BrokerStaffer Releases Findings on Factors Driving Real Estate Agent Brokerage Choices

New York, United States, October 13th, 2026, FinanceWire

Leaders at Douglas Elliman, SERHANT., The Keyes Company and five other firms say competition for agents is shifting from signing incentives to development and retention

BrokerStaffer has published findings from interviews with eight U.S. brokerage and team leaders indicating that competition for real estate agents is increasingly focused on training, leads, technology, support, development and retention rather than commission splits alone. Leaders from Douglas Elliman, SERHANT., The Keyes Company and other firms discussed the factors agents consider when choosing and remaining with a brokerage.

"A few years ago, many recruiting conversations started and ended with, 'What's your split?'" said Jennifer Aragon, director of recruiting at The Keyes Company, which has served South Florida for 100 years.

Agents Want a Business Partner, Not a Place to Hang a License

"Agents are looking at the brokerage as a business partner, not simply a place to hang their license," Aragon said.

Elias Astuto, director of sales and coaching at FAST Agents, agreed. "Agents are looking for more than a better split or a different logo," he said. "Agents are asking themselves, 'Will being here make me better?'"

Matt Bowers, director of operations at the MattC Team of eXp Realty, said agents now expect the brokerage to work for them. His team pays for transaction coordinators, photography and marketing, and every agent gets one-on-one coaching. For John O'Reilly, owner and broker of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Base Camp, the answer is simpler: "Right now, it's stability, in the leader, staff and support systems the broker can offer."

Career Stage Influences Agent Priorities

Michael Skokowski, luxury real estate advisor, head of operations and founding member of SERHANT in Pennsylvania, said agents trying to grow want the tools, technology and systems to scale, while established high producers want support that lets them focus on selling.

Tim Jones, growth executive at Douglas Elliman in Los Angeles, said his firm recruits established agents who have hit a ceiling at their current brokerage. These agents are looking for "better growth potential," a "stronger or more distinctive brand," access to "higher-end business," and a clearer path to earning more without disrupting deals already in motion.

At the other end of the market, Robert Ott, managing broker of RainTown Realty, said his firm attracts agents who are "new and broken" and want "a fresh start," "hope" and "opportunity." Mike Sposato, owner and broker of Carolina Realty Advisors, said the agents most likely to move are newer or struggling agents who lack leads or feel unsupported. Many first chose a big brand expecting it to "do something magic." What they need, he said, is steady lead flow plus training, mentorship and accountability.

Splits Still Come Up, but Leaders Call Them The Wrong First Question

"If the first question is, 'What're my splits?' It might not be a good fit," O'Reilly said. Agents are now asking what they really need, he said: "Is it an extra 5% of my commission, or is it extra opportunities that I can close on, or extra skills [that] make me a better agent so that I can make more money … at the end of the year on my 1099?"

"The best agents understand that a slightly better split doesn't necessarily translate into a better business if they don't have the support, systems, leads, technology, and relationships to grow," Aragon said.

As Brokerages Look Alike, Brand and Reach Matter More

Skokowski said brokerages have started to look alike, with many offering similar tools, technology, MLS access, marketing and CRMs. As those gaps narrow, agents look harder at brand and reach. He pointed to SERHANT's following, which he called the "most followed real estate brand in the world," as a way to put more eyes on agents' listings.

Standing out matters at Douglas Elliman, too. One agent told Jones the firm appealed because there would be no other Douglas Elliman agent in the room. Agents are also hearing "so much noise," Jones said, and after a decade of Compass acquisitions, an agent who used to be a "bigger fish in a pond" can feel like one of many.

Agents can also check the pitch faster. "Agents can see what a brokerage is doing through social media, talk to agents already inside the organization, and quickly determine whether the experience matches the recruiting message," Astuto said. "The days of simply selling a brokerage are disappearing."

The Next Fight: Developing and Keeping Agents

"I think the competition for agents is going to become less about who can offer the biggest recruiting incentive and more about who can demonstrate the greatest ability to help an agent build a successful, sustainable business," Aragon said. "Don't just recruit agents. Give them a reason to stay, grow, and succeed."

Ott expects well-funded brands like Keller Williams and eXp to keep attracting agents, but said many recruits are "not going to stick around" because they're "not making any money." Smaller firms have to get "better and better at helping agents produce," he said.

Technology will shape that race, too. Agents "don't necessarily want more technology," Aragon said. "They want the right technology that saves them time, simplifies their business, and allows them to spend more time with clients." Skokowski said SERHANT recently hired a CTO focused on AI and launched S.MPL 2.0, an app that works like a virtual assistant: agents can request listing presentations, postcards, newsletters, CRM updates and social posts from their phones. The firm pairs it with its Sell It! coaching and accountability program.

It Comes Down to Fit

O'Reilly said fit runs both ways: "Are they somebody that we want to hang our shingle with, and are we somebody that they want to associate with?"

"Recruiting is not about convincing someone to change brokerages," Aragon said. "It's about understanding what an agent wants to accomplish and determining whether we can help them get there."

Commission splits will stay part of every recruiting conversation, but these leaders say splits alone no longer decide where agents go. The brokerages that win in the years ahead will be the ones that can show agents how they will grow.

About BrokerStaffer

BrokerStaffer is an agent recruiting service for real estate brokerages and teams.

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