Tiger Prop

Max Corsi had been working in real estate since 2001—over a decade of frustration with an archaic industry that hadn't fundamentally changed. The average real estate agent in America sells just four homes per year, and the commission structure felt broken to both buyers and sellers. Max decided to launch Tiger Prop in 2013 to fix two core problems: buyers got no incentive alignment (just fruit baskets from brokers who pocketed full 3% commissions), and listings looked inconsistent because agents couldn't reliably afford professional photography.

Tiger Prop's model was simple but radical. Instead of keeping the full 3% buyer's agent commission, Max would rebate 20% back to the buyer as a credit at closing—showing up right on the HUD statement. For sellers, Tiger Prop standardized all services: professional photography, videography, yard signs, and flyers. Agents kept 70% of remaining commissions; the brokerage took 30%. Max still earned from each transaction, but agents had to believe that standardized services + incentive-aligned buyers = more deals. His first agent proved it worked: 16 homes sold in year one, then 37 in year two—versus the four-home national average.

Max leveraged his 12 years of real estate relationships and credibility. His model was so compelling—agents made more volume despite lower per-deal splits—that he recruited outstanding talent. Word-of-mouth built momentum as agents' friends and families referred clients who appreciated the rebates and professional listings.

The standardized photography became a major differentiator. No other major brokerage standardized it; Tiger Prop never took a single listing without professional images. This created a virtuous cycle: better listings + buyer rebates attracted more clients, which attracted better agents, which attracted more clients. By year two, the company had grown to 25 agents with 100% year-over-year growth. Max also discovered a co-working space opportunity: he bought a former art gallery in downtown Boise with 80 feet of frontage, negotiated free designer furniture through a partnership, and spun up a coffee shop and print business—turning fixed costs into revenue streams.

Tiger Prop hit $800k revenue in 2015 (roughly double the previous year). The 25-agent brokerage was already planning expansion into San Diego and Los Angeles, with realistic targets of 20-30 agents per market. Max had created a "symbiotic ecosystem" where the brokerage, agents, buyers, sellers, and even side businesses like the coffee shop all benefited. At 38 with three kids, Max remained hands-on as both CEO and real estate broker, using tools like Paperless Pipeline to keep transaction files organized across geographies. His philosophy—"have fun and help people"—had carried him from solo agent frustration to building an alternative brokerage model.