Understanding Agent Turnover: Why Real Estate Professionals Leave Brokerages
Discover why agents leave brokerages—and how to retain top talent by improving culture, training, tech, and compensation.
As a real estate leader, you’re often balancing multiple priorities: driving revenue, managing client relationships, and ensuring your team’s success. Amidst these responsibilities, few things are as perplexing—and potentially damaging—as watching your agents walk out the door in droves. You’re left to scratch your head and wonder where you went wrong.
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Today’s real estate landscape is competitive, so understanding the various reasons why agents are leaving their can help you strengthen your brokerage, retain top talent, and boost overall success.
Let’s dig in.
1. Your brokerage isn’t keeping up with market trends
Recognizing and responding to real estate market trends is essential for maintaining a thriving brokerage. With the constant ebb and flow of the real estate market, a static approach can quickly lead to obsolescence. What does that mean for you? Agents are constantly weighing their options and seeking environments that embrace change, particularly as it relates to technology and innovation.
Economic shifts, interest rate changes, and demographic trends all dramatically impact buyer and seller behavior. Brokerages that offer ongoing education and access to the latest data are often better able to prepare their agents to navigate these changes. By providing these resources, you give your team a distinct competitive advantage.
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2. Your brokerage isn’t offering a competitive compensation structure
When evaluating your compensation structures, it’s crucial to ask yourself: are they fair and transparent? How do they compare to other brokerages? Not only determine if the commission split is comparable, but complicated or hidden fees can quickly become a point of frustration for agents, leading them to look elsewhere. Simple, straightforward agreements that clearly outline commission splits promote trust and satisfaction.
Also keep in mind that compensation isn’t solely about commission rates. Consider the total value you offer. Non-monetary benefits can be just as critical in retaining talent. From extra perks to company benefits, ensure that your agents feel they are receiving a fair exchange—support and resources for their hard work and loyalty.
3. Your brokerage’s technology is outdated or isn’t user-friendly
Agents today are not just evaluating their brokerage based on commissions, but also on the technological tools that empower their productivity and success. The key to harnessing technology lies in its ability to simplify complex tasks, provide intuitive solutions, and offer mobile accessibility—a critical component for agents always on the move.
Having a solid, easy-to-use CRM and integrating efficient lead generation systems within your tech stack can significantly enhance agent satisfaction. If your agents consistently see a tangible impact on their sales with manageable effort, they are more likely to remain loyal to your brokerage.
4. Your brokerage isn’t offering enough training and skill development opportunities
Training and development aren’t optional anymore—they’re essential. Agents want more than just the basics; they want a clear path for growth and the tools to thrive in today’s fast-paced market.
Start by evaluating your current training programs: Are they truly meeting the evolving needs of your agents?
Then, level up:
Host workshops on market shifts, advanced negotiation strategies, and cutting-edge tech.
Create mentorship opportunities by pairing seasoned agents with newer ones to foster collaboration and accelerate learning.
Bring in industry coaches or trainers to deliver high-impact, skill-building sessions.
Not all agents learn the same way, so offer a mix of formats—from live training and on-demand videos to peer-led roundtables. The more flexible and targeted your development opportunities, the stronger your team’s performance and retention will be.
5. Your team members aren’t feeling recognized or appreciated
Recognition and appreciation aren’t just perks—they’re pillars of a thriving brokerage. As a leader, acknowledging your agents’ hard work and achievements can significantly impact their sense of belonging and motivation.
Agents who feel valued are more likely to be engaged and motivated to contribute even more to the brokerage’s success. Recognition should be genuine and sincere, acknowledging not just the results, but the effort and dedication behind the scenes. This kind of recognition signals to your agents that they are an integral part of the team’s success, not just another number.
6. Your brokerage lacks a strong company culture
A brokerage’s culture should resonate with its agents, offering a supportive and inclusive work environment that champions their successes. A significant aspect to consider is the alignment of values; when an agent’s personal values align with the brokerage’s, the result is increased satisfaction and loyalty. Maintaining high levels of integrity and values like honesty and professionalism can make your agents unrecruitable to any other company.
Regular assessments of your brokerage’s culture can provide invaluable insights into areas of strength and opportunities for improvement. Pay close attention to your agents’ feedback and concerns, and you will be able to strategically manage and enhance the culture, thus positively influencing agent retention.
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The Takeaway
In the evolving real estate landscape, it’s crucial to stay attuned to your agents’ needs and address the factors influencing their decisions to leave. From fostering a supportive culture to providing competitive compensation and embracing technology, every step you take reflects your commitment to their success.
By investing in agent training and recognizing their contributions, you pave the way for long-term loyalty and a thriving brokerage. Remember, it’s not just about adapting to market trends but also about creating a positive, growth-focused environment. By taking these proactive measures, you ensure that your brokerage becomes not just a place to work, but a meaningful destination for agents aiming to build their careers.
Related reading: Hiveologie – The Hidden Costs of Real Estate Agent Turnover—and How to Fix Them
For Your Agent…
I want to take a moment to recognize the incredible work each of you does every day. Your dedication and passion for serving clients and achieving your personal best fuel the success of our brokerage. Remember, challenges are opportunities in disguise—letting us learn, grow, and excel in our careers.
As your leader, I am committed to supporting you in every way possible. Whether it’s providing the training you need, the technology to streamline your work, or simply being there for guidance and encouragement, I’m here to ensure you feel empowered and valued. Together, we can achieve remarkable things. Let’s continue to rise, support one another, and exceed our goals. Here’s to your continued success!
Darryl Davis is an award-winning international speaker, real estate and business coach, and best-selling author of three books, all published by McGraw Hill Publishers.
For more than 35 years, Darryl has spoken to and trained more than 600,000 sales professionals around the globe to more than double their production year after year. His book, How to Become a Power Agent in Real Estate, tops Amazon’s charts for one of the most sold books to real estate agents.
He was awarded the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation by the National Speaker’s Association, which is given to less than 2% of all speakers worldwide.
Whether from a stage or Zooming into a virtual room, Darryl’s extraordinary humor, relatability, and natural gift for teaching real-world, results-producing skills and mindsets to audiences have made him a client favorite throughout his career.
Audiences will laugh, learn, and ultimately walk away better prepared for a changing world, with the tools, skills, and training they need to build their businesses with more ease and less stress and to design lives and careers worth smiling about.
Bring One of Darryl’s W.O.R.K. Topics to Your Organization!
By providing your agents with the knowledge and insights they need to stay ahead of the game, you can ensure that they are equipped to handle any situation that comes their way!
Contact us here to learn more!