CORFAC News

The most knowledgeable and dedicated brokers in any market often choose to lead their own local companies rather than becoming a cog in a global services firm. That’s good for companies that operate in a single city, because they know they’re getting the best expertise from a proven professional who’s dedicated to their needs.

But what happens when a company plans to expand to other markets? How can business owners be confident that they’ll get the same service quality and dedication abroad that they’re accustomed to at home? That’s the challenge that the CORFAC International network was designed to resolve.

A real estate brokerage network provides the best of both worlds: Advisors with great local expertise backed by a national or global platform of similar firms in other markets. Network affiliates don’t compete with each other geographically, so they can work collaboratively to ensure a client gets the best service and expertise.

There are several good real estate brokerage networks in existence, but CORFAC’s approach is unique. The focus is on creating strong relationships among highly accomplished and reputable brokers in each market. These firms are highly respected in their regions, so it’s important that they maintain their independent ownership and identity. When their clients have space needs in other markets, brokers can ensure the same quality of service by tapping into their established relationships within the CORFAC network. And unlike other real estate brokerage networks, CORFAC affiliates retain 100 percent of commissions on cross-market referrals.

Due to the collaborative nature of the organization, CORFAC members openly share their best practices and strategies with one another. They gather at conferences to collaborate, to stay abreast of industry trends and to build relationships. Those face-to-face connections provide assurance that client referrals are handled with a high degree of professionalism and dedication. Members are driven to provide superior service to referred clients, because a strong performance will likely lead to more referrals in the future.

With affiliate firms in more than 50 cities across North America and an additional 25 cities and countries around the world, the CORFAC network naturally includes members who have not met one another, but they can still have confidence in referring a client to those firms. That’s because the network selects only firms with strong track records in their markets and connections with existing members who can vouch for their dedication.

In addition, the network emphasizes the importance of professional standards. Compared to other networks, CORFAC boasts a high percentage of affiliates with designations from organizations such as the Society of Industrial & Office REALTORS® (SIOR), Counselors of Real Estate (CRE), Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM), Certified Property Manager (CPM) and Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). These credentials ensure high standards of competence and integrity while expanding the range of relationships and resources available to designees. In fact, when seeking brokerage firms for membership in the network, CORFAC’s leaders often start with relationships they’re formed through these organizations.

All of this adds up to a win-win. CEOs can expand their businesses into new markets with confidence that they’re getting the best advice. Referring brokers can strengthen client relationships and deliver value-added service, while brokers on the receiving end of deals get the uptick in business and the local prominence that comes with representing new market entrants.