sign per listing, if needed, and the best Errors & Omissions Insurance we can find.

Agents – What don’t you provide?

We don’t provide an office for you to work from.  All our agents work from their homes and cars.  They don’t wish to contribute to overhead they don’t utilize.

Agents – What is a virtual company?

In our case, a virtual company is an efficiently-run, professional real estate company, with agents that appreciate having higher commission splits but no office fees. 

Agents – What is your ranking in the area?

Real Estate Unlimited has been included in the Business First list of Largest Residential Real Estate Firms since 2006.  The rankings are based on closed transactions, not the size of the company, the office, or  other statistics; just the one that counts.  We do more business than the vast majority of companies in the area.  We are proud of that!

Agents – Do you offer recruiting fees?

We have an amazing recruiting program.  When a recruited agent receives a commission, 10% of it is retained by Real Estate Unlimited.  The recruiting agent immediately receives 25% of that commission.  This program is extended for as long as the two agents remain with the company.  In this way, an agent could easily make more than 100% of the commission they bring to the company.

Agents – How long does it take to transfer my license?

Licenses can be transferred almost immediately.  It’s a very easy process, done mostly online.  There are forms to be completed for the Real Estate Commission, the Realtor Boards, etc. but it’s quick and painless.

Agents – How much does it cost to transfer my license?

$10 in Indiana and/or $20 in Kentucky for the actual license transfer.  Errors & Omissions Insurance is pro-rated on a monthly basis.  Our current cost is about $10 per month, and covers you in either or both states.

Agents – How much access do I get to assistance?

A lot.  The Principal Broker, Fran Evola, and Associate Broker, Julie Anderson, are both very accessible.  If not in the office, they can be reached on their cell phones for an immediate response.  Both are available on an appointment basis, to assist agents with specific topics or questions, or to brainstorm options.  You are encouraged to contact us anytime you need an answer quickly.   We attend as much legal and professional continuing education as possible in order to be able to answer your questions accurately or know where to refer you for an answer.

Agents – What if I am unhappy?

There are no strings attached to agents at Real Estate Unlimited.  Every agent is free to leave at any time.  Agents are free to take their listings with them.  There will be no hard feelings or inappropriate remarks made if someone calls for them.  Calls are forwarded.  Mail is forwarded.  Email inquiries are forwarded.  We never want an agent to feel like they have to stay here because they would lose their listings or business if they left.  We want every agent to be here because they love it here and are treated with respect.

Agents – What kind of Errors & Omissions Insurance do you have?

Currently, we have $1,000,000 coverage through Hanover, a top-rated company.  We are covered for environmental issues, Fair Housing issues, complaints before the Real Estate Commission and for sale of properties in which the agent has an interest, if certain conditions are met.  Each year, we apply to multiple companies to ensure that we are getting the best coverage available for the money we spend.

Agents – What if I own rental property personally?

If you own real estate that you rent out, you need to be aware of an in compliance with all state and federal regulations regarding property management.  I strongly urge you to take Property Management courses or hire a property manager.  If you choose to manage your own properties, you will be required to provide Real Estate Unlimited with copies of valid leases, and information on Rental Deposits such as amounts and where they are being held.

Agents – What if I buy or sell my own property?

If you buy or sell a property in which you have an interest, you have a couple choices.  You may choose to take a commission or not.  Either way, you owe Real Estate unlimited .3% of the sale price.  It can show on the HUD-1 or you can write a check to the company; your choice.  Of course, copies of all documents signed by either party must be submitted to the company for the permanent files.

Agents – How long does it take for me to get paid after a closing?

You can get paid almost instantly.  We work with you to make it easy.  Some of the agents deliver the commission check to the office and we write you your check. Some take the commission check to our bank and deposit it, send us a copy of the check, the deposit receipt and the closing statement

Agents – How do I get paid if you auction my listing?

You are still the listing agent, but rather than signing an MLS listing contract, the seller signs an auction listing contract.  You will be paid one half of the auction proceeds after the expenses are deducted.  There is no 90/10 split on this.  You receive 100%.  You will not be responsible for advertising, showings, calls, etc.  You may be asked to be present at open houses and to assist with gathering information about utilities, etc.

Agents – Who uploads the listings and changes?

Through SIRA, we are required to upload all listings.  Through GLAR, we can upload them, or if want to, we are comfortable with it, you can be given access to upload and/or change your own listings.  This requires you to attend an additional class at GLAR and to agree to submit copies of all documents and changes immediately so that the office has the latest version of your listings at all times.

Agents – What is the commission rate for my sellers?

There are no set commission rates at Real Estate Unlimited.  You must determine the appropriate commission rate for the specific circumstances.  Please feel free to consult with the Brokers for their input or about special situations.

Agents – Can I negotiate the commission with my sellers?

Yes, you are free to negotiate.  Only you know the special circumstances and details of the situation.  However, the Brokers are available for consultation.  Keep in mind that on all closings, the minimum commission that Real Estate Unlimited will accept is .3%

 

If you are currently a Realtor, or are interested in a career in real estate, and would like to join the team at Real Estate Unlimited, please fill out the form below.