Learn how to properly exit real estate agents from a brokerage or team in a graceful manner to enhance your company's reputation & increase the likelihood of them returning.
When it comes to leadership in real estate, most training focuses on recruiting agents and increasing production. But there’s another skill that can make or break your brokerage or team: knowing how to exit real estate agents from a brokerage gracefully.
Agent departures are inevitable. Whether it’s due to market shifts, personal goals, or the classic “grass is greener” mentality, you will have agents leave. The true measure of leadership isn’t whether you can stop them—it’s how you handle their exit. Your approach can either protect your reputation and culture or spark drama that damages both.
VIDEO: How to Exit Real Estate Agents from a Brokerage or Team
Why Agents Leave – And Why They Rarely Tell the Whole Story
The late-summer market slowdown is often a trigger for movement. Sales dip, school starts, and agents start scrutinizing their numbers. Instead of doubling down on proven lead generation strategies, some look for an external fix—moving to another brokerage or team in hopes of better splits, more leads, or stronger culture.
But here’s the truth: the reason they give you for leaving is rarely the real reason. Just like a high school breakup—“It’s not you, it’s me”—most agents are simply trying to avoid conflict. That means the feedback they offer during an exit interview is often incomplete or not actionable.
The Hidden Cost of a Poor Exit
Leaders who react emotionally to a departure send a loud message to their remaining agents: “I value you only while you’re making money for me.”
Negative reactions—whether overt (“You’ll never make it on your own”) or subtle (“We don’t make money off you anyway”)—can do more damage than the departure itself. These comments confirm the agent’s decision to leave and give them a story to tell in the market… one that casts you in a bad light.
Worse, other agents are watching. A poorly handled exit can turn a single departure into a wave of resignations.
Common Leadership Missteps During Agent Exits
If you want to master how to exit real estate agents from a brokerage, avoid these damaging moves:
Making it personal.
Comments that question an agent’s abilities or character fuel resentment and tarnish your reputation.Changing their compensation on the way out.
Altering commission splits for pending deals signals insecurity and instability.Refusing to transfer listings.
Even if you’re legally allowed to keep them, refusing to transfer listings when it’s industry norm shows ill will.Poaching their team members mid-transition.
This escalates tensions and ensures negative word-of-mouth.
The Power of Grace
Strong leaders know that every exit is an opportunity. In fact, about half of all agents who leave will return—if they are treated well.
A graceful exit includes:
Keeping compensation structures consistent until all pending deals close.
Transferring listings when appropriate in your market.
Offering genuine help with their transition—yes, even logistical support.
Speaking positively about them, both publicly and privately.
This not only preserves relationships but also positions you as a leader who values people over transactions.
A poorly handled exit can turn a single departure into a wave of resignations.
Brian Icenhower
A Real-World Retention Win
One of our clients lost their top agent but stayed focused on relationship, not retaliation. Knowing this agent valued personal connection, they scheduled reminders to check in at her preferred working time—10:30 PM—every few weeks. They also invited her to social events, expressing genuine care.
By the tenth week, she returned. Why? Because the other brokerage didn’t know her the way her original team did. They played to her motivations, kept the relationship warm, and demonstrated they valued her as a person.
Why This Matters for Growth
If you want to grow, you must be just as good at exiting agents as you are at recruiting them. Poorly handled exits spread “poison pills” into the market, damaging your ability to attract talent. Graceful exits, on the other hand, create advocates—even from former agents—and sometimes bring them back.
The next time an agent leaves, resist the urge to react emotionally. Keep your focus on growth activities:
Recruiting new agents.
Training and supporting your current team.
Maintaining a culture of respect and professionalism.
Because in real estate leadership, your reputation is your currency—and how you handle exits determines whether it grows or shrinks.
Key Takeaway
Mastering how to exit real estate agents from a brokerage with grace isn’t just about being polite—it’s a strategic growth move. Treat people well on the way out, and you’ll keep the door open for them to return, protect your reputation, and strengthen your culture for the long haul.
Need expert guidance on leadership? Talk to an ICT coach for free today.
