Mediation is not a place. This is a system you participate in, writes broker owner Emily Askin. It shapes your risk tolerance, habits, professionalism, and long-term sustainability.
Real estate agents have more brokerage options than ever before. National brands, independent boutiques, virtual models, and cloud platforms all promise freedom, flexibility, and better division. With so many options available, brokerages all begin to seem interchangeable.
it’s not.
Most agents compare brokers using the simplest metrics available, such as commission splits, caps, commissions, and brand. These numbers are easy to line up and easy to sell. What they don’t capture is what actually matters when something goes wrong, and when something always works out in the end.
In the past, a brokerage was just a licensed place to conduct real estate transactions. That version of real estate no longer exists. Today, brokerage firms quietly function as compliance managers, educators, system builders, and risk buffers.
As technology has expanded agency independence, regulation and responsibility have expanded with it. Mediation was not optional. It became responsible. When that responsibility is handled properly, its value becomes almost invisible.
How culture influences the choice of brokerage firm
“Culture” is one of the most frequently used words in the real estate industry. Often it comes down to events, office energy, or social media presence. This version of culture is easier to market, but it’s not the version that matters.
True culture shows up in how standards are enforced, accountability is consistent, how leadership handles mistakes, and what behaviors are tolerated. Culture is not something that securities companies claim is important. It is something that is allowed to continue.
Well-run brokerages often appear benign on the surface.
The transaction moves forward. Support feels easy to access. The system looks smooth.
This is the Swan effect. But beneath that stillness there is constant movement.
Contracts change. Laws evolve. MLS rules updated. Technology breaks down. Consumer expectations change.
Every decision, especially the small ones, has a ripple effect across agents, staff, and clients. The best brokerages act like swans. They are composed above the water and are constantly paddling below the surface. If done correctly, agents will rarely notice the work. If the wrong thing is done, the agent feels the consequences immediately.
How a powerful brokerage affects what matters most
A popular recruitment message in the industry is a type of “we’ll stay out of your way.” It’s fascinating. It also ignores reality. Intermediaries serve independent contractors, each with different mindsets, operations, and priorities. Without structure, autonomy turns into contradiction, and contradiction creates risk.
Strong brokerages don’t micromanage, but they standardize in important areas such as contracts, advertising, compliance, trade flow, and consumer protection. I believe that freedom is best accompanied by guardrails.
I have sat in more recruiting offices than I can count. Most agents don’t ask questions about systems or risks. They ask about the split. Sometimes tools too. Sometimes culture. They rarely ask what happens if the deal becomes difficult.
Ironically, that’s often the reason they leave. When deals fall apart, emotions run high, and compliance matters, agents don’t leave brokerages because of branding, they leave because of money or a failing system.
Some agents say they want culture and support, but don’t want to engage with either. Some people want flexibility but still want responsibility. Agents often leave a brokerage firm for the same reasons they joined.
I am a brokerage owner and run two brokerages with my husband and a full support team. From this side of the business, one thing is always clear. That means every decision has consequences.
Every policy, every exception, and every system we put in place, or choose not to put in place, impacts not just one agent, but the entire ecosystem of agents, staff, clients, and the brokerage firm itself. Sometimes the right decision becomes popular. Sometimes it’s not, but it’s never a coincidence.
A broker is not a place to borrow money. This is a system that you can join. It shapes your risk tolerance, habits, professionalism, and long-term sustainability, and is often much greater than your traditional fee split. The most strategic agents don’t ask, “What can I get?” They ask, “What problems is this mediation solving and which problems is it silently ignoring?”
Peace rarely comes by chance in this business. If you can feel that from your seat, that’s by design. The best stockbrokers are usually 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.
