Short answer: Whether a brokerage is independent, part of a franchise or run as a cloud (virtual) company matters less than four things in your independent contractor agreement: what you pay in a month when you don't close, who owns the leads and listings, who actually trains you and what happens when you leave. Every model can fit the right agent, and the only numbers that count are the ones a broker puts in writing for you.
Last reviewed October 13, 2026. This guide compares business models, not specific companies. Ask any broker, including us, to put every fee in writing before you sign.
What's the difference between independent, franchise and cloud brokerages?
- Franchise: a brokerage operating under a national brand it licenses. Ask what the office pays the brand and whether any of it comes out of your commission.
- Cloud or virtual: a brokerage that delivers most support online rather than from local offices. Read the full fee schedule and ask how you'd get help in person.
- Independent: no franchisor above it. The owner decides locally, and the tools and training are whatever that owner builds or buys.
What will I actually pay each month?
Get every recurring charge in writing, then price out a slow quarter. A fee you owe with zero closings is the one that hurts. Ask about:
- desk, office or monthly brokerage fees;
- technology fees, and what they cover;
- franchise, royalty or brand fees, and whether they come off your commission;
- errors and omissions insurance;
- per-transaction, compliance or "admin" fees;
- what a company-provided lead costs you at closing;
- your split, any cap, and exactly what counts toward it.
Some costs follow you wherever you go. If you're a Realtor, NAR's national dues for 2027 are $156, plus a $45 special assessment, billed through your primary local association. State and local association dues and your MLS access come on top of that at any brokerage.
Who owns the leads, and who pays for them?
Ask:
- Does the company generate leads, or do agents buy their own?
- Are company leads open to every agent, or routed to a few top producers?
- What does a company lead cost you when it closes?
- If you leave, which contacts and data are you allowed to take?
Who trains you, and on what?
A training library isn't the same as someone who answers your call. Ask whether training happens on live deals, whether newer agents get a mentor and a plan for the first 90 days, and whether the person teaching still sells. Most of all, ask who you call at 5 p.m. on a Friday when a deal is coming apart.
What technology is included, and who owns it?
Ask which tools are included and which are paid add-ons: CRM, website, transaction management, e-signature and contract forms. Ask whether the brokerage built them or licenses them from vendors, because that decides who can change them and who sets next year's price.
What happens when I leave?
Read the exit terms before you need them. In Pennsylvania, a listing agreement is a written agreement with the broker, and the state's rules require it to say the commission was negotiated between "the broker, or a licensee employed by the broker" and the seller. That's why active listings usually stay with the brokerage when an agent moves. Ask how pending deals are paid after you leave, what notice you owe and whether any fees come due on the way out. Our step-by-step guide to switching brokerages in PA, DE or MD covers the license transfer in each state.
What does Foraker offer agents?
Foraker Realty Co. is an independent, family-owned brokerage headquartered at 135 E State St in Kennett Square, PA, with a second office in North Wilmington, DE. Our 85 agents are licensed in Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland; we work Cecil County from our Kennett Square and North Wilmington offices. Here's what exists today:
- $0 monthly fees. No desk fees, no tech fees, no franchise fees, ever. We only make money when you close.
- Transaction coordination at $300 per closed deal, charged only when you use it.
- The Shark Tank: a database of 30,000 to 50,000 leads, open to every agent, searchable by who's on our website right now, saved searches, price and area.
- A full-time ISA who calls and qualifies seller leads and books appointments onto agents' calendars.
- A mentor program and a 30-60-90 day plan, plus live listing-review trainings from an owner who still lists, sells, flips and invests.
- Technology we built and own: our own AI-built CRM, a transaction management system that runs the 30 steps of every deal, and our own contract and signing platform. Lofty, which hosts agent websites and IDX search, is included free.
- An in-house media department. Agents pay for listing photos and video; personal brand video, headshots and testimonials are free.
Our split details are a conversation, not a web page.
What should I ask any broker before I sign?
- What do I owe, in writing, in a month with zero closings?
- What's my split, is there a cap, and what counts toward it?
- Where do company leads come from, who gets them and what do they cost at closing?
- Who picks up the phone on a Friday afternoon when a deal is falling apart?
- Who trains new agents, how often, and on live deals?
- Which tools are included, and which do I pay for?
- Is there a transaction coordinator, and what does it cost?
- What happens to my listings, pending deals and database if I leave?
- Can I talk to three agents who joined in the last year?
A note from Brian
I'm Brian Foraker, owner of Foraker Realty Co. I started as a new agent at a big-box brokerage with no support and monthly fees, and I figured it out the hard way. I was you, sitting in the car wondering if there was a better setup. Ask every broker these questions, including me. When you're ready, start on our join page or call (484) 406-3004.
Sources
- Pennsylvania Code, 49 Pa. Code § 35.331, Written agreements generally
- National Association of Realtors, National Membership Dues (2027 dues and special assessment)