Why Real Brokerage Caught My Attention After Years in Real Estate

by Amanda Zito

Why did Real Brokerage catch my attention?

For me, it came down to the technology and the flexibility.

I work in both California and Texas, so I needed a brokerage that could work with the way I actually run my business. I didn't want my business tied to one office, one city, or one desk.

I've been a full-time REALTOR® since 2006, and before real estate, I worked in finance. So when I look at a brokerage, I'm not really interested in a flashy presentation.

I want to know what it looks like on a normal Tuesday when I have several deals going, clients calling, paperwork to submit, and I'm working between two states.

When I joined Real in late 2024, that was what stood out to me.

This isn't a post about splits, caps, or fees. I've talked about those separately in my article, Thinking About Real Brokerage? Run the Numbers First.

This is more about what caught my attention, what made me hesitate, and who I think this type of brokerage works well for.

My Business Doesn't Live in One Building

I'm licensed in California and Texas.

My home base is near Lake Travis, but I still regularly work with clients in Southern California, including the Inland Empire and High Desert.

That changes what I need from a brokerage.

A traditional real estate office works well when most of your business is close to that office. You can stop in, meet with clients, talk to your broker, and work alongside other agents.

But my business doesn't work that way anymore.

One week I may be helping a seller in Victorville while also working with a buyer around Lakeway.

An office in one city would only serve part of my business.

A lot of my work happens at properties, on the road, on my laptop, or from my phone.

So when I started looking at brokerages, one of my biggest questions was simple:

Can I run my business from wherever I happen to be?

What Caught My Attention: The Technology

At a lot of brokerages, technology feels like something that was added later.

You may have one system for transactions, another for commission information, another portal for brokerage documents, and several different logins to keep track of.

Real was built differently.

Its main platform, reZEN, is designed to let agents manage transactions, documents, commissions, and other parts of the business from one system.

That caught my attention.

Not because I think technology is exciting just for the sake of technology.

Because it makes my life easier.

What That Looks Like in Real Life

Let's say I'm in California for a listing appointment and something comes up on one of my Texas transactions.

I don't want to wait until I'm back at a desk.

I want to be able to pull out my phone, handle what needs to be handled, and keep moving.

That flexibility matters to me.

Real also has Leo, its AI assistant, built into its technology.

My view on AI is pretty simple.

AI does not replace being a good real estate agent.

It doesn't replace experience, negotiation skills, relationships, or knowing how to guide a client through a difficult decision.

But it can save time.

And when you're working in two states and moving between appointments, saving time matters.

Why This Matters More for Some Agents Than Others

Not every agent needs this kind of setup.

If you work in one market, love going into an office, and your current system works well for you, a remote brokerage may not feel like a big deal.

And that's okay.

But if you travel often, work multiple markets, help relocation clients, or simply want more flexibility in where and how you work, the technology becomes much more important.

For me, it wasn't just a nice feature.

It became part of the reason the model made sense.

What Worried Me: Giving Up the Office

This was probably my biggest hesitation.

There are things about having a physical office that are useful.

You have people around you.

You can walk down the hall and ask your broker a question.

You overhear conversations and sometimes learn something just by being in the room.

You also have a place to meet clients.

And for some agents, going into an office creates accountability and routine.

Those things are real.

A remote brokerage does not automatically replace them.

If you need someone physically around you every day to keep you focused, a cloud-based model can feel very different.

That is something I think agents should seriously consider before switching.

What I Found Instead

For me, client meetings were already changing.

Most meetings happen where they make the most sense.

Sometimes that's at the property.

Sometimes it's over coffee.

Sometimes it's on Zoom.

And with relocation clients, especially people moving between California and Texas, we may start working together long before we are ever sitting in the same room.

The community side is different too.

Instead of automatically seeing the same people in an office every day, you have to make an effort to connect.

Real has a large agent network, online groups, training, events, and different communities inside the company.

But you still have to participate.

Nobody is going to walk past your desk and start a conversation.

I also wrote about how Real Brokerage agents stay connected without a shared office, including the training, support, and agent communities available.

For me, the question eventually became:

Do I value the office more, or do I value the flexibility more?

At this point in my business, flexibility won.

Who I Think This Model Fits Best

Based on my experience, a remote, technology-focused brokerage can be a good fit for agents who:

Already know how to generate their own business
Travel often or work in more than one market
Are comfortable working from a phone or laptop
Like having flexibility in how they run their day
Don't need to be in a physical office to stay productive

It may be a harder fit for agents who:

Depend heavily on office floor time or brokerage-provided leads
Want daily in-person accountability
Prefer being surrounded by other agents every day
Are brand-new and learn best by watching people work in person

That doesn't make one model better than another.

It comes down to what fits you.

A brokerage can be great and still not be the right brokerage for the way you work.

If you're trying to figure out whether Real would be a good fit for your business, I also shared my thoughts on what type of agent tends to thrive at Real Brokerage.

What About the RE/MAX Combination?

If you're researching Real now, you've probably also seen the news about Real and RE/MAX.

The business combination was completed in August 2026, and the combined parent company is now Real REMAX Group Inc.

Naturally, that raises questions about what changes and what stays the same.

From what has been shared publicly, RE/MAX agents are not being forced to move onto Real's platform, while Real has also talked about making some of its technology and AI tools available across the larger network.

For me, it's still too early to say exactly what that means for agents long term.

The technology was one of the biggest reasons Real caught my attention in the first place.

So that's what I'm watching.

As the company grows, I want to see whether that technology and flexibility continue to stay at the center of the model.

If you're considering joining Real now, I think that's a fair question to ask.

Questions I Think Every Agent Should Ask Before Changing Brokerages

No matter which brokerage you're considering, I would ask yourself:

Can I run my business the way I want to from this brokerage?
Can I manage a transaction when I'm away from the office?
Who do I call when I need help?
Where will my leads and business come from?
What am I giving up if I leave my current brokerage?
How will I replace the things I actually use now?

That last question is especially important.

It's easy to focus on what you're gaining.

But you also need to understand what you may be giving up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Real Brokerage a remote brokerage?

Real is built around a cloud-based model instead of relying on a traditional office setup.

Agents can manage many parts of their business through reZEN using a computer or phone.

How remote your business feels really depends on how you choose to work.

Can you work in two states with Real Brokerage?

Yes.

I'm licensed in both California and Texas and work in both states through Real.

Each state still has its own licensing rules and requirements, so if you're planning to add another state, you'll want to look at that process separately.

Did the RE/MAX combination change Real Brokerage?

The combination was completed in August 2026.

Some changes are still developing, so if you're considering Real, I would ask specific questions about what has changed for agents and what has stayed the same.

Thinking About Real?

If you're comparing Real with your current brokerage, I'm happy to tell you what the day-to-day experience has actually been like for me.

That includes the parts I like and the things I think agents should think about before making a move.

No pressure. No big sales pitch.

Just bring your questions.

Amanda Zito
REALTOR® | California & Texas
Real Brokerage (CA) | Real Broker, LLC (TX)
CA DRE #01740063 | TX TREC #840088
SoldByZito.com | 949-484-9486