Recruiting Insight has released its Q2 2025 Agent Migration and Brokerage Model Performance Report, offering a data-rich analysis of real estate agent movement, brokerage model effectiveness, and market dynamics across four major MLS regions. This quarter's findings reveal an industry increasingly shaped by internal consolidations, high-producing agent mobility, and the widening productivity gap between top and mid-tier performers.
SEATTLE, July 30, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Recruiting Insight has released its Q2 2025 Agent Migration and Brokerage Model Performance Report, offering a data-rich analysis of real estate agent movement, brokerage model effectiveness, and market dynamics across four major MLS regions. This quarter's findings reveal an industry increasingly shaped by internal consolidations, high-producing agent mobility, and the widening productivity gap between top and mid-tier performers.
Now in its second quarterly installment, the report has become an essential resource for brokers, recruiters, and industry leaders seeking to stay ahead of fast-moving changes in agent behavior and brokerage model performance. Link to Report.
"The importance of leadership and seven levels of communication has never been clearer," said Mark Johnson, Managing Partner at Recruiting Insight. "For the innovative and driven, this market has hope and opportunity. Lead or bleed."
Key Takeaways from Q2 Report
- Consolidations Are Accelerating Across Major Brands
Internal movements—agents switching teams or offices within the same brand—rose significantly in Q2. This trend toward consolidation reflects strategic restructuring as brokerages prioritize scale, brand cohesion, and operational efficiency. While most movement still occurs between competing firms, consolidations now account for a substantial share and often involve high-producing agents.
This movement is most prominent in regions where technology-enabled and modern brokerage models are gaining ground. These models tend to centralize operations, align support systems, and attract teams under unified branding—resulting in stronger internal migrations and team-based expansion.
Insight: Consolidation is no longer just about office space—it's a competitive maneuver to deepen agent support, streamline culture, and retain high-value producers. - Agent Mobility and Productivity Continue to Climb
Agent movement remained strong in Q2, with 2.96% of productive agents changing firms or teams—a 6% increase over Q1. In addition, overall agent productivity grew 5.6%, with 38.1% of all agents recording at least one transaction. The range varies significantly by region—from a low of 34% in West MLS to a high of 55% in Mid-South MLS.
Brokerages built on tech integration, revenue sharing, and agent-first incentives are increasingly successful at attracting productive agents. The data shows that these firms are not just recruiting more people—but more profitable people.
Insight: Firms with strong value propositions are actively reshaping the productivity curve, as agents chase better alignment with their goals, tools, and financial rewards. - Membership Holds Steady Despite Turnover
Despite the high degree of agent movement, total membership across the MLSs studied remained stable. Three out of four regions saw slight increases in agent counts, with only the Mid-South MLS experiencing a minor decline.
This suggests that the real estate profession continues to maintain its appeal and viability, even as competition intensifies. Brokerages are recruiting aggressively—and agents are seeking better opportunities rather than exiting the industry.
Insight: Resilience in total membership signals a maturing market where turnover is driven by ambition and optimization, not attrition. - Top Producers Are Widening the Gap
Agent production in Q2 continued to follow a power-law curve, with a small percentage of agents responsible for the majority of closed volume. This quarter, the top quartile of agents further widened their lead—both in transaction count and dollar volume.
In many markets, the highest producers are separating from the pack by leveraging better technology, lead flow, team support, and brand positioning. This dynamic is especially visible in regions with higher-value transactions, where the stakes—and rewards—are greater.
Insight: Success is increasingly concentrated. To stay competitive, brokerages must focus not just on attracting talent—but retaining and developing their top producers.
What This Means for Brokers and Recruiters
The Q2 2025 data underscores a real estate industry in active transformation. Consolidation is reshaping how brokerages grow from within, while external competition for top-performing agents is heating up. Productivity gains, steady membership, and the increasing dominance of top producers all point to a market that rewards strategic clarity, leadership, and systems designed for scale.
"These quarterly reports continue to show that a defined and articulated value proposition specific to the targeted agents' needs will drive a successful recruiting strategy," according to Jay Teresi, VP, Back Office Sales and Strategy, Inside Real Estate. Agents are asking for it and leaders who can deliver it will outperform."
What does that mean in practical terms?
It means brokerages must evolve past outdated tactics—bulk recruiting, passive culture, inconsistent support—and double down on building value-aligned ecosystems. High-performing agents aren't looking for slogans; they're seeking the platforms, coaching, flexibility, and financial models that align with how they want to build their business.
Brokerages should focus on:
- Refining Their Unique Value Proposition: As competition intensifies, clarity in what sets your firm apart is non-negotiable. Whether it's specialized coaching, cutting-edge tech, or superior marketing support—agents need to know why you.
- Leveraging Data-Driven Recruitment: Effective recruiting today requires smart targeting. Brokerages must use data to identify top agents likely to move and deploy messaging that speaks to their specific goals and production levels.
- Supporting the Top Tier: The widening productivity gap calls for tailored support. High producers are looking for brokerages that treat them like business partners, not headcount. That means elite-level tools, flexibility, and growth strategy.
- Investing in Leadership: Leadership at the brokerage and team level is now a competitive differentiator. The "seven levels of communication" aren't just theory—they're the foundation for building trust, driving culture, and creating a place agents want to stay.
In short, agent expectations are higher—and the best talent has more options. The firms best positioned to thrive in this environment are those that have embraced adaptability, clarity of purpose, and a relentless commitment to performance and retention.
"Agent migration trend data is essential for developing an effective, adaptive recruiting strategy in today's market," stated Ben Hess, Managing Director, Recruiting Insight. "The most successful recruiters execute precision strikes focused on agents who are most likely to make a move," added Hess.
About the Report
The Agent Migration and Brokerage Model Performance Report is published quarterly by Recruiting Insight, a leader in talent acquisition strategies for the real estate and mortgage industries. The Q2 2025 report is based on verified data from four U.S. MLS regions: West MLS, Mid-South MLS, North Central MLS, and Southeast MLS. The report analyzes over 100,000 agents' movement patterns, production metrics, and brokerage model outcomes to help brokers and recruiters make informed strategic decisions.
Download the full Q2 2025 report: Link to Report
About Recruiting Insight: (https://recruitinginsight.net/) is the premier provider of talent acquisition solutions tailored specifically for the real estate and mortgage industries. We don't just offer tools—we deliver strategic insights, expert guidance, and proven systems that empower your recruitment efforts, ensuring you attract and retain top-tier talent in today's competitive landscape. Serving nearly 100 brokers and teams in 100 markets, the firm was founded in 2005 and operates under the Recruiting Insight brand for its portfolio of talent attraction solutions: ThirdPool, a subscription service for recruiting new agents; CoRecruit, a coaching solution for experienced agents; and TalentScout, an experienced agent appointment setting service. The firm also offers a proprietary assessment tool, the Core Capacity Index, which enables leaders to save time in the hiring process by identifying those candidates most likely to perform in your model and culture.
About Inside Real Estate: Inside Real Estate is a fast-growing, independently-owned real estate software firm that serves as a trusted technology partner to nearly 500,000 top brokerages, agents, and teams. Their branded portfolio, BoldTrail (https://boldtrail.com/), includes BoldTrail front office, BoldTrail BackOffice and BoldTrail Recruit, solutions that create a complete tech ecosystem for clients, and deliver seamless end-to-end operations, to scale success at any level. BoldTrail delivers a unique technology ecosystem through custom branding, robust integrations, and high-quality add-on solutions, and delivers the next generation of the company's legacy brands, including kvCORE, BoomTown, btPRO, Brokermint, and AmpStats solutions. With an accomplished leadership team and its talented staff, Inside Real Estate brings the resources, scale, and vision to deliver ongoing innovation and success to their growing customer base. To learn more visit insiderealestate.com.
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Media Contact
Mark Johnson, Recruiting Insight, 1 9725214215, [email protected], https://recruitinginsight.net/
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SOURCE Recruiting Insight
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