REAL Broker Fees, Caps and Splits Explained
See exactly what you’d pay REAL in a year and what you’d keep, using REAL’s 85/15 split, $12,000 cap and per-deal fees.
Malcolm LawsonAgent with REAL since 2021, YouTuber, Air Force veteran, and official REAL Growth Ambassador.
What Does It Cost to Be a REAL Broker Agent?
A REAL agent pays an 85/15 split until you reach the $12,000 cap, a $50 CBR fee per transaction and a $900 annual fee. After you cap, there’s a $285 post-cap transaction fee, which drops to $100 per transaction after hitting Elite Agent.
| Fee | Amount | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Commission split | 85/15 | You keep 85% of each commission and pay 15% to REAL until you reach your cap. On a $10,000 commission, the split is $1,500 and you keep $8,500. |
| Annual cap | $12,000 | Once your 15% split payments reach $12,000, you stop paying the split for the rest of your capping year. At 15%, that’s $80,000 in GCI ($12,000 ÷ 15%). |
| CBR fee | $50 | $50 CBR fee per transaction, on every deal. |
| Annual fee | $900 | $900 a year, paid as three payments of $300 ($300 × 3). |
| Post-cap fee | $285 | After you cap, each deal pays a $285 post-cap transaction fee, which drops to $100 per transaction after hitting Elite Agent. |
| After Elite Agent | $100 | Elite is typically 22 transactions after you cap. Then your post-cap fee is $100 per transaction.$12,000 in stock for the Production Awards, plus $8,000 in stock for the separate Cultural Award.The Cultural Award is separate from the Production Awards. |
| Start-up fee | $249 | $249 one-time start-up fee when you join. |
What Changes After You Cap?
At 16 deals of $10,000, here is how your year breaks down.
What Do Agents Actually Pay at REAL? 3 Worked Examples
Three example agents, each closing deals at $10,000 GCI per deal, side by side.
| Doesn’t capNewer agent | CapsMid producer | Caps and hits EliteTop producer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deals × GCI$10,000 GCI per deal | 6 = $60,000 | 16 = $160,000 | 40 = $400,000 |
| 15% splitStops at the $12,000 cap | $9,000 | $12,000 | $12,000 |
| Post-cap fee$285 per transaction | $0 | $2,280 | $6,270 |
| After Elite Agent$100 per transaction | $0 | $0 | $1,000 |
| CBR fee$50 per transaction | $300 | $800 | $2,000 |
| Annual fee$300 × 3 | $900 | $900 | $900 |
| Total paid to REAL | $10,200 | $15,980 | $22,170 |
| You keep | $49,800 | $144,020 | $377,830 |
| Share of GCI paid | 17.00% | 9.99% | 5.54% |
The mid producer caps on deal 8 and pays the post-cap fee on 8 deals. The top producer caps on deal 8, pays $285 on 22 deals, and hits Elite Agent after the typical 22 transactions after capping (deal 30), then pays $100 on the last 10 deals.
Elite Agents can also earn $12,000 in stock for the Production Awards, plus $8,000 in stock for the separate Cultural Award. That stock is not counted in the math above.
Not included above: the $249 one-time start-up fee when you join.
These are illustrations with round numbers, not projections. Your numbers depend on your own deals and REAL’s program terms.
Run Your Own Numbers
You pay REAL $15,980 (9.99% of your GCI)
You keepPaid to REAL
Enter your deals
| Total commission (GCI)16 deals × $10,000 | $160,000 |
| 15% split until the $12,000 capPaid on your first 8 deals, which reaches the $12,000 cap | $12,000 |
| $285 post-cap transaction fee8 deals × $285 | $2,280 |
| $100 per transaction after Elite Agent0 deals × $100 | $0 |
| $50 CBR fee per transaction16 deals × $50 | $800 |
| $900 annual fee$300 × 3 | $900 |
| Total paid to REAL | $15,980 |
| You keep | $144,020 |
You hit Elite Agent at these numbers. Elite Agents can also earn $12,000 in stock for the Production Awards, plus $8,000 in stock for the separate Cultural Award. That stock is not counted in the totals above.
Not included above: the $249 one-time start-up fee when you join.
This estimate is illustrative, not a projection. It assumes every deal has the same commission and that Elite Agent comes after the typical 22 transactions after you cap. Your numbers depend on your own deals and REAL’s program terms.
Leaders Who Moved to REAL
We went from about $14 million in production to over $50 million after moving to REAL and implementing its technology.
After more than 15 years at Keller Williams, moving to REAL was one of the best business decisions I’ve made. My first year has been incredible.
I looked at every model—from renewing my franchise to opening my own 100% commission brokerage. When I weighed everything out, REAL was the best long-term fit for me and my team.
REAL Broker Fees FAQ
What is REAL Broker’s commission split?
85/15: you keep 85% and pay 15% to REAL until you reach the $12,000 cap.
What is REAL Broker’s cap?
$12,000 a year. At a 15% split, that’s reached at $80,000 in GCI.
What does REAL charge per transaction?
A $50 CBR fee per transaction. After you cap, there’s also a $285 post-cap transaction fee, which drops to $100 per transaction after hitting Elite Agent.
What is REAL’s annual fee?
$900 a year, paid as three payments of $300.
How many deals does it take to hit Elite Agent?
Elite is typically 22 transactions after you cap.
See If REAL Is the Right Fit… or Not
Book a free one-on-one video call. I’ll walk you through the exact numbers — splits, caps, stock, fees — and answer your questions.
Next-Gen Agents · Malcolm Lawson, REAL Broker agent · © 2026
Fees and caps are subject to REAL’s program terms. Worked examples and the estimate are illustrations, not projections. Not financial or tax advice.