Plain answers · Leaving or changing brokerages

How do I switch real estate brokerages without losing clients?

If you're already thinking about leaving

Don't sign anything yet. Take 2 minutes to see where you stand on protecting my clients, then bring your answers to a 20-minute call.

Start my fit check on protecting my clients

Short answer: Plan the move before you announce it. Your active listings and pendings are agreements with your current broker, so ask them how those will be handled. Get the new brokerage's onboarding steps in writing, line up your license transfer, then tell clients in your own words once the plan is set.

Most agents worry about the wrong thing first. They worry about the new logo. The real risk is a listing or a pending deal that gets messy in the middle of the move.

Start with a list. Every active listing, every pending, every client you're working with right now. Next to each one, write what your current agreement says and who you need to ask.

Then ask both brokers for their steps in writing. In California, your license gets moved to the new responsible broker through the DRE. Your new brokerage's onboarding team should walk you through it.

Time it around your closings if you can. A quiet two weeks makes the switch a lot easier on you and your clients.

I've moved my own license before. The agents who have the smoothest move are the ones who wrote it all down first.

Questions to ask any brokerage, including mine

  • How will my current listings and pendings be handled?
  • What does onboarding look like, step by step, and how long does it take?
  • Who do I call during the transition if a deal hits a snag?
  • What do I tell my clients, and when?

Your next step

  1. Take the 2-minute fit check, started on protecting my clients.
  2. Build your one-page Decision Report to bring to any broker.
  3. Talk it through on the 20-Minute Brokerage Fit Call. No pressure. No promises.
Book My 20-Minute Brokerage Fit Call

Sources: California DRE license lookup.

Editorial review: November 1, 2026. Facts about eXp come from eXp's official pages and can change. Confirm current terms directly with eXp. Opinions are my own.

Related: What's the best brokerage for an agent doing 6 or more deals a year? · Thinking about leaving Keller Williams, Compass or Redfin? What should I check first? · What are the signs I've outgrown my brokerage?

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