In 2007, Jae Kim was a top-producing agent at RE/MAX with a team of nine. His lucrative career selling real estate was guided by a philosophy of helping others. He wanted to share his knowledge and experience with those around him so they too could have similarly successful careers. He continually brought in new agents and had them co-list properties alongside him to gain practical, guided experience and it was this aspect of his job that inspired a hunger for more. “I want to change more lives,” said Jae, “and being the owner of an office gives you more opportunity to groom and coach people.”
The decision to purchase a franchise put Jae at a crossroad. He contemplated staying with RE/MAX or switching to Keller Williams, but felt their models were misaligned with his core values and principles. It was then that he agreed to meet Michael Washburn, Regional Owner of EXIT of the Carolinas, where he learned all about sponsoring and EXIT’s unique formula of single-level residuals.
When an Associate introduces a salesperson to EXIT who’s then hired by management, that Associate is paid a sponsoring bonus by EXIT’s corporate office equivalent to 10% of the new member’s gross commissions for as long as they’re with EXIT to a maximum of $10,000 per year per member. Sponsoring residuals convert into 7% retirement residuals should one choose to retire or take a break from selling real estate or 5% beneficiary benefits should something happen to the Associate.
In 2009, Jae opened EXIT Real Estate Solutions in South Carolina. “It was just me and my assistant. I started making phone calls and meeting people. To everybody I met I said, ‘Do you want to consider working for my company and I’ll personally teach you?’”
His business was blossoming and, through his growing roster of new members, so too was his residual income. “It was slow at first, but then I hit $100,000 with this, then I hit $200,000. That’s when I realized this is real, it does work!” Jae would go on to earn a remarkable $600,000 in sponsorship residuals over nine-and-a-half years, averaging $5,500 per month. He put this money towards boats, a home, a car for his mom, an allowance for his son studying abroad, and frequent vacations through Europe with his family. “When we’re in Europe, every time I withdraw sponsoring bonus cash, I have the kids say, ‘Thank you EXIT!’”
In 2011, Jae opened his second EXIT Real Estate Solutions franchise in South Carolina, and in 2019, opened his third franchise, EXIT Realty Partners in Alabama. “The fact that I can mentor others is my reward but earning a bonus from head office whenever a closing happens – that’s gravy,” he says, “This is a no-brainer; sponsoring fits exactly what I do and how I live my life.”
