Key facts
- One in eight producing agents change brokerages annually.
- Agents who changed firms in the previous year were 1.7 times as likely to move again.
- Agents are nearly twice as likely to move when an office loses at least 20% of its agents.
- Roughly $14.4 billion in annualized production changed firms during the third quarter.
- 35 of every 100 agents recruited had no recorded closing in the quarter after joining a new brokerage.
A Q3 2026 report indicates that real estate agents are more inclined to switch brokerages due to factors like leadership, company culture, and support systems rather than a decline in sales. The "Agent Migration and Brokerage Model Performance Report," a collaboration between Recruiting Insight and Lone Wolf Technologies, analyzed data from over 109,000 agents across major US multiple listing services.
Researchers found that a significant drop in an agent's sales production did not necessarily predict a move, but agents who had previously changed firms were more likely to do so again. The report also highlighted that high agent turnover within an office can trigger further departures among remaining agents.
Mark Johnson, the report's author, emphasized the importance of proactive retention strategies, such as "stay interviews," to understand agents' needs and concerns before they consider leaving. The findings suggest that brokerage execution and fostering personal connections are more critical than the specific business model employed.