Every agent at REAL Broker works on the same platform, with the same tech and the same fees. That part never changes based on who signs you up.
What does change is the help you get once you are in. That is what a sponsor is for, and it is why picking the right one matters.
Below I show you sponsors by who they fit best: new agents, teams, and broker owners. Each card has their links and a button to schedule a call.
Quick picks
| New agents | Ryan Mullins, Kelly Norris |
| Teams | Dani Dorman, Christine Cahoon, John & Shannon Kromm |
| Broker owners | Kelly Norris, Dan Hickman |
| Growing a network | Malcolm Lawson |
| What you pay | Same for every sponsor. See the FAQ at the bottom. |
Best REAL Broker Sponsor for New Agents
When you are new, you need more than a signup link. You need a sponsor who can be a real resource while you learn the fundamentals, build systems and processes around sales, and figure out how to manage your CRM day to day.
That does not mean they train or coach you for free. It means they are someone you can lean on for support, answers, and help through the transition.
Two of our sponsors focus on new agent development. They come at it from very different places, so read about both.
Kelly was co-owner and CEO of a Napa Sotheby's International Realty brokerage. New agent development is one of his real strengths.
His page says newer agents who want mentorship are a natural fit. He says he joined REAL in October 2022.
Ryan is a real estate coach. His strengths are new agent development, coaching, and business development.
A 2016 Long & Foster release says he joined as branch manager of its new Middletown, Delaware office.
His Real Profit Matters site is a business coaching brand for small business owners. It is not a real estate site. His calendar page offers a one-on-one session about whether REAL fits you.
Best REAL Broker Sponsor for Teams
Building a team is hard. Recruiting agents, keeping them productive, and running day-to-day ops can wear you down fast. Moving that whole machine to a new brokerage adds another layer of stress.
That is why your sponsor matters. You want a team leader who has already transferred their team and operations over to REAL. They have been through the switch. They can be a resource when something breaks, when you have questions, and when you need support through the transition — not a promise that they will train or coach your team for you.
Each of these four leads a team, so you can ask how they run theirs and how they made the move.
Dani leads the Dorman Homes team. His market covers Eastchester, Scarsdale, Bronxville, Tuckahoe and White Plains in New York, and Sherman in Connecticut.
He says he and his team spent six months researching before they left Keller Williams for REAL. He says he started at REAL in January 2025.
Christine leads The Cahoon Real Estate Team in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Her site calls her a Hampton Roads native, a military wife and a mom. She has been licensed since 2006.
She says she spent over 15 years at Keller Williams, then moved her whole team to REAL. I talked with her about it in my interview, "Why This Team Leader Left Keller Williams for REAL Broker."
John and Shannon are a husband-and-wife team in Bend, Oregon. Their site says John started in real estate in 2014 and Shannon in 2016. They work in Bend, Redmond, Sisters and Sunriver.
They share their work on YouTube and Instagram. I have made seven short videos with them, like "How We Pay Nothing To Be At REAL."
Chris is a team leader in Colorado Springs, Colorado. His strengths are military and VA loans, teams, YouTube, and social media.
Best Broker Sponsor for Luxury Agents
Luxury work has its own pace, clients, and deal shape. It helps to have a sponsor who already works in that world and can be a resource when you have questions.
Helen is a team lead in San Jose, California. Her strengths are luxury, commercial, international, leadership, and author work.
If luxury is your lane, she can be a resource for support, questions, and help through the transition — not a promise that she will train or coach you.
Best REAL Broker Sponsor for Commercial Real Estate
Commercial real estate is a different game from residential. On the sponsor directory, Helen Chong is the commercial sponsor.
Helen is a team lead in San Jose, California. She brings commercial alongside luxury, international, leadership, and author work.
If commercial is your focus, she can be a resource for support, questions, and help through the transition — not a promise that she will train or coach you.
Best Sponsor for Broker Owners
Moving a brokerage is a big choice. Kelly Norris and Dan Hickman are both former broker owners. They know the struggles that come with running one, and they can talk through the benefits of moving an entire brokerage over to REAL in a way other sponsors could not.
Think of them as a resource for support, questions, and help through the transition — not as someone who will run your brokerage for you.
Kelly was co-owner and CEO of a Napa Sotheby's International Realty brokerage. His strengths are running large teams, luxury, and new agent development.
He fits a broker owner who wants to hear from someone who has led a brokerage and then made the move to REAL.
Dan is in Bridgton, Maine. He and his wife, Tammy, lead Heritage Real Estate, brokered by REAL. He used to own EXIT Heritage Real Estate.
His strengths are team building, brokerage operations, agent development, and sales. His site says he has been a Maine resident for most of his life, and he says he has 35+ years as a developer, builder and REALTOR.
He fits a broker owner who wants to talk about how to run a brokerage and grow agents.
Best Sponsor for Growing a REAL Broker Network
Growing a network can be a great exit strategy. If that is the path you want, pick a sponsor who has grown their own network at REAL and understands the complexities that come with it.
They should be a resource for support, questions, and help through the transition — not a promise that they will build your network for you.
I am the founder of Next-Gen Agents. I help agents, teams, and broker owners understand the REAL model and move their business over.
Best REAL Broker Upline
Every sponsor on this page is in my network at REAL Broker.
That part matters more than most people realize. When you join through one of these agents, you get them as your sponsor. And you also get me in your upline as a resource.
I am Malcolm Lawson. I founded Next-Gen Agents. I am a REAL Growth Ambassador, and I am the number one personal agent attractor at REAL.
I help agents, teams, and broker owners understand the REAL model and move their business over. Most of that happens through education first: YouTube videos, fee breakdowns, and training you can watch before you talk to anyone.
Before real estate, I served 11 years in the U.S. Air Force. That included time in Misawa, Japan, years at Andrews Air Force Base, and four years with the White House Communications Agency under three presidents.
I am a single dad based in Annapolis, Maryland. I came to REAL from Keller Williams, and I joined in 2021 when the company had fewer than 1,800 agents.
So if you pick a sponsor from this page, you are not just getting that person. You are plugging into a network that already includes me.
Why Your REAL Broker Sponsor Matters
Your sponsor does not change your split, your cap, or your tech. Everyone at REAL gets the same reZEN platform and the same fee structure.
What a sponsor does control is the relationship. Are they around to help you set up your business the right way? Can they answer your questions, or do they just send you a link?
Here is the part that surprises people. Your sponsor name is locked after you sign the ICA. And your split stays 85/15 no matter who sponsors you.
So this is not a decision about money leaving your pocket. It is a decision about who is in your corner.
- Are they active? Are they producing, attracting agents, or teaching?
- Do they have a plan for your first 30 days?
- Are they quick to answer you now, before you join?
- Do they understand your kind of business: new agent, team, or broker owner?
- Will they tell you no if REAL is not right for you?
Who Is the Best REAL Broker Sponsor
Honestly, there is no one best name for everybody. The best sponsor is whoever will support your business after you join. That looks different for a new solo agent than for a team leader with a big team.
Here is where Next-Gen Agents fits. We lead with education: fee breakdowns, YouTube videos, and training you can watch before you talk to anyone.
That is not a pitch that we are the only answer. It is how we built our approach, so you can judge if it fits you.
| If you are a… | Start with |
|---|---|
| New agent | Kelly Norris or Ryan Mullins |
| Team leader | Dani Dorman, Christine Cahoon, John & Shannon Kromm, or Chris Berisford |
| Luxury agent | Helen Chong |
| Commercial | Helen Chong |
| Broker owner | Kelly Norris or Dan Hickman |
| Want to build a network | Malcolm Lawson |
FAQ
Does it matter who sponsors me at REAL Broker?
Yes. The platform, tech, and fees are the same for everyone. The support you get is what changes with your sponsor.
What do I pay to join REAL with a sponsor?
The same as every other REAL agent. Your sponsor does not change your fees. Here are the US numbers from REAL's deck:
| What | US number |
|---|---|
| Split | 85/15 |
| Monthly fees | None |
| Annual cap | $12K (solo agent or team leader), $6K (team member), $4K (platinum team member) |
| Sign-up fee | $249 |
| CBR fee | $50 per transaction |
| Annual brokerage fee | $900, paid as $300 across your first 3 transactions per anniversary year |
| After you cap | $285 post-cap transaction fee, which drops to $100 per transaction after hitting Elite Agent |
| Elite Agent | Typically 22 transactions after you cap |
| Leases | $125 lease transaction fee |
| Personal deals | 3 per anniversary year at $250 |
| Stock awards | $12,000 in stock for the Production Awards, plus $8,000 in stock for the separate Cultural Award |
The $4K cap needs $100MM in annual volume and 12 team members. To get the Production Award, you hit your $12K cap and pay $6K in post-cap fees, or close $500K in GCI and 10 transactions of $1M or more. The Cultural Award is separate and is not automatic.
Fees change, so check REAL's deck before you decide.
Do I lose commission to my sponsor?
No. Your split stays 85/15 no matter who sponsors you. Revenue share is based on REAL's portion of the split, not yours.
Can I change my sponsor later?
No. Your sponsor name is locked after you sign the ICA. Check the name before you sign.
How does co-sponsorship work?
Support does not have to come from one place. REAL lets you name two people who have helped guide your journey.
REAL's portion of the revenue share is split 50/50 between your sponsors.
It is set up in the Residential Independent Contractor Agreement. After you sign the ICA, your sponsor name is locked.
Ask both people what each one will do for you before you sign.
Does my sponsor change my fees or my Elite Agent awards?
No. Every agent pays the same $285 post-cap transaction fee, which drops to $100 per transaction after hitting Elite Agent, and Elite Agent is typically 22 transactions after you cap. Your sponsor does not change the $12,000 in stock for the Production Awards, plus $8,000 in stock for the separate Cultural Award.
Who is the best REAL Broker sponsor for a new agent?
It depends on how you learn. Ryan Mullins and Kelly Norris both focus on new agent development. Talk to both and see who fits you.
