The landscape of the brokerage industry is changing rapidly. Fee pressures, market volatility, and industry consolidation are forcing many agencies to take a tougher look at where to build their business.
As I work with agents at Howard Hanna’s 15-state locations, I hear the conversation changing. Some of the best agents in this industry are thinking more about long-term opportunities than short-term incentives. They want leadership they can trust, a platform to support their growth, and an intermediary with the scale to compete in an increasingly complex market.
The best agents in this industry are thinking about where they can grow over the next 10 years.
Agents no longer simply choose a brokerage firm; They are choosing where they want to build their career.
At Howard Hanna, we’re seeing that change ripple across the market. Agents and teams who join the firm consistently cite the same factors: strong leadership, integrated services, and the stability of a family-owned brokerage firm that has continued investing through multiple market cycles.
Philadelphia provides one of the clearest examples of that alignment.
Howard Hanna’s recent expansion in the Philadelphia market is rapidly gaining momentum. The company entered the region through a partnership with longtime industry leader Art Herling, bringing more than 130 agents to its network representing approximately $290 million in annual sales.
Since establishing its presence there, Howard Hanna continues to recruit across the region as additional agents and teams choose to join the company.
What many of these agents are describing is not just a hiring decision, but a cultural fit. A brokerage firm led by a family that has invested in its agents, offices and communities for decades has a different resonance than the short-term hiring environment many agents see elsewhere in the industry.
This momentum is not limited to one market.
Across Howard Hanna’s markets, agencies and teams continue to transition for similar reasons. The Jen Mascaro team, a group of five agents with approximately 850 carrier transactions and $180 million in carrier sales, recently joined the firm’s Murrysville, Pennsylvania, office because of their shared values and alignment with the locally owned brokerage model.
The Jen Mascaro team joins Howard Hanna’s Murrysville, Pennsylvania office, where it has delivered nearly 850 carrier transactions and more than $180 million in carrier sales value.
In Pittsburgh, Coulter & Castillo Group, a six-agent team with more than $250 million in career sales, has joined the Howard Hanna Mount Lebanon office. The team noted the strength of the Howard Hanna brand, its local roots and the company’s leadership culture as key factors in its decision.
While hiring momentum often grabs the headlines, retention rates tell a deeper story.
According to Courted’s 2025 Brokerage Recruitment and Retention Report, Howard Hanna ranks No. 1 in retention among the top 25 U.S. brokerages, reflecting one of the most stable agent platforms in the industry.
This consistency reflects a model built around long-term agent relationships, supported by visible leadership, strong field offices, and a culture that prioritizes agent success.
The landscape of the brokerage industry will continue to evolve. New models will emerge, market cycles will change, and competition for recruitment will continue to be fierce.
But one theme is becoming increasingly clear. Agents are now thinking more intentionally about where they want to build their business and the leadership and support that will help them grow.
For many of these agents, the answer goes beyond commission structures and short-term incentives. It’s important to find an intermediary with the stability, leadership and scale to support your business over the long term.
