How dotloop Has Been the “Difference-Maker” for Omaha’s Elite Real Estate Group's Virtual Back-Office

Jeff Cohn, team leader of Omaha’s Elite Real Estate Group, explains how dotloop for Teams has been the “difference-maker” for their virtual back office and how they managed 700 transactions with one full-time admin.

Within two months of starting the team, Cohn had recruited six agents, which allowed him to focus on refining his system and growing the team. By the next year, the team had expanded from 80 to 245 transactions and doubled its agent count to 12. They doubled again and again, and now with 50 agents onboard, Omaha’s Elite Real Estate Group is the No. 1 team in Nebraska and on track to close more than 1,000 transactions this year.

According to Omaha’s Elite Real Estate Group team leader Jeff Cohn, a new agent’s typical reaction is, “I can’t believe this was always here, and I didn’t know about it.”

What they didn’t know about was the system created by Cohn that helps agents maximize their effectiveness in an environment that supports as well as challenges them. An essential component of that system is dotloop for Teams, which enables each member to focus on their most important tasks.

How to Build a Top-Producing Team by Working Less and Producing More

In 2011, Jeff Cohn was a successful real estate agent by almost every measure. After five years, he’d become one of the top producers at his Omaha brokerage, making more than $300,000 per year.

But working six days a week was not leaving time for other important things in his life, like spending time with his kids.

Cohn thought that if he could build an agent team, he could delegate some of his work to recover this valuable time. Plus, being an effective leader would enable his team members to replicate what had made him so successful. Everyone would reap the benefit.

So he started Omaha’s Elite Real Estate Group under an independent broker in Omaha, Nebraska and four years later moved the team to one of the top in the U.S.

Within two months of starting the team, Cohn had recruited six agents, which allowed him to focus on refining his system and growing the team. By the next year, the team had expanded from 80 to 245 transactions and doubled its agent count to 12. They doubled again and again, and now with 50 agents onboard, Omaha’s Elite Real Estate Group is the No. one team in Nebraska.

Leveraging Data, Systems and Culture

Cohn realized that the team could work more effectively when they were basing their decisions on data and utilizing well-tested systems to guide their workflow. Each team member could then concentrate on their most important activities and do them in the most efficient way.

But people are not machines, so Cohn also created a culture in which each team member feels nurtured and engaged, but is also held accountable for meeting their own goals. For example, the team regularly ties their daily task performance to their long-term goals.

Technology also plays a vital role in the team infrastructure, starting with the core responsibility of any real estate professional — completing the home sale transaction quickly and with full compliance.

The Heart of the System: Dotloop’s Team Dashboard

An essential part of Cohn’s team system is the dotloop Team Dashboard. As the industry’s end-to-end transaction platform, dotloop ensures that each of the team’s pending transactions (about 100 at any given time) are progressing on schedule.

Having used a standard dotloop account as an agent, Cohn was already familiar with the platform. And when he learned about the broker-level features on the Team Dashboard, he was excited to upgrade. The team version allows him to automatically assign tasks based on team roles, for both agents and back office personnel. It then gives leadership and admins insight into each deal, providing at-a-glance views of what needs to be completed by whom, and giving Cohn up-to-the-minute metrics for holding team members accountable.

Another key feature is dotloop’s seamless integration with the team’s CRM platform, BoomTown.

Creating New Levels of Efficiency

The reason Cohn started Omaha’s Elite Real Estate Group in the first place was to gain efficiency in his own work life. His system is now doing that for everyone on his team. Cohn reports that they will be able to complete 1,000 transactions this year with only two transaction coordinators. By comparison, the industry standard is one transaction coordinator for about every 250-300 deals per year.

Preparing for Future Growth

New agents want to join Cohn’s team for two reasons. First, they are attracted to the supportive and challenging culture. And second, they want to work in his incredibly productive system.

Cohn’s leadership model has proven so effective that he created a separate coaching company to meet the demand. Through Elite Real Estate Systems he conducts elite training, hosts monthly workshops, and leads a popular team-building podcast. Through these resources, Cohn has influenced thousands of agents, team leaders, and brokers across the country—and the number is growing. Extensive training (both free and paid) on every aspect of running a successful real estate business can be accessed through the company’s site.

Real estate has changed dramatically in the past few years and teams like Omaha’s Elite Real Estate Group have been part of that change.