“I will not throw away what I built.”
Start with your brand, culture and people. Identify what can stay and what requires approval.
01 / FOR BROKERAGE OWNERS
You built the brand. Rethink the burden.
You did not build a brokerage just to manage overhead and solve every problem. Explore what a move to eXp could mean for your people, your brand and your time.
Explore My Brokerage Options
LET’S TALK ABOUT THE REAL QUESTIONS
“Revenue is not the same as freedom.”
Compare real expenses and responsibilities, including the ones that would remain yours.
“What happens to my agents and clients?”
Create an agreed sequence for active files, individual applications and operational changes.
THE AFFILIATION DECISION
What changes when you affiliate?
Licensed activity that transitions to eXp operates under the applicable eXp brokerage and state broker supervision. Review separately what happens to your existing entity, license and brand.
| Area | Your Current Brokerage Operations | What a Transition to eXp Could Change | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What may stay | What may change | Review individually | ||
| Brand & identity | You operate and advertise under your firm’s licensed identity. | Your local reputation and some brand assets. | eXp brokerage identification and an approved team identity. | Name approval, advertising, signage and domain use. |
| Broker oversight | Your firm oversees licensed activity and compliance. | Day-to-day team operations and coaching. | The eXp state broker supervises licensed work affiliated with eXp. | Your license status, role, records and unresolved obligations. |
| Agent experience | Your firm sets up technology, training and transaction workflows. | Local coaching, culture and permitted tools. | eXp onboarding, training, virtual community and transaction review. | Individual agent participation, MLS access and migration. |
| Local operations | You manage office, staff and vendor relationships. | Workspace, staff and local marketing where allowed. | eXp tools and processes can replace some workflows. | Office use, system access, vendor agreements and migration timing. |
| Leadership & growth | You set your firm’s strategy and manage its recruiting. | Agent development, local strategy and team leadership. | Access to eXp training, broker teams and a wider agent network. | Market readiness, retention, licensing and management capacity. |
| Active business | Your firm holds its client agreements and manages open files. | Client relationships and service continuity where permitted. | New affiliated business uses eXp processes after activation. | File-by-file decisions on consents, MLS changes, closings and client funds. |
U.S. BROKERAGE TRANSITION
See the transition roadmap.
Decide how to handle active files before agents transfer. Follow the state broker’s instructions for license affiliation, MLS access and activation.
- 01Brokerage owner
Define the move
- List the markets, licenses, agents and legal entities involved.
- Write down what you need to preserve, such as brand assets, client coverage, office space or staff.
Before moving on. A named decision-maker and a list of non-negotiables.
- 02Owner and eXp Growth or Team Services
Confirm the model and written terms
- Confirm affiliation requirements, team eligibility and required approvals with the state broker.
- Document the owner’s role under eXp supervision and which operations stay with your business.
Before moving on. Written terms and an agreed scope for the proposed move.
- 03Current and receiving brokers
Prepare the client and file handoff
- Inventory active listings, pending contracts, escrow and client records. Assign the responsible firm and contact for each file.
- Confirm contract permissions, client consents, MLS instructions and record retention before moving any file.
- Agree on agent and client communications, branding approvals and who can access and export data.
Before moving on. An approved file-by-file handoff and communication plan.
- 04Participating agents and eXp Onboarding
Submit individual agent applications
- Each agent chooses whether to apply and submits their own information and agreements.
- Coordinate any team roster, team agreements and pay-plan updates through Team Services.
Before moving on. Onboarding has reviewed the applications and identified outstanding items.
- 05Agents, state broker, licensing authority and MLS
Transfer licenses and complete local setup
- Follow the state broker’s sequence for license affiliation or transfer.
- Complete any required association or MLS registration, training and team or advertising approvals.
- Verify eXp activation before conducting new business under eXp.
Before moving on. Confirmed license affiliation, activation and required local access.
- 06Team leader and designated support contacts
Launch and check the first transactions
- Confirm system access, brokerage identification and lead routing. Practice one transaction handoff.
- Review open files, agent questions and payment issues after launch. Assign owners and deadlines to anything unresolved.
Before moving on. Named contacts for support and an agreed first follow-up.
ILLUSTRATIVE FILE HANDOFF
A brokerage with listings and pending closings
Make a shared inventory with the current and receiving brokers. Record which firm handles each file, who must consent, who updates the MLS, who communicates with the client and who holds client funds and coordinates the closing. Use confirmed responsibilities to set the onboarding and communication sequence.
QUESTIONS TO ASK
Owner FAQs
Start here, then confirm how the answers apply to your business and markets.
01Can I keep my brokerage name and brand?
Possibly as an approved team or marketing identity. The name, logo and each market’s brokerage disclosure rules matter. Submit the proposed name and branding to the eXp state broker before committing to signs, domains or new collateral.
02Would my business remain an independent brokerage?
Licensed work that moves to eXp is conducted under the applicable eXp brokerage and its supervision. A legal entity or local brand may have a separate future, but its permitted activity, ownership and any dual affiliation require individual review.
03What happens to my broker license and responsibilities?
Your state and eXp state broker determine how your license can affiliate and what role you can hold. Identify any ongoing obligations from your prior firm, including records, funds and active files.
04Can my agents transition with me?
Agents can explore joining, but each chooses whether to apply and must complete their own onboarding and license affiliation. Confirm the team structure and agreements before sharing a start date.
05What happens to existing listings and pending transactions?
Inventory every file. The brokers should determine who services, supervises and closes it. Review contracts and MLS rules, and get client consent or other approvals where required.
06Which systems would change, and which could stay?
Inventory the systems you use for client records, marketing, onboarding and transactions. Check access and export rights before deciding what to retain or migrate.
07Can I keep my office and staff?
You may choose to retain workspace and staff if your agreements, state rules and eXp requirements allow it. Confirm permitted office use, signage, staffing duties and lease terms.
08How would my leadership role change?
You could continue building culture, coaching agents, developing leaders and directing local operations. Confirm which supervisory and compliance decisions sit with the eXp state broker.
09What support would eXp provide versus Tony and Jake?
eXp handles its onboarding, broker supervision, transaction review and platform support. The owner conversation with Tony and Jake can cover your business goals and transition questions. Ask about the scope and eligibility of any ongoing Apex services separately.
10What circumstances would make this a poor fit?
It may be a poor fit if independent control of licensed operations is essential, if existing obligations would make the move disruptive, or if the business case depends on agents joining before their plans are confirmed.
OWNER CONVERSATION
Bring your real questions.
Walk through your current structure, your goals, and what a transition could mean for your business.
YOUR BUSINESS. YOUR NUMBERS.
What would
actually change?
Compare the costs you pay today with a proposed setup. Use written figures for your situation, including costs that will stay with you.
This worksheet uses your inputs. It is not an eXp quote or an earnings projection. It excludes taxes, revenue share and stock awards. No information is sent or saved.
A CLEARER WAY FORWARD
Explore the move.
Before you make it.
01
Compare
Your costs, your support and the way you work today.
02
Confirm
The model, responsibilities and terms for your situation.
03
Coordinate
Active business, people and systems in an agreed sequence.
Timing and requirements depend on your business, state and current agreements.