How I Looked for a Real Estate Brokerage After Taking the NY Salesperson Exam

When I started looking for a brokerage, I realized there were way more factors to think about than I expected. Commission split matters, obviously, but so do training, mentorship, fees, leads, flexibility, and whether the brokerage actually works with new agents who are still figuring things out.

My Situation

When I finished my coursework through NYREI, I wasn’t looking to jump into real estate full-time.

I wanted to build a residential real estate business on the side while continuing my main career. That meant flexibility was a huge deal for me from the start.

I was also more interested in working with buyers and eventually sellers than spending most of my time doing apartment rentals.

So I wasn’t just looking for any brokerage that would sponsor my license. I wanted to find one that actually fit how I planned to work.

1. Start With Your Real Estate School

One of the first things I did was go back to NYREI and look into their job-placement resources.

That was actually a pretty easy place to start because real estate schools already have relationships with brokerages that are used to talking to brand-new agents.

Instead of just saying, “I’m looking for a brokerage,” I tried to be really specific about what I wanted.

My list was basically:

• They accept newly licensed agents
• They’re okay with part-time agents
• It’s an independent-contractor setup
• They offer real training and mentorship
• There are opportunities to work with buyers and sellers
• Someone will actually help me through my first few transactions
• They’re flexible around another full-time job

2. Figure Out What You Actually Need From Your First Brokerage

At first, I definitely paid a lot of attention to commission split.

It’s hard not to.

But the more brokerages I looked at, the more I realized that the highest split doesn’t automatically mean the best deal, especially when you’re brand new.

If someone offers you a great split but basically leaves you on your own, that may not be very useful when you’re trying to figure out your first offer, first contract, or first closing.

So I started asking more practical questions.

Those answers told me way more than just looking at a commission percentage.

3. Don’t Assume You Have to Join a Traditional Brokerage

One of the more interesting things I learned was that there are a lot of different brokerage models out there.

I looked at traditional brokerages, but I also spent time researching discount and rebate-based brokerages.

Some of the companies I researched or spoke with included NextStopNY, NestApple, Hauseit, and Mont Sky/HomeDax.

That opened my eyes to the fact that brokerage models can work very differently.

Depending on the company, the model can affect:

• Where your leads come from
• What type of clients you work with
• How much support you get
• How commissions are structured
• Whether the company focuses more on buyers, sellers, rentals, or listings

4. Ask About Company Leads vs. Your Own Leads

This ended up being a really important question for me.

Some brokerages treat company-generated leads very differently from clients you bring in yourself.

So if a brokerage tells you, “Our split is X,” I wouldn’t stop there.

I’d ask:

What is my split if the company gives me the client, and what is my split if I bring the client in myself?

Those can be two very different numbers.

A brokerage may have:

• One split for your own clients
• Another split for company leads
• Different fees attached to each
• A better split only after you hit a certain production level

You really want to understand that before you sign anything.

5. Ask How They’ll Help You Get Through Your First Three Deals

This became one of my favorite questions.

Instead of asking, “Do you offer training?” I think a better question is:

If I joined tomorrow, how would you help me get through my first three transactions?

That forces them to be specific.

“Training” can mean a lot of things.

At one brokerage, it might mean videos and occasional Zoom calls.

At another, it might mean someone actually sitting with you while you write your first offer, review paperwork, negotiate, and work through closing.

As a new agent, I cared a lot more about the second version.

6. Be Honest About Being Part-Time

I didn’t try to pretend real estate was going to be my only job.

I told brokerages upfront that I had another career and that most of my availability would be evenings and weekends.

Being upfront actually made the process easier because it helped me quickly identify which brokerages were genuinely okay with part-time agents.

7. Ask What Happens If You Can’t Make a Showing

This is a big one if you’re doing real estate on the side.

Buyers are not necessarily going to want to see a property when it’s convenient for your schedule.

They may want to see something at 2:00 PM on a Tuesday while you’re at your main job.

So I started asking about showing coverage.

• Can another agent step in?
• Is there a showing agent system?
• Do you have to pay someone?
• Do you split part of the commission?

If you’re part-time, this can matter just as much as commission split.

8. Pay Attention to All the Fees

Another thing I learned: the commission split is only part of the math.

You also need to ask about:

• Monthly fees
• Desk fees
• Technology fees
• Transaction fees
• Marketing costs
• Lead fees
• Membership fees
• Required systems or subscriptions

This matters even more if you’re starting part-time.

If you’re only closing a few transactions in your first year, recurring fees can eat into your income pretty quickly.

A brokerage with a slightly worse split but very low overhead could actually make more sense.

9. Remember That You’re Interviewing Them Too

At first, it can feel like you’re the one trying to get accepted by the brokerage.

But the more conversations I had, the more I realized it really goes both ways.

You’re choosing them too.

I wanted to know:

• Who is actually supervising me?
• How easy is that person to reach?
• What type of clients would I realistically get?
• How do leads actually get assigned?
• How do new agents learn the transaction process?
• How quickly am I expected to respond?
• Does this setup realistically fit my schedule?

If the answers were vague, that was useful information too.

10. Follow Up

I reached out to multiple brokerages, filled out applications, scheduled calls, and followed up if I didn’t hear back.

Some conversations started over email and turned into phone calls or meetings.

In one case, a phone call made more sense than traveling from Brooklyn for an initial conversation.

The whole process really does feel like a regular job search.

Being responsive, following up, and staying organized matters.

The Questions I’d Ask a Brokerage Today

If I were doing this all over again, these are probably the questions I’d have ready:

My Biggest Takeaway

The biggest thing I learned is that I wouldn’t choose my first brokerage based only on who offers the highest commission split.

For me, it became more important to find a brokerage where I could:

• Ask questions
• Learn how transactions actually work
• Get help on my first few deals
• Get access to opportunities
• Build confidence
• Eventually start generating my own business

If a brokerage takes a slightly bigger cut but genuinely helps you learn the business and close deals, that may be worth a lot more in the beginning than a high split and no support.