Professionals Real Estate 
Wednesday 17th May 2023
A South Australian principal says that since switching to Professionals Real Estate he has saved a massive $117,000 a year in commission on franchise fees and is now able to reinvest the funds into growing his business.
Daren Morris, who was principal of one of South Australia’s largest franchise offices, made the switch to Professionals almost two years ago after re-evaluating his business bottom line and decided it was time to stop paying a percentage of their commission in franchise fees.
Mr Morris, now principal of Professionals Salisbury in Adelaide’s north, said the fees he had been paying to a major franchise were not commensurate with the level of support he was receiving.
“I knew there was a similar level of support with other brands, so I started questioning the amount we were paying in fees,” Mr Morris said.
“It wasn’t an easy decision, this is where I started my career 22 years ago and I have been running this office for the last 19, but the amount was considerable.’’
After meeting with Professionals and going through the company’s flat-fee structure, his total saving amounted to $117,000 per annum.
About the same time Mr Morris switched to Professionals so did another of South Australia’s major franchise offices that has become Professionals Aldinga/Seaford, 35km south of Adelaide.
Professionals is celebrating a multi-state expansion of the network with five new offices joining in the first quarter of 2023.
A national Webjet competition last month provided $100,000 in travel gifts to customers and resulted in a 330 per cent increase in inbound sales and rental leads for the Professionals network.
Mr Morris said the traditional franchise model inherently penalises offices that perform well.
“I understood immediately what kind of impact I could have on the growth of my business having that much money available to reinvest in my own marketing,’’ he said.
“Not only have I been able to expand the team, but the amount of leads we are generating through our own lead generation campaigns and SEO has significantly increased our business.
“Profit and growth have never looked better in 19 years of being a principal. This has been one of the best business decisions I’ve made.”
Since the switch, Mr Morris and his team have won a string of awards with Professionals, including the Top New Office of the Year award at the Professionals 2022 International Conference.
“I’ve also been humbled by the welcome we have received from the Professionals team. It feels like a family again,” he said.
Professionals Chief Executive Officer Katherine Gonzalez-Cork congratulated Mr Morris and his team on their exceptional growth and success after moving into the Professionals fold.
“Professionals is Australia’s fastest growing real estate network. It operates on a lower-cost membership system rather than a franchise, while still providing members with a comprehensive suite of tools and support services for their businesses,’’ Ms Gonzales-Cork said.
“We are growing our network of agencies who choose us not only for our effective support model, but because we put our people at the heart of what we do.
“Unlike most franchisee models, Professionals reinvest the profits of our group back into our offices and we match, and often exceed, in the delivery of management, marketing and professional services.
“It’s about putting people and values first, and it makes us truly unique.
“The team at Professionals Salisbury have strong growth aspirations and are positioned for greater market share. At Professionals we are keen to support all their goals.
“The real estate landscape is changing. More businesses are looking at their bottom line and challenging their return on investment.’’
The Professionals was established more than 40 years ago in Queensland, and has expanded across Australia, into New Zealand, Fiji and Papua New Guinea, and now boasts a network that comprises more than 225 offices.
Media Contact: Jo Cranstoun (Urbaine) 0408 781 294 or email jo@urbainepr.com.au
