What Agents Are Usually Worried About Before Moving to Real

What are agents most worried about before joining Real Brokerage?

Usually, it comes down to the same few things:

Will I still have broker support?
Are there hidden fees?
Is revenue share basically an MLM?
Can I keep my own brand?
What happens to my current listings and escrows?
Is the technology hard to learn?
And what does the RE/MAX deal mean for Real agents?

Most agents I talk to are not necessarily worried about Real as a company.

They are worried about what happens to their business after they make the switch.

And I think that is the right question to ask.

Changing brokerages affects more than your commission split. It can affect your systems, your active clients, your marketing, and the way you work every day.

When I moved to Real in late 2024, one of my biggest concerns was giving up a physical office.

So if you are looking at Real and have a long list of “what ifs,” here are some of the biggest concerns I hear.

1. “What If I Need Help With a Difficult Deal?”

This is probably the most common concern, and I think it is a fair one.

At a traditional brokerage, you may be used to walking into an office and talking to someone when there is a problem.

At a cloud-based brokerage, support looks different.

You may be sending a message, calling a broker, or submitting a support request instead of walking down the hall.

But what really matters is not whether there is an office.

It is whether you can reach the right person when you actually need help.

A California transaction dealing with an appraisal issue can be very different from a Texas transaction involving a TREC form or amendment.

So before joining any brokerage, ask:

Who do I contact when I have a contract question?

How quickly do brokers usually respond?

Is there support available when something comes up after normal business hours?

Those questions matter more than whether there is a desk waiting for you somewhere.

For me, the biggest thing I missed was not the physical office itself.

It was the casual conversations with other agents.

And if being around agents every day helps you stay motivated, that is something you should seriously consider.

It is a real trade-off.

2. “The Numbers Look Good. What Am I Missing?”

Real's main compensation structure is an 85/15 split with a $12,000 annual cap for a solo agent, with no traditional monthly desk fee.

But that does not mean there are no other fees.

There can be sign-up fees, annual brokerage fees, transaction fees, compliance fees, and post-cap fees.

And like most brokerages, those fees can change over time.

That is why I would never make a brokerage decision based on an old YouTube video, social media post, or spreadsheet someone made two years ago.

Look at the current fee schedule.

Then run the numbers using your own business.

How many transactions do you normally close?

What is your average commission?

Do you usually cap?

Are you doing a higher number of smaller transactions or fewer higher-priced sales?

A low cap sounds great, but it matters a lot more if you actually reach it.

Your own production numbers should decide whether the model makes sense.

Not the headline.

3. “Is Revenue Share Basically an MLM?”

I understand why agents ask this.

Some of the recruiting you see online can make it feel that way.

But revenue share at Real comes from the brokerage's portion of a sponsored agent's commission.

It does not come out of that agent's 85% split.

You also do not have to recruit agents in order to earn money as a real estate agent.

You can simply sell real estate.

That said, there are agents who focus heavily on recruiting because revenue share can become another income stream.

And sometimes the recruiting side can feel louder than the real estate side.

Personally, I think revenue share should be looked at as an extra opportunity.

It should not be the main reason you change brokerages.

If the numbers and business model do not make sense without future revenue share, I would look at that carefully before making a move.

4. “Can I Keep My Own Brand?”

For the most part, yes.

And this was one of the things I liked about Real.

You can build your business around your own name or team brand instead of making the brokerage brand the main focus of your marketing.

That was important to me because I wanted to build around Amanda Zito and my own real estate business.

But you still have to follow your state's advertising rules.

California and Texas both have requirements about how your brokerage needs to appear in advertising.

So before changing your signs, website, social media profiles, or marketing materials, make sure you understand the rules in your state.

Your brand can lead.

But your brokerage still needs to be shown where required.

5. “What Happens to My Listings and Pending Deals?”

This is one of the most important things to understand before changing brokerages.

Your listings generally belong to your current brokerage through the listing agreement.

They do not automatically move with you just because you change companies.

Pending transactions may also need to close under the brokerage where they were originally written.

What happens with your specific listings depends on your current brokerage, your agreement with them, your clients, and state rules.

This is why timing matters.

Sometimes the best time to change brokerages is not the day you decide you are ready.

It may make more sense to wait until certain listings or pending transactions are finished.

Before making any announcement, read your independent contractor agreement and talk with the appropriate broker about how your current pipeline would be handled.

6. “I'm Not Great With Technology”

That is another fair concern.

Real uses several different systems, including reZEN for transactions, Workvivo for communication and community, training platforms, and other technology tools.

There is definitely a learning curve when you first join.

The first few weeks can feel like a lot because everything is new.

But after you use the systems a few times, they start becoming part of your normal routine.

My biggest advice would be this:

If possible, do not make the switch during your busiest week of the year.

Give yourself time to learn where things are before you have three escrows, two listings, and a contract problem happening at the same time.

The technology is learnable.

But you still need time to learn it.

7. “What Does the RE/MAX Deal Change?”

This is one of the newer questions agents are asking.

Real completed its acquisition of RE/MAX Holdings in August 2026, creating a much larger combined real estate company.

But that does not mean every RE/MAX agent suddenly became a Real agent or that both companies now operate exactly the same way.

There are still questions about how the two companies will continue to work together over time.

And I think that is the part where agents should avoid pretending they know exactly what will happen.

Some things may change.

Some things may stay the same.

There may be more resources available as the company grows.

There may also be more systems and processes as a larger company develops.

If you are thinking about joining Real now, ask what has actually changed since the deal closed.

Not what someone thinks might happen three years from now.

The Question Most Agents Are Really Asking

Underneath all of these concerns is usually one bigger question:

What if I switch brokerages and regret it?

That is a valid concern.

Changing brokerages takes time.

You may need to update your marketing, learn new systems, communicate with clients, move files, change signs, and adjust the way you run your business.

But staying somewhere that no longer fits also has a cost.

It may just be harder to see because you are already used to it.

The best way to lower the risk is to slow down and look at the details before you move.

Review the current fees.

Talk to agents in your state.

Ask about broker support.

Look at the technology.

Understand what happens to your active deals.

And read the exit terms too.

You should know how easy it is to leave before you decide to join.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to recruit agents to make money at Real Brokerage?

No.

You can simply sell real estate and earn commissions like you would at another brokerage.

Revenue share is optional.

Does Real Brokerage have physical offices?

Real is primarily a cloud-based brokerage, so agents generally do not work from a traditional office every day.

Support, training, and communication are handled remotely.

If in-person interaction is important to you, ask what local agent groups, meetings, or events are available in your area.

Can I use my own brand at Real Brokerage?

Generally, yes.

You can build your business around your own name or team.

But you still need to follow your state's advertising rules and properly identify your brokerage where required.

Thinking About Real? Ask the Questions First.

If you are considering Real Brokerage, I do not think you should join because someone gives you a good recruiting pitch.

You should understand how it would actually affect your business.

Ask about the fees.

Ask about support.

Ask about your listings.

Ask about the technology.

And ask about the things you are worried about before you make the move.

If you want to talk through how Real works and whether it makes sense for the way you run your business, I am happy to share my experience.

No pressure and no script.

Just bring your questions.

Amanda Zito, REALTOR®
Real Brokerage — California
Real Broker, LLC — Texas
CA DRE #01740063 | TX TREC #840088
Member of Real's Luxury and Military divisions
SoldByZito.com | 949-484-9486