Which Real Estate Company Is Best for New Agents

New real estate agents arrive from all kinds of careers. Their budgets, contacts and preferred ways of learning can be very different.

What they share is a need for practical support while they learn to serve clients and build a business.

The best real estate company for a new agent is the local brokerage that offers useful training, an available supervising broker and terms you can afford. Keller Williams, eXp, Redfin and the other companies below are options to investigate. No brand is the best fit for every beginner.

Use these ten profiles as a starting point for interviews, not a scored national ranking. Program descriptions were checked against company sources on September 17, 2026. Ask the actual office or team for its onboarding plan, fee schedule and written agreement before choosing.

1. Keller Williams Realty

Taking up the roles and responsibilities of a real estate agent requires backing. You will need an excellent company to plant your roots and a team willing to water you until you blossom. This is the vision behind one of the best real estate companies in the country.

Keller Williams Realty put it this way on their website: their vision is to become “a real estate company of choice for agents and their clients.”

The company doesn’t only support agent growth. They start the story.

If you have skimmed our article on which real estate companies pay for your license, you know that Keller Williams is any aspiring agent’s dream.

Through KSCORE, Keller Williams advertises eligible Kaplan prelicensing education at no cost. Confirm current availability in your state and the terms of the offer. Government, exam and other licensing costs may remain.

That education option can be useful before licensing. After licensing, compare what your particular market center offers for training, mentorship and broker access.

Once licensed and a part of the agency, agents can enjoy a robust training and coaching program.

Get the commission split, cap and fees from the specific Keller Williams market center you are considering. Do not treat one office’s offer as a national industry standard.

A cap usually limits a specified brokerage charge over a stated period. Reaching it does not necessarily eliminate transaction, royalty, team or other fees.

Ask for two written examples: your estimated net proceeds on a transaction before reaching the cap and after reaching it. Check when the cap resets and which charges continue.

Keller Williams also has one of the best cultures on this list. The company supports agents facing difficult times through KW Cares. The program offers grants to agents facing life-threatening diseases or are affected by a natural disaster.

Pros of Working for Keller Williams Realty

• Discounted Continuing Education courses
• Consistent training and coaching
• Profit share
• Great company culture
• High commission structure

Cons of Working for Keller Williams Realty

• Training, fees and mentorship can differ by market center.
• Ask which coaching is included and which costs extra.

2. Exp Realty

eXp Realty operates through a cloud-based brokerage model. New agents should ask how virtual support connects them with a local broker and mentor.

It was founded in 2009 by Glenn Sanford, who wanted to create a more agent-centric and innovative company that would reward agents for their hard work and collaboration.

eXp offers training, mentorship and incentive programs. Its income and compensation disclosure explains that mentor-program participants pay an additional split on their first three transactions. Include mentorship and ongoing fees when comparing offers.

This brokerage has three central values:

• Growth
• Ownership
• Freedom

Pros of Working at Exp Realty

• Virtual tools and training can suit agents who are comfortable learning online.
• A mentor program provides a defined route for eligible newer agents.
• Revenue-share and equity programs have eligibility rules; they are not guaranteed earnings.
• Confirm the local broker support and licensing requirements for your work.

Cons of Working at Exp Realty

• A virtual model may require more initiative to build local relationships.
• Ask how quickly your broker or mentor responds when a transaction needs help.

3. Redfin

Redfin is a real estate company that aims to “redefine” the industry. Redfin was born from the entrepreneurial drive of David Eraker, an ex-medical student turned software engineer.

Eraker teamed up with Michael Dougherty and David Selinger to create a web-based platform that would allow consumers to search for homes, view property details, and schedule tours online.

Redfin offers employee agent roles, but you should not assume that every role includes a base salary or accepts a newly licensed applicant.

The current Redfin Next program emphasizes commission splits, employee benefits, customer introductions and business-expense coverage. It is available nationwide.

Review the actual job posting and written offer for the compensation model, experience requirements and covered expenses.

Expense coverage can reduce costs, but it does not guarantee income before your first closing.

Its mission is to spin the real estate industry on its head to guarantee that your clients are always favored. The company believes that technology and data can make the home buying and selling process faster, more accessible, and more transparent.

Redfin’s vision is to create a world where everyone can find their place. The company wants to help people find homes that suit their needs, preferences, and budget. Redfin’s values are what guide its actions and decisions:

• Honorable: Do the right thing, even when it costs a sale.
• Fire: Be passionate about redefining real estate and delivering value to customers.
• Rally: Work as a team and support each other’s success.
• Genuine: Be authentic, honest, and respectful.
• Find a way to win: Be creative, resourceful, and persistent in overcoming challenges.

Pros of Working at Redfin

• Employee benefits and support are available under the Redfin Next model.
• Customer introductions and transaction support can help you serve clients.
• Redfin provides technology and covers specified business expenses.

Cons of Working at Redfin

Check whether the available role suits your experience and whether its commission structure works with your budget. Employee status alone does not establish your income.

4. Remax

RE/MAX is a global real estate franchise network. The local office you join matters, especially when you need help with your first transactions.

Since its launch in 1973, Remax has upheld the vision of its founders, Dave and Gail Liniger. This vision was to create an innovative and entrepreneurial culture that affords its agents and franchisees flexibility and independence.

Remax has one mantra: Outstanding agents = outstanding results.

The company also prides itself on its educational offering. Remax has a comprehensive agent training program.

RE/MAX University offers learning plans, technology instruction and other development resources. Ask which courses and hands-on support your office includes, and confirm approval before treating a course as licensing or continuing education credit.

Pros of Working at Remax

• Remax provides a variety of training and support programs.
• The company has a wide range of resources created to help agents grow
• Remax has a culture of teamwork, professionalism, and excellence, where agents can learn from each other, share best practices, and celebrate achievements.
• Agents have the opportunity to specialize.

Cons of Working at Remax:

Ask what new-agent mentoring your particular RE/MAX office provides and what it costs.

5. Coldwell Banker

Founded in 1906, Coldwell Banker provides a real estate brand network with education, technology and marketing resources for affiliated agents.

Coldwell Banker is known for its high standards of professionalism, integrity, and service. But we cannot talk about Coldwell Banker and not mention its innovative use of technology and marketing. The real estate company became the first national brokerage to leverage GPS applications to serve clients better.  

The mission behind this agency is to provide its agents with the tools and support they need to succeed in the real estate industry.

Through its CBU or Coldwell Banker University, the company offers industry-leading training, technology, and resources to empower its agents to make a lasting impact.

Coldwell Banker’s vision is to deliver real estate experiences beyond expectations to enhance its clients’ lifestyles. This constant striving has made it one of the leaders in luxury real estate. The company even offers a Luxury Property Specialist certification to interested agents.

This layer of certification helps its agents stand out as leaders in the luxury market.

Ask for a demonstration of the tools you would actually receive and the training needed to use them. A company marketing statistic is not a guarantee of your production.

Pros of Working for Coldwell Banker:

• The company provides various tools and services to aid agent responsibilities.
• Coldwell Banker offers customizable real estate marketing assets.
• A philanthropic spirit that supports various causes, such as Habitat for Humanity and Adopt-a-Pet.com.
• Agents have access to concierge services, helping with house design and listing.
• Opportunity to be a certified luxury property specialist.

Some of the cons are:

• Get local commission, fee and mentorship terms in writing.
• Check whether the office’s pace and support suit your learning needs.

6. Weichert Realtors

Weichert Realtors was founded in 1969 by Jim Weichert. For a new agent, the practical question is how its local training and management support would work for you.

Its careers site describes sales associate opportunities with marketing, networking and lead-generation tools.

Weichert Realtors’ mission is to provide customers with the best service in the industry. It continues to achieve this by combining a local agent’s personal touch with a national brand’s resources and technology.

The company’s culture of learning and collaboration fosters a supportive and friendly environment for new agents to grow and succeed. Its innovative and customer-centric approach enables new agents to offer a focused service to their clients easily.

Jim has engraved a simple philosophy that marks all of Weichert’s dealings: people buy people before they buy the product or service.

The company revolves around five core values:

• Integrity
• Professionalism
• Added Value
• Legendary service
• Relationships

Pros of Working for Weichert Realtors

• Extensive training
• Access to the Weichert Lead Network, the Weichert CRM, and the Weichert Mobile App, which will help you generate and manage leads, communicate with clients, and close deals.
• Good commission structure

Cons of Working for Weichert Realtors

• Confirm any licensing-education costs or assistance with the local office.
• Ask how mentoring and advancement work in practice.

7. Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices (BHHS) is a leading real estate brokerage franchise network that operates in the United States and abroad. At the helm of this agency is Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

BHHS operates through a brokerage network. Ask the local company how it turns network resources into support for a new agent.

Brand recognition can be one factor in your choice, but it does not replace an effective local onboarding plan.

The agency upholds its parent company’s values of trust, integrity, stability, and longevity. BHHS offers clients comprehensive real estate and financial solutions, from first-time home buyers to seasoned investors. This inclusive package, coupled with automated listings, makes marketing and serving clients easier.

Its Learn Center provides courses, live training and coaching resources for network agents. Ask who will help you apply that learning to your first transactions.

Pros of Working for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

• Access to a variety of tools and resources, such as training, marketing, technology, support, and education, can help agents grow their business and skills.
• A network of professionals and experts who can provide guidance, mentorship, and collaboration
• BHHS has a positive, supportive, diverse, and inclusive culture.
• The company values teamwork.

Cons of Working for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

Compare the actual local commission and fee schedule with the support included. A national brand name does not establish one commission split for every office.

8. Century 21

Century 21 is a real estate franchise brand founded in 1971. Its agent careers page describes network tools and support; check the local office’s new-agent program.

Century 21 and Coldwell Banker are Anywhere brands. Compass completed its acquisition of Anywhere on January 9, 2026. That corporate relationship does not make the local offices’ training or compensation agreements identical.

Its mission is to deliver extraordinary experiences to everyone associated with the brand. Their end goal is to be a sought-after real estate brand.

Pros of Working for Century 21

• Access to a comprehensive training and development program
• Work with innovative technology tools that enhance communication and marketing methods
• National agent rewards and recognition programs that celebrate excellence and achievement

Cons of Working at Century 21

• Ask for a written breakdown of commissions, fees and included training.
• Speak with recently joined agents about access to hands-on help.

9. Real

Real Brokerage is a technology-focused brokerage founded in 2014. Its offerings include business tools, education and incentive programs.

For a new agent, review the Real Academy new-agent library and ask about local supervision and mentorship.

Real announced its voluntary Toronto Stock Exchange delisting in 2023, with shares continuing on Nasdaq under REAX. See the company announcement. Any agent equity benefit is subject to its own terms.

The company’s values are to:

• Embrace
• Resolve
• Evolve

This means that Real acknowledges mistakes, works to fix them, and learns from them to improve its services and culture.

Real offers agents nine ways to build wealth. Why? The company is committed to partnering with agents, it works for you.

Pros of Working at Real

• Real offers a commission-cap model; request its current fee schedule and the terms applicable to your role or team.
• Education and business tools can support day-to-day work.
• Revenue-share and equity incentives have separate conditions and do not guarantee income.

Cons of Working for Real

A technology-focused model works best when you know how to get timely human support. Confirm who handles local supervision and questions on your first deals.

10. Compass

Compass, or Urban Compass, is a real estate company combining talent and cutting-edge technology. The plan? To make home buying and selling intelligent and seamless.

Compass aims to help everyone find their place in the world by empowering agents with the best tools, support, and culture.

Compass was founded in 2012. Compare the resources and onboarding available from the office or team considering your application.

Compass is not only building a real estate platform. It is creating a modern platform where agents and clients can collaborate, communicate, and transact easily and efficiently. It offers agents a competitive edge in the market, as its technology and tools enable them to provide a superior service and value proposition to clients.

When evaluating Compass, ask how its tools and support would help you:

• Manage client work and follow-up
• Build a marketing plan
• Learn from experienced agents
• Understand the costs of running your business

Pros of Working for Compass

• Access to the best technology and tools, such as the Compass platform, app, CRM, marketing center, and concierge service.
• Support from coaches and mentors who provide guidance, training, and feedback.
• Partnership with a high-quality and innovative service that attracts affluent tech-savvy clients who value convenience and efficiency.

Cons of Working for Compass

• Confirm whether the local office or team accepts brand-new agents.
• Get the compensation and support terms in writing.

Criteria for Choosing the Best Real Estate Company for New Agents

Choosing a brokerage requires more than comparing national brand names. The best offer for you depends on training, local supervision, your budget and how you will find clients.

For Coldwell Banker vs. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, both advertise education and agent tools. Compare the actual local mentor, availability of your broker, total costs and lead arrangements. For Weichert vs. Keller Williams, ask each office for a first-90-days training plan and identify who reviews your first contracts. Company-level marketing does not establish which local offer is better.

Use the five criteria below to compare the written offers.

Training and Support

Training and brokerage support should be at the top of your deciding criteria as a real estate agent. This is because conquering a market like real estate needs constant training and mentorship.

I often tell my students that knowledge is as good as money in real estate. A company offering robust training programs and mentorship opportunities will help you navigate the nuances of real estate deals. This is what will help you succeed in the long run.

Commission Split

When you are looking for a real estate company to join, always consider the commission splits. For instance, some companies may offer a 50/50 split, while others might provide more favorable terms, like a 70/30 split.

My advice is that you should weigh the company’s complete offerings and decide what works best for your financial and career goals.

Operational Fees

Plan for startup costs and for a possible gap before your first paid transaction. An expense-coverage offer can help, but it does not necessarily replace income.

The deficit comes from the countless operational fees agents must bear.

Before you decide which real estate company is best for new agents, find out the cumulative fees your brokerage will charge: desk fees, transaction fees, and even marketing costs.

Cultural Fit

The local office or team’s working style matters. Attend a training session if possible, meet the people who would support you and ask newer agents what the day-to-day experience is like.

Alternatively, if collaboration and team efforts resonate more with your work style, look towards firms that foster a community culture.

Brand Power

Don’t underestimate the power of branding when selecting a firm to associate with. A well-established brand can open doors only because clients trust its reputation.

Think about how household names like McDonald’s or Apple draw customers due to their strong brand identities alone.

A well-known real estate brokerage like Remax or Berkshire Hathaway can do the same for you. They give you a name that clients want to align with.

Joining a Family that Will Become Yours

Choosing the right real estate company to kickstart your career is a significant decision. It can shape your future in the industry and determine how successful you’ll be. These ten companies offer unique benefits, from training programs to supportive cultures, competitive commission structures, innovative technologies, and more.

Remember that what works for one agent might not work for another. Therefore, it’s crucial to consider your personal goals, working style, financial needs, and professional aspirations when making this choice.

Next Steps:

1. Research each company: Visit their websites or contact them to get a feel for their culture and understand their offerings.
2. Evaluate commission splits & fees: Understand how much you stand to gain from each sale and weigh up any additional costs associated with working at each firm.
3. Consider training opportunities: As new to the industry, look out for robust training programs that will help accelerate your learning curve.
4. Reflect on cultural fit: Think about where you see yourself thriving.
5. Assess brand strength: A strong brand name could open doors simply due to its reputation in the marketplace.

Take the leap and confidently embark on this real estate journey.

We’d love to hear about your experiences navigating through this process! Feel free to share any tips or insights gained along the way in our comments section below.

If your journey is only beginning, then you will need help to bag that license. Turn your study sessions into exam rehearsals with our free real estate practice tests.