Why I Chose REAL Brokerage: My Perspective as an Agent

I’ve been in real estate long enough to know that there is no perfect brokerage.

There are great agents at every company, and I don’t believe that changing the name on your business card suddenly makes you a better REALTOR®. Ultimately, your clients hire you.

But I do think the brokerage you choose can either support the business you’re trying to build or make it unnecessarily expensive and complicated.

That realization was a big part of why I chose REAL.

Before making the move, I started looking more critically at what I was actually paying to operate my real estate business. There were monthly brokerage fees, but those weren't necessarily covering everything I needed. I was also paying separately for technology, tools and other services required to actually run and market my business.

Individually, none of those expenses seemed outrageous. Collectively? They added up.

And in an industry where income can fluctuate significantly from month to month, I started questioning why so much of my overhead was fixed.

I wanted less overhead and more flexibility

One of the first things that caught my attention about REAL was simple: there are no monthly brokerage fees.

That doesn't mean REAL is free, and I actually think it's important to be transparent about that.

REAL's Canadian model currently operates on an 85/15 commission split, with the company portion capped at $15,000 annually for an individual agent. There is a $249 CAD sign-up fee, a $1,200 annual Brokerage and Risk Management Fee collected from your first three transactions of the anniversary year, and a $40 Compliance and Broker Review fee on transactions. Once you reach your annual cap, different post-cap transaction fees apply.

The difference for me is that the costs are clearly laid out.

I know what I'm paying. I know when I'm paying it. And I'm not starting every month with another brokerage bill simply because I'm registered with a brokerage.

For a self-employed real estate agent, I think that flexibility matters.

It also gives me more control over where I choose to invest in my business. Instead of automatically allocating money toward monthly brokerage overhead, I can make decisions based on what my business actually needs.

I wanted the ability to earn beyond my next transaction

Real estate has traditionally been very linear.

Sell a house. Earn a commission.

Then go find the next client and do it again.

There is nothing wrong with that model. It's how most of us built our businesses. But one of the things that interested me about REAL was the opportunity to participate in other forms of income and ownership.

REAL agents can potentially earn through several avenues beyond traditional commission, including revenue share and various stock and equity programs, subject to the qualifications of each program.

For me, the concept itself was important.

I liked the idea of being part of a company where helping grow the organization could have a financial benefit, and where agents could potentially participate in the company's equity rather than simply paying money into a brokerage year after year.

It changes the way I think about my career.

I'm still a REALTOR®. I'm still building my own book of business. But there are now opportunities to build something alongside that business too.

I once thought I would open my own brokerage

For years, opening my own brokerage felt like the logical next step.

I loved the idea of building a community of agents, creating a culture, mentoring people and building something bigger than my individual real estate practice.

What I didn't necessarily want was everything that came with owning the brokerage itself.

The overhead. The administration. The compliance responsibilities. The liability. The technology. The staffing.

The seemingly endless list of things that have absolutely nothing to do with selling real estate or helping agents become better at it.

REAL gave me another option.

I can build a community within an existing brokerage infrastructure. I can introduce agents to the company, help them navigate the business, share what I've learned and potentially earn revenue share as that community grows.

It gives me some of what appealed to me about brokerage ownership without requiring me to build an entire brokerage from scratch or take on the overhead and liability that comes with it.

For this stage of my career, that made a lot of sense.

One of REAL's most underrated resources: training

This one doesn't get talked about enough.

REAL Academy gives agents access to training and education covering the actual business of real estate, including live coaching and programs taught by people actively working in the industry.

And I think that's important.

Real estate education gives us an important foundation in compliance, regulation and many of the practical skills required in the day-to-day work of being a REALTOR®. But being a successful real estate professional also means becoming an entrepreneur.

You have to learn how to build a business.

That means developing the habits, systems and discipline required to generate business consistently, serve your clients well, manage your time and finances, market yourself, adapt when the market changes and ultimately create something that can perform year after year.

Lead generation. Marketing. Systems. Negotiations. Business planning. Technology. Building a team. Scaling.

These are skills that take time to master, and most agents develop them through a combination of experience, mentorship, coaching and, inevitably, some trial and error.

Having ongoing education and live coaching available through REAL Academy has been one of the resources I've really come to appreciate. You're not just learning how to do another transaction. You have access to people and programs that can help you think about how to build a better business.

Transparency matters to me

I don't think agents should choose a brokerage because someone tells them the split sounds good.

Ask questions.

What is the cap? What are the transaction fees? What happens after you cap? Are there monthly fees? Are there annual fees? What technology is included? What will you still need to purchase separately? What support are you actually receiving? What happens if you have a difficult transaction and need your broker?

And most importantly:

What will it actually cost you to run your business there for an entire year?

REAL publishes its fee structure, and I appreciate being able to look at the numbers and make my own decision.

Every agent's production and business model is different, so I would encourage anyone considering a brokerage change to actually run the numbers rather than choosing based on a logo, a commission split or someone else's experience.

And then REAL got much bigger

There's another interesting chapter unfolding.

In August 2026, REAL completed its combination with RE/MAX Holdings, creating Real REMAX Group, a global organization representing more than 180,000 agents across 120+ countries and territories.

Importantly, REAL continues to operate under the REAL brand.

For me, this development is particularly interesting because I previously worked within the RE/MAX network. I made the decision to leave that model and join REAL based on what I believed was right for my business, so watching these two organizations ultimately come together is a pretty remarkable full-circle moment.

More broadly, I think it says something about where our industry is going.

Technology is changing.

Agent expectations are changing.

The economics of being a REALTOR® are changing.

And agents are becoming much more thoughtful about what they're actually getting in exchange for the money they pay their brokerage.

Would I tell every agent to join REAL?

No.

And I mean that sincerely.

Your brokerage needs to fit the way you want to build your business.

Some agents want a physical office they walk into every morning. Some want a traditional team environment. Some need hands-on mentorship. Others are established, independent and want maximum flexibility.

There isn't one answer for everyone.

But I do think every agent should periodically look at their business and ask whether their brokerage still makes sense for where they're trying to go.

If you've ever looked at your brokerage statement and wondered exactly what you're paying for...

If you're paying monthly fees and then paying separately for much of the technology you actually use...

If you've thought about building a team, a community or even your own brokerage...

If you're interested in creating income beyond your next commission cheque...

Or if you're simply curious about whether there is another way to structure your real estate business...

I'd be happy to talk to you about my experience.

Not a sales pitch. Not a pressure conversation.

Just one agent talking to another about what I've learned, what I like, what I think you should consider before making a move, and whether REAL actually makes sense for the business you're trying to build.

Because changing brokerages is a big decision.

You should understand exactly what you're joining before you make it.

If you're curious about REAL, let's have a conversation.

[Learn more about joining REAL with me →]