You passed the exams. Now you need a brokerage, because in Alberta your licence is held through one and you can't trade without it. This is the first big business decision of your career, and most new agents make it in a rush. Here is how to make it with a clear head.
1. Ask who trains you in the first 90 days
Every brokerage says it offers training. Ask what that means on a calendar. Who teaches it? How many days is it? What happens in week five, when the course is over and your first client calls?
A good answer is specific. At REMAX First, new agents start with a 4-day new agent bootcamp, then work one-on-one with an office manager who focuses on new agents, and have a mentor in their corner. A vague answer, like "we have lots of resources", usually means you will be teaching yourself.
2. Ask who you call when a deal goes sideways
It will happen. An offer comes in at 8 p.m. on a Friday, a condition is about to expire, or a client asks something you have never been asked. Ask who answers, how fast, and whether it costs you anything to ask.
Look for a broker you can reach, a lawyer you can put a question to, and a team that reviews your files. At REMAX First, you call any one of our five leadership team members. Support you can't reach when you need it is not support.
3. Look at the full cost, not just the split
A split is one line on a page. Ask for the whole picture:
Monthly or desk fees
Per-transaction fees
Caps, and when they reset
Brand or franchise fees
E&O insurance, CREB® dues and MLS® System fees
What is included, and what costs extra
Then run the numbers against a realistic first year, not your best year. Real estate pays when deals close, so ask yourself how many months of expenses you can cover while your first ones come together.
We'll say this plainly: our fees are not the lowest. Here is exactly what they pay for. Decide for yourself whether it is worth it. Any brokerage should be willing to show you the same thing.
4. Sit in the room
Culture is hard to read from a website. Ask to attend a training session or an office meeting before you sign. Watch whether experienced agents share what is working or keep it to themselves. Notice whether people say hello to the new person.
At REMAX First, you are welcome to sit in on our training before you decide. Our Monday Morning Collaboration Meetings put some of Calgary's busiest agents in one room to talk through tricky deals, rule changes and what they are seeing in the market, with Jeff Kahane of Kahane Law at every meeting. An hour in a room like that tells you more than a month of reading recruiting pages, including this one.
5. Check the brand and the tools
A recognized name helps when you are new and no one has heard of you yet. Ask what the brokerage does to keep that name in front of Calgary: advertising, sponsorships, events. Then ask about technology. What CRM comes with the brokerage? Is training included, or do you get a login and good luck?
6. Visit the office on a normal weekday
Don't go on the day the brokerage has planned for you. Go on a Tuesday afternoon. Count the people at their desks. Ask someone who joined in the last year what they wish they had known, and someone who has been there ten years why they stayed.
Questions to ask every brokerage
Bring this list. Ask every office the same questions and compare the answers side by side.
Who trains me in my first 90 days, and what does the schedule look like?
Who do I call on a live deal, and how fast do they answer?
What are all my costs in a typical month and per deal?
Can I sit in on a training session or office meeting before I decide?
How many agents are in the office on a typical weekday?
What would your longest-serving agents change?
What does the brokerage not help with?
How REMAX First fits
We have been in Calgary since 1977 and were Canada's first REMAX franchise. About 200 agents work from one office on Blackfoot Trail SE, from new licensees to agents with decades of experience. New agents get the 4-day bootcamp, one-on-one training with an office manager, a mentor, and our Video Vault of on-demand lessons. Everyone gets the Monday Morning Collaboration Meetings, BoldTrail (our CRM and marketing platform) at no cost, and on a live deal you can call any one of our five leadership team members.
We are not the right fit for everyone, and if we are not the right fit for you, we will tell you.
Your next step
Read about new agent training at REMAX First, or see what agents look for in a brokerage. Already licensed with another brokerage? Our guide to choosing or switching a brokerage in Calgary covers the RECA transfer step by step.
Call the office at 403-278-2900 or come by #115, 8820 Blackfoot Trail SE. Tell us you are choosing a brokerage and we will set up a time for you to sit in on training.