A guided path to brokerage ownership.
Most brokerages make you use their name, their entity, and their brand — for your entire career. Brokerise is not a brokerage. We're a brokerage launch platform — we help you build, own, and operate your own. We help you incorporate your own California corporation, choose your brokerage name, and own every share. The DRE issues a broker license directly to your corporation — and you hang your license with your own brokerage. We provide a licensed Broker of Record as your Designated Officer for as long as you need us.
When you work under someone else's brokerage, you're building all three for them — their brand recognition, their corporate equity, their licensing history. Brokerise flips that entirely. Every transaction you close, every client relationship you build, every year you operate goes into something that belongs to you.
Your California S-Corp or C-Corp, formed in your name, with you as CEO, President, and 100% shareholder. The DRE issues a broker license directly to your corporation — not to a parent brokerage, not to us. The entity is yours.
Your brokerage name. Your logo. Your identity on every sign, every MLS listing, every business card, every contract. We remain completely invisible — clients, agents, and the public only ever see your brand.
Every transaction you close builds value inside your corporation — not someone else's. The operating history, the reputation, the book of business: it accumulates inside an entity you own, can grow, and one day sell or pass on.
Your own corporate bank account. Paid directly from escrow. Build corporate credit under your entity. Choose your own E&O policy — no forced surcharges. No mandatory monthly tech fee. And uniquely: Realtor association membership is your choice — not a requirement. Your business, run your way.
In any typical brokerage arrangement — even a "100% split" one — your salesperson's license is affiliated with someone else's entity. If you leave, you leave. The brand, the license history, the entity: none of it comes with you.
Here, the California DRE issues a broker license directly to your corporation. Your corporation is the licensed brokerage. Brokerise provides a licensed Broker of Record who serves as the Designated Officer within your corporation — a role required by DRE — but the broker license belongs to your entity, not to them personally.
Every transaction, every relationship, every year of operating history is being built inside something you own.
When buyers see your yard sign, when agents pull up your listing in the MLS, when a client hands your card to a friend — they see your brokerage. Your logo, your colors, your name. We remain entirely invisible. That's by design.
There's no "powered by" disclosure on your marketing. No parent company in small print. Your corporation is the brokerage of record. What the world sees is 100% you.
Most brokerages can't say that. With Brokerise, you decide — and it's one of the most meaningful freedoms we offer.
NAR's historic "three-way agreement" required that if the Broker of Record at a brokerage was a Realtor member, all agents at that brokerage had to be Realtor members too — and vice versa. It was a package deal. Join the association or find a different broker. Agents had no say.
Combined annual dues — local board, CAR, and NAR — can exceed $1,000 per agent per year. For agents whose practice doesn't rely on CAR forms, the legal hotline, or other association-specific benefits, this is money paid for services they may not use.
We maintain a network of both Realtor-member and non-Realtor Brokers of Record. When we set up your corporation, we match your Designated Officer to your membership preference. Want to be a Realtor and access CAR forms, the legal hotline, and association benefits? We have that. Want to opt out? We have that too.
Importantly: in California, MLS access is legally protected and cannot be conditioned on Realtor membership — so opting out of the association does not mean losing MLS access.
This is about freedom — financial, ideological, or practical. You decide what's right for your business.
Side pioneered the idea of agents launching their own branded brokerage while someone else handles the back office. It's a genuinely good model. But there's a structural distinction that matters — most agents don't discover it until they try to leave.
Every brokerage promises a great deal. Here's what those deals look like side by side — on branding, entity ownership, and what you keep per transaction.
| Keller Williams | RE/MAX | eXp Realty | Side | Brokerise | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Split | 70/30 (64% after franchise fee) | 60–95/5 (plan dependent) | 80/20 | ~90/10 | 100% |
| Annual Cap | ~$18K–$25K (market center varies) | $23K (RAPP plan) | $16K | No cap — % every deal | No cap — flat fee only |
| Monthly Fees | ~$85–$150/mo | $500–$2,000+/mo (desk fee) | $85/mo | Varies | None — no forced tech or monthly fees |
| Franchise / Royalty | 6% per deal (cap $3K/yr) | 5–6% per deal | None | None | None |
| Your Brand on Signs & MLS? | ✕ KW brand required | ✕ RE/MAX brand required | ✕ eXp brand required | ✓ Your brand (under Side's entity) | ✓ Your brand, full stop |
| Who owns the entity? | ✕ KW franchise owner | ✕ RE/MAX franchise owner | ✕ eXp Realty, Inc. | ✕ Side, Inc. | ✓ You |
| DRE License issued to? | The franchise / market center | The franchise office | eXp Realty, Inc. | Side, Inc. | ✓ Your corporation |
| Where do you hang your license? | Their entity | Their entity | Their entity | Their entity (your brand on top) | ✓ Your own corporation |
| Path to true independence? | Leave and start over | Leave and start over | Leave and start over | Leave and start over | ✓ Already there. Get broker license, replace us. |
Commission splits, caps, and fees are approximate based on publicly available 2025–2026 data and vary by office, market, and individual agreement. Not an official representation of any brokerage's current fee structure. Always verify directly with any brokerage before making decisions.
Other 100% brokerages give you 100% of the check. Brokerise gives you 100% of the business — the commission, the brand, the entity, the license, and the path forward.
| HomeSmart | Realty ONE Group | Fathom Realty | CURB Realty (CA) | Brokerise | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commission | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Monthly Fee | $25–$75/mo | ~$100–$200/mo (varies) | $500/yr (no monthly) | $95/mo | None — no forced tech or monthly fees |
| Per-Transaction Fee | $350–$750 | $375–$895+ (tiered) | $450 pre / $99 post-cap | $595 (E&O included) | Flat fee (discussed on strategy call) |
| Your Brand on Signs & MLS? | ✕ HomeSmart brand | ✕ Realty ONE brand | ✕ Fathom brand | ✕ CURB Realty brand | ✓ 100% your brand |
| Your Own Brokerage Name? | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes — DRE-approved name of your choice |
| Who owns the entity? | ✕ HomeSmart / franchise | ✕ ROG / franchise | ✕ Fathom Realty, Inc. | ✕ CURB Realty | ✓ You |
| Where do you hang your license? | Their entity | Their entity | Their entity | Their entity | ✓ Your own corporation |
| Corporate tax structure? | ✕ IC under their corp | ✕ IC under their corp | ✕ IC under their corp | ✕ IC under their corp | ✓ S-Corp or C-Corp — your choice |
| Path to true independence? | Leave and rebrand | Leave and rebrand | Leave and rebrand | Leave and rebrand | ✓ Get your broker license — you're already there |
Fee data based on publicly available 2025–2026 information. Fees vary by office and market. "IC" = independent contractor. Always request a full fee schedule in writing from any brokerage before signing.
No splits with a corporate office taking 20–40% of every deal you close. Your commission is your commission — whether that's a real estate sale or a mortgage origination fee. You built the relationship, you did the work, you keep what you earn.
You're running a real corporation, so every dollar flows through your entity with the full tax advantages of being a business owner — not a contractor paying self-employment tax on every cent.
Setup involves a one-time fee plus applicable state and DRE filing fees. If you're adding a mortgage brokerage license to your corporation, there is an additional setup fee — still very reasonable, and we discuss the full breakdown on your strategy call so there are no surprises.
When you're a sole proprietor, you pay self-employment tax on every dollar. When you're the CEO of your own corporation, you have options most agents never get to consider. Your CPA will be delighted.
The most common choice for active real estate entrepreneurs. Income passes through to your personal return, but you may significantly reduce self-employment tax by paying yourself a reasonable salary and taking remaining profit as a distribution.
Preferred by agents building toward something bigger — hiring staff, retaining earnings, or positioning for a future sale. The flat corporate tax rate can work in your favor depending on your income level and growth goals.
Tax structure decisions should be made with a qualified CPA or tax attorney. This is not tax advice.
The goal is for you to eventually not need us. Your corporation, your brand, your equity, and your client relationships belong to you throughout this process. When you earn your broker's license, you step into the Designated Officer role yourself — and Brokerise steps out. No exit fee, no penalty, no drama.
Entity formed. Brokerage name chosen. DRE application filed. You're CEO & President from the moment of incorporation — the licensing process takes approximately 1–2 months.
Close deals, grow your brand, recruit agents if you choose. Our Broker of Record handles compliance as your Designated Officer — every transaction builds equity in your corporation, not someone else's.
Study at your own pace. Nothing about this arrangement pressures you to rush — or to stay.
You become Broker-of-Record of your own corporation. The brand, the entity, the equity, the license — all yours. Zero owed to us.
You focus on the vision. We handle the structure. Corporation formation takes about a week. DRE brokerage licensing typically takes 1–2 months. Here's what the path looks like.
We map out your goals, chosen brokerage name, preferred corporate structure, and timeline. No pressure — just a real conversation about what you want to build.
Your California S-Corp or C-Corp is formed with you as CEO, President, and 100% shareholder. Brokerise provides a licensed Broker of Record who joins as VP and Designated Officer to fulfill DRE requirements. This takes approximately one week.
Your corporation's broker license application is filed with the California DRE under your chosen brokerage name. DRE approval typically takes 1–2 months — we guide you through the entire process.
DRE approves your brokerage corporation. You move your license under your own brand, start closing deals, and keep 100% of your commissions — in your own corporation, building your own equity.
Answers that don't sugarcoat the details.
Brokerise is a brokerage incubator — not a discount brokerage, not a lead generation company, not a coaching program. If ownership is the goal, you're in the right place.
Most agents spend their careers making other brokerages rich — building someone else's brand, someone else's equity, someone else's future. You don't have to. Let's build something that belongs to you.
Schedule Your Strategy CallThe goal of Brokerise is not to build one giant brokerage. It's to help create hundreds of independently owned brokerages — each one belonging entirely to the agent who built it. Brokerise succeeds when you become an owner.
California DRE Licensed Broker · Brokerage Incubator · No Franchise Fees · Brokerise.me