Research Study: What Agents Really Want in a Brokerage

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Agents are at the center of the real estate transaction, and this new research study dives into what they value most in a brokerage – and the top reasons they make a move.

Why it matters: The success of a real estate brokerage hinges on its ability to recruit and retain agents, so it’s natural that they should understand the practical and emotional drivers that cause an agent to switch brokerage.

  • The research uncovered that while financial considerations and technology are important, emotional alignment, leadership accessibility, and a strong sense of belonging are the true differentiators that drive loyalty and satisfaction.
     

  • This is the most common language used by agents for what they want in their brokerage:

 
 

Agent transitions follow predictable patterns that are driven by a combination of practical and emotional drivers.

  • Agents moving from large to small brokerages often seek greater autonomy, personal connection, and mentorship. 
     

  • Conversely, those moving from small to large are looking for polish, brand recognition, and operational efficiency – but they don’t always find belonging.
     

  • A key phrase that resonated – and sums up the best of both worlds – is, “big enough to back you, small enough to know you.”

Having great technology (and strong financial incentives) are table stakes; what agents really look for in a brokerage are the softer, emotional factors.

  • Agents value training, support, and mentorship, all while feeling like “a little family” – something that can be difficult to provide as a brokerage grows in size.

A lack of support and tech overload are some of the biggest pain points for agents.

  • Technology is a double-edged sword: agents want the newest tools, but only if it’s seamless and easy to use.
     

  • Agents said things like “KW Command felt like a full-time job” and “I might have only communicated with my broker 10 times in 13 years” – highlighting the challenges brokerages can face around technology and support.

The bottom line: This research suggests that agents use a combination of practical and emotional factors when choosing a brokerage.

  • And while both are important, there may be a bigger gap (and opportunity) when it comes to the emotional factors; it’s not all about the split.
     

  • The ideal brokerage combines boutique-style warmth with enterprise-level polish, a best of both worlds value proposition that is easier said than done, and that becomes more difficult at scale.

I collaborated with my friends Eric and Sean on this research. If you want to dig deeper, they recorded an hour-long podcast digging into the results of the research project.

Research methodology: A total of 10 in-depth interviews were conducted in June 2025 with real estate agents who have spent at least five years in the industry and recently left a brokerage (within the last six months), with annual sales ranging from $3.5M–$35M.

  • Interviews were distributed across U.S. census regions: South, West, Northeast, and Midwest.
     

  • The interviews, conducted via Zoom, lasted approximately 40 minutes each.