Want to win in 2026? Gino Caropreso of ERA Realty writes that brokerages need to prioritize systematic, measurable and repeatable agent growth and success metrics.
The real estate industry has long treated agent turnover as a recruitment issue. That view is too narrow and will become increasingly too expensive by 2026.
The movement we’re seeing among mid-level agents is often less about pursuing greater division and more about a business environment that feels clearer, more stable, and more responsive to their needs.
Learning indicates a need for direction
Internally at ERA Real Estate, we have closely observed that pattern through our learning programs since 2024, including working with more than 7,000 agents who have participated in Coached Up, our unique annual coaching program for affiliated agents and leaders. This signal is difficult to ignore.
Our internal data shows that agents who complete at least one learning experience have a 92% retention rate, which is 16 points higher than agents who don’t. The number of listings has also increased by 12%.
At ERA, participation in training programs has increased fivefold since 2024. To me, these numbers don’t just indicate demand for the class; They crave direction and resources to support their personal and professional growth.
That’s why I believe that talent is not the core issue behind today’s customer attrition. It is not compensation, at least not primarily.
Real estate professionals, especially real estate professionals who generate about $1 million to $5 million a year, are asking practical questions like, “If I stay here, what will happen next year?”
If the brokerage firm cannot specifically answer that, a move is very likely to occur.
Coaching turns ambition into structure
This view is consistent with how ERA president Alex Vidal publicly frames coaching and leadership. In his industry-wide comments, he has repeatedly emphasized that agents do their best work when leaders combine ambition with structure: planning, accountability, coaching, and support beyond motivation.
Our discussion is simple but important. Agents usually want to accomplish big things, but they need a plan and a coach. And if leaders want greater loyalty, they need to guide their people to build deeper relationships, better habits, and clearer business discipline.
Broader market data for 2026 supports that point. Recruiting Insight’s 2026 Agent Migration and Brokerage Model Performance Report found that agent mobility has accelerated sharply this year, with external transfers increasing 25 percent sequentially in the first quarter and approximately 50,000 brokerage changes expected nationwide in 2026.
Equally noteworthy, the report found a 38% year-over-year increase in internal office-to-office transfers, suggesting that many agents are not simply leaving their organizations. They’re trying to find a better fit, better support, and less friction.
The same study argues that leadership execution is more important than the label in the mediated model, and that internal talent often outperforms external talent in both retention and productivity.
What securities company leaders must do differently
This should serve as a wake-up call to securities industry leaders. In a market where highly productive agents constantly value collaboration, brokers cannot rely solely on recruitment efforts.
They need a strong vision and a culture that aligns with what agents want. They need onboarding and training to boost their confidence. They need coaching that is locally reinforced, rather than delivered once and forgotten. And rather than promising to quit, we need to make the value of staying more visible.
At a securities company, it looks like this:
Establish a regular and reliable cadence of in-person learning. It is important to share publicly to create a collaborative and collaborative environment. Create and communicate recommended self-study courses that align with key goals. Create an annual business plan for all agents. Help agents plan around their goals and check in with them quarterly to discuss progress. Encourage agents to develop peer-to-peer mentoring relationships.
If we continue to interpret churn as a pure recruiting contest, we miss what many agents are actually telling us. They’re not looking for a new logo or more leads. They are looking for a way forward. If there’s one lesson we’ve learned through Coached Up and thousands of coaching conversations, it’s this: Agents don’t just want a place to work. They want a place where they can grow.
We call this the “enthusiast’s philosophy.” At the end of the day, our agents are the experts. If you want to maintain their expertise, inspire them to go from good to great.
The brokerages that win in 2026 (and beyond) will be those whose growth is less ambiguous and their success feels more repeatable.
Gino Caropreso is Vice President of Learning at ERA Real Estate. Connect with us on LinkedIn.
