Choosing a brokerage isn’t about finding the most promising brokerage, writes brokerage owner Emily Askin. It’s about finding the ones that perform when the stakes are highest.
Most agents believe they are making a thoughtful and strategic decision when choosing a brokerage firm. In reality, many people compare the most visible features such as splits, caps, fees, branding, and office aesthetics. These are easy to measure, market, and justify. It’s also rarely a reason for an agent to stay or leave.
Recruiting conversations take place in perfect circumstances, and recruiting meetings give you an idea of what the brokerage is like when everything is going well. It doesn’t show how buyers will act when they get emotional, when sellers get defensive, miss deadlines, or start pointing fingers.
The role of the broker in daily operations
Most brokers are not involved in the day-to-day details of every trade. Agents run their business independently until something goes wrong.
When a dispute arises, a client is dissatisfied, another agent raises a concern, or a misunderstanding becomes a formal complaint, that’s when brokers step in. The broker’s role is not to take sides, but to correct the agent when he is wrong, support him when he is right, and make sure everyone is acting within the contract and code of ethics.
Small problems can quickly escalate in real estate. A dissatisfied client files an ethics complaint. Ethics complaints are subject to regulatory review. Regulatory review is a legal involvement.
Then, suddenly, the brokerage’s E&O policy was triggered. When a client files a lawsuit, they rarely sue just one party. They sue everyone involved in the transaction. This includes agents, intermediaries, and intermediaries.
That’s why compliance is so important. State-required forms, domestic forms, disclosures, documents, signatures, and schedules are not bureaucratic hurdles. They are protection. Many agents complain that they have too many forms, or don’t feel comfortable taking them to their clients to sign until they need them, by which time it may be too late. Compliance creates a paper trail that protects everyone when memories fade and emotions run high.
Most agents learn this lesson the hard way. One form was missing. There is one conversation that is not documented. One assumption. Once burned, twice shy. Strong brokerages have institutionalized these lessons so agents don’t have to learn them through personal loss.
Here are some questions agents should ask themselves, but rarely ask:
If one of my trades becomes controversial tomorrow, can I trust my brokerage firm to know exactly what to do? Do I know who will review my file, guide my communications, liaise with my attorney, manage my ethics complaints, and handle my E&O claims? Or will it be resolved in real time?
Why do securities companies appear calm on the surface?
This is where the Swan effect comes into play. Some brokerages appear unperturbed because they have a disciplined system operating under them. Some people look calm because nothing serious has happened yet. Differences only become apparent under pressure.
Choosing a brokerage firm is not about finding the most promising brokerage firm. It’s about finding the ones that perform when the stakes are highest. You can see the cracks. Protection is not. Branding is noticeable. Risk management is not. I see promise. Competence is not.
So ask yourself, is your current brokerage doing this for you? And more importantly, do you believe they’re doing it even when you’re not looking?
From my perspective as a broker owner, it’s no coincidence that agents feel supported in difficult moments. It is the result of systems, experience, and a lot of invisible effort.
That usually means someone is there, quietly rowing furiously just below the surface.
Throughout this month, we are focusing on ‘New Mediation Strategies’. How securities companies operate in 2026 will be no different than before. From corporate giants to finicky indies, we map the new playing field and talk to brokerage leaders across the country about what’s working now and what’s next.
Emily Askin is the broker owner of REMAX at Home and REMAX Preferred. Connect with her on Instagram.
