Key facts
- Real estate brokerages are losing money by focusing on relationship-building over process when recruiting agents.
- In 2025, about 16% of agents changed firms, but net sales volume for top brands grew only 1.8%.
- Departing agents averaged $2.11 million in production, while their replacements averaged $1.44 million.
- Agents are more likely to respond to better compensation than to cold recruiting emails.
- Agents who have moved are 1.7 times more likely to move again, and those remaining after a 20% agent loss are 1.9 times more likely to follow.
The real estate industry's approach to agent recruiting is flawed, prioritizing relationship-building over data-driven processes, according to Brant Levine, founder of Broker Recruiters. The common belief that it takes 'a thousand cups of coffee' to recruit an agent lacks empirical evidence and leads to inefficient practices. While many agents ignore cold outreach, they are more receptive to offers of better compensation and tangible financial benefits. Data indicates that agent moves are triggered by specific events and economic factors, not just goodwill. Firms that focus on understanding agent economics and identifying key triggers are more successful in recruitment.