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t the heart of a successful real estate business lies advocacy – not just managing transactions, but championing clients' dreams and goals. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate's Paracle, founded in 2012 by Lucas Mudrey in South Carolina, embodies this principle with its Greek-rooted name "paracle," meaning "come alongside, advise, and counsel." The brokerage's business model is built on partnership, where collaboration is key to every aspect of success.

    "We're all about people, support, and doing what we say we're going to do," says Tony Hanson, Paracle's business partner and broker-owner. With a lead generation-based approach, the team quickly realized that building systems and processes was crucial for scalability. They created a sales manual designed to grow their business, but soon discovered they needed a robust lead provider to fuel their operations.

    A brokerage without a solid system is like a ship without anchor – it can't weather long-lasting success. Paracle's journey highlights the importance of investing in tailored systems that cater to specific business needs and market conditions. By putting processes in place, Tony notes, "Until we had the process, we weren't going to grow."

    The team started investing in various lead sources, including Realtor.com, initially spending around $5,000 a month, which eventually increased to $300,000 monthly. This strategic move paid off, with Paracle becoming a $3M gross commissionable income company by the end of 2018.

    Realtor.com took notice of Paracle's consistent and growing investment in leads and reached out to understand their systems and processes. The brokerage shared their training models and sales approaches, which led Realtor.com to offer Market VIP – an exclusive program allowing brokers to access motivated consumers within a specific ZIP code or area.

    Paracle secured the first Market VIP city in the Carolinas, but faced a challenge: they weren't operating in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where the only available Market VIP location was. The solution lay in partnering with Realtor.com PRO as a key lead provider, allowing Paracle to expand into the new market and thrive despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Tony credits Realtor.com's high-quality leads and transparent support for their continued growth: "We buy a ton of leads from them, and we believe 100% in the product." The partnership has been instrumental in Paracle's success, with an annual GCI of $20M and a status as one of Realtor.com's top 100 clients.

    Paracle's systems work hand-in-hand with Realtor.com PRO leads, resulting in a conversion rate of 3-6% for Connections leads and 10-14% for Market VIP leads. The brokerage invests in lead performance managers who coach agents, up-leveling motivation and engagement. Tony emphasizes the importance of consistent quality and results: "We think Realtor.com offers some of the highest quality, highest intent leads."

    As a competitive advantage, Paracle leverages its Realtor.com investment for recruiting and retention efforts, showcasing their exclusive access to high-intent leads as a major draw for agents. The combination of strong systems, processes, training, and market exclusivity sets Paracle apart, making it easier to successfully recruit, retain, and grow staff.

    For brokerage leaders considering partnering with Realtor.com, Tony highlights the bottom line: "We're retaining close to 30% – which is more than double the industry right now. That makes your multiple a lot more attractive when you have a lead source like Realtor.com that allows you to convert and retain a higher company dollar."