Newly licensed salesperson seeking advice on brokerage selection

Los Angeles County, California
Real Estate Agent
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Newly licensed salesperson seeking advice on brokerage selection

Taylor Kendrick
New to Real Estate · Member since 2024 · 31 posts · 14 votes
Hello everyone, I’ve been fortunate enough to have completed my salesperson licensing and am now in a position to sign with a brokerage. Really, my focus is on finding a brokerage with superior training resources/support. I am based in the Los Angeles area (west side) for reference. I’m posting here looking for advice or insight on my options in this market. So far, I’ve sat down with a local KW branch and am working towards sit-downs with a few other big brand offices as well. I’m wondering if there are perhaps some teams or boutique brokerages that I am not aware of but should be. Would love to hear anyone’s thoughts or experiences related to my situation. My DMs are open as well if you’d like to keep complaints or other negative experiences on the down-low. Many thanks in advance!
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Joe HomsBusiness Member
Flipper · Mission Viejo, CA · Member since 2014 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
4mo

@Taylor Kendrick the first thing you should do is focus on yourself.  Who are you?  Are you a self starter that does not need much help to create leads and close deals?  Or is your mom still waking you up every morning?  

Are you going to be a full time or part time agent?  Are you able to learn from recorded training on the internet, or do you need one-on-one class room training?

You should find a company that is there for "YOU" and not the other way around.  Either an active broker/manager/mentor or someone willing to show you the ropes.  

Then take the above and look for a company that suits your style.  A go getter should not be looking for a brokerage with large splits, but someone who needs their hands held should expect to pay 20% or more on their splits.

Good Investing..

[email protected]949-625-4533
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  • Joe HomsBusiness Member
    Flipper · Mission Viejo, CA · Member since 2014 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    4mo

    @Taylor Kendrick the first thing you should do is focus on yourself.  Who are you?  Are you a self starter that does not need much help to create leads and close deals?  Or is your mom still waking you up every morning?  

    Are you going to be a full time or part time agent?  Are you able to learn from recorded training on the internet, or do you need one-on-one class room training?

    You should find a company that is there for "YOU" and not the other way around.  Either an active broker/manager/mentor or someone willing to show you the ropes.  

    Then take the above and look for a company that suits your style.  A go getter should not be looking for a brokerage with large splits, but someone who needs their hands held should expect to pay 20% or more on their splits.

    Good Investing..

    [email protected]949-625-4533
    3Reply
  • Janice Carter
    Real Estate Broker · Atlanta · Member since 2024 · 1k+ posts · 606 votes
    4mo

    @Taylor Kendrick Congrats on getting licensed. As a new agent, I would focus less on the commission split and more on training, mentorship, lead opportunities and accessibility of the broker or team leader. A good mentor and strong support system can dramatically shorten your learning curve and help you avoid costly mistakes early on. Also, don’t overlook smaller boutique brokerages as some provide much more hands on guidance than the larger brokerages.

    1Reply
  • Abel CurielBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Queens, NY · Member since 2016 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    4mo

    Congratulations on your license @Taylor Kendrick!

    KW is a great brokerage to begin with but as @Joe Homs said, focus on yourself first.

    If you have goals and are committed to working towards them each day, the next step would be finding a brokerage that has a path to help you get there.

    Lead gen and follow-up will be at the core of your business. Training and support are relatively easy to find. Instead of looking for that, find an environment where you can enhance your lead gen, follow-up, and conversion skills. 

    All the best!

    Abel

    REbuild Team - eXp Realty5234 Reviews
    WebsiteView Page
    1Reply
  • Trevor Stoll
    Real Estate Agent · Hutchinson, KS · Member since 2025 · 1 post · 1 vote
    3mo

    When I got into the business, I joined a brokerage that said  they offered more than they actually did. I would consider them a "boutique" When it came down to it, I wanted training, excellent office support, marketing tools readily available, and a step by step recipe to follow, which is how I ended up at Midwest Land Group 3 years later. I think those things are very important as a new agent. It comes with a higher split, but it doesn't hurt to ask if the brokerage will provide leads which may make the higher split worth it. Determine what is most important to you and ask questions. If they proclaim they offer something, have them prove it. Good luck!

    1Reply
  • Pouyan BroukhimBusiness Member
    Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2016 · 64 posts · 19 votes
    3mo

    To gain the necessary experience, I highly recommend joining a growing, ambitious team. It is often most effective to surround yourself with highly driven professionals who share your hunger for success.

    PB FInancial group corp
    WebsiteView Page
    1Reply
  • Christian Grosskopf
    Investor · Louisville, KY · Member since 2017 · 92 posts · 38 votes
    3mo

    I ultimately went with KW, and one of the biggest reasons was the training and culture around education. As a newer agent, I wanted access to systems, coaching, and people who were willing to share what was working rather than trying to figure everything out on my own.

    That said, I think the specific office and the people in it matter more than the logo on the building. I'd spend as much time evaluating the leadership team, mentorship opportunities, and successful agents in the office as you do comparing commission splits. The right environment can accelerate your learning curve tremendously, especially in your first couple of years. Good luck with the decision!

    0Reply
  • Tony Na
    Member since 2026 · 1 post · 0 votes
    3mo

    One thing I wish someone told me when I was choosing - ask if the CRM account is yours or the brokerages. My first broker set me up on their FUB and when I left I couldnt take a single contact with me. If youre in LA Id ask that upfront. Some brokerages let you keep your account, some dont.

    0Reply
  • Katherine Perez
    Member since 2025 · 17 posts · 5 votes
    3mo

    I started with Keller Williams, but I quickly realized that, at least in the office where I joined, most of the training was based on Gary Keller's books, which I could read on my own. The focus was mainly on prospecting, farming, and getting listings. If your goal is door knocking, off-market properties, or wholesaling, that can be a great fit. 

    I realized that I needed hands-on training working with buyers, even though it's often more time-consuming. I moved to a small local brokerage in my town where it was just the broker, her husband and me. That gave me direct, one-on-one mentoring in the field.

    I started working with buyers, showing houses, writing offers, and hosting open houses. That experience helped me understand the business and also clarified what I ultimately wanted. Having MLS access has been incredibly valuable because it allows me to analyze deals every day.

    I also own a cleaning company, so I wasn't relying solely on real estate income. That gave me flexibility to choose a brokerage based on the quality of the training rather than on commission splits alone.

    My advice: Choose the brokerage that will teach you the skills you need most. For me, that was learning how to work with buyers, hands-on experience, not just classroom training or sales scripts. My long-term goal is to build my own investment portfolio, so I wanted brokerage where every transaction would teach me skills that I can also apply as an investor. For someone else, it might be listings, prospecting, luxury homes, commercial real estate, or property management. The best brokerage for a new agent depends on your long-term goals. 

    0Reply
  • Jonathan Greer
    Member since 2026 · 59 posts · 16 votes
    3mo

    Congratulations on getting your license!

    I have been in Real Estate for about 10 years now in the SF Bay Area, I found that KW has some great training programs but may want to get a better sense form current agents in your area. Always happy to bounce ideas around and share ideas. Good luck and if you would like let's connect!

    1Reply
  • Andrew Self
    Real Estate Agent · Nashville, TN · Member since 2024 · 37 posts · 25 votes
    2mo

    Congrats on getting licensed! I have heard KW can be great to get started for training, but almost everyone ends up leaving for another brokerage once they ge their footing. I would recommend Real Broker and specifically the Rise Group in LA.  I'm with their Nashville team and they have some incredible systems in place to help new agents succeed. Every single agent on my team that is full time is closing at least one deal a month on average. Would be happy to talk more about the team and get you connected with the team lead in LA. Best of luck!

    1Reply
  • Troy DeLong
    Real Estate Agent · Lansing, MI · Member since 2020 · 170 posts · 91 votes
    2mo

    @Taylor Kendrick

    Congrats on becoming an agent! I myself am an Agent / Investor out of the Lansing, MI area. 

    Everyone above has great input. This can be overwhelming sometimes as there is so much that goes into this business and it's not always a 'One size fits all' situation. If I had to pick my top 3 suggestions for your brokerage selection, it would be; 

    1) Culture Fit - You HAVE TO get along with your leadership and colleagues. This is #1. You have to like / love where you work and who you work with. 

    2) Training - As a new agent, you need to be diligent about continuing-education, self learning and staying on top of laws / regulations. 

    3) Broker Support - You will ALWAYS have questions and sometimes you will need answers to those questions in a timely manner. Any successful Broker will be very busy, but they need to be dedicated to the team (you) that they recruited / hired and some Brokers will get lazy with that and leave you hanging by yourself. 

    Hope this helps! 

    - Troy 

    1Reply
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