What Top Producers Should Look For in a Brokerage Beyond Commission Splits
If you’re a top-producing agent, is your brokerage actually helping you build something bigger — or is it just a place to hang your hat? Fiv Realty CEO Nazar Kalayji says the answer has nothing to do with commission splits.
“See, at a certain point, it’s no longer about commission splits. You should be asking: what is my brokerage doing for me that is helping me build something more than just my personal production?
So here’s how to break it down.
Very first thing you’ve got to find out is what are you actually paying the brokerage? Not just commission splits, but transaction fees, desk fees, all the other little things that they’re charging on a regular monthly, weekly, transaction-based things — and you want to add all those things up.
Second, you’ve got to look at the leverage and the support that they offer you. Are they giving you the technology that you need? Are they helping you with leadership, and training, and systems that really help you grow so that you’re maximizing the amount of hours that you actually have to work to get the production that you want?
Third, are they helping you beyond just closing another deal? Are they helping you build a team, and provide support and training so you can develop those agents on the team? Are they giving you more than just commission splits and helping you create other passive sources of income? Are they helping you build with the brokerage so you actually have some skin in the game by having ownership?
So that’s actually a big part of why we built Fiv the way we did. We wanted agents that can actually thrive in this real estate industry that we’re in. We want them to be able to have phenomenal training, amazing collaboration amongst all the other agents across the nation. We want them to be able to build additional income streams through revenue share that will help them achieve more of their goals that they want at a quicker rate. We want them to be able to build teams if they want to and be able to give them the support that they need so they could accomplish those goals.
Because as agents, our goal shouldn’t just be to sell another house. It should be able to be able to have leverage. It should be able to know how to truly build a business like a business owner, and not just another real estate agent selling a house. And if that resonates with you, then we need to connect.”
— Nazar Kalayji, Fiv Realty Follow Nazar on Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | TikTok
Why “What’s My Split?” Is the Wrong Question for Top Producers
Most agents evaluate a brokerage the same way they did on day one: what’s the split, what’s the fee schedule. That math makes sense when you’re building your first pipeline. It stops making sense once you’re already producing at a high level — because at that point, the split is only measuring what the brokerage takes, not what it gives back.
Nazar’s framework reframes the question entirely. Instead of “what am I paying,” the better question is “what is that payment actually buying me.” For a top producer, that’s the difference between a brokerage that’s a line item and one that’s a growth partner.
The Three-Part Audit Nazar Recommends
1. Total cost, not just split. Add up commission splits alongside transaction fees, desk fees, and any other recurring charges. Most agents underestimate this number because it’s scattered across several line items instead of one.
2. Leverage and support. Does the brokerage provide the technology, training, and systems that let you produce more without working more hours? A brokerage that isn’t actively reducing your workload per deal isn’t offering leverage — it’s just processing paperwork.
3. Growth beyond the next closing. Can you build a team here? Is there a path to passive income through something like revenue share? Do you have any ownership stake, or are you purely trading time for commission indefinitely?
That third question is the one most agents never ask — and it’s the one that separates a job from a business.
Why This Matters More the Higher You Climb
Early in a career, almost any brokerage will do — the priority is getting reps and closing deals. But production plateaus for a reason: eventually you run out of personal hours to sell. The agents who keep growing past that ceiling are the ones with a brokerage actively building leverage on their behalf — team infrastructure, revenue-generating structures, and real equity in the business itself.
If your production has flattened even though you haven’t slowed down, the fix usually isn’t more leads. It’s asking whether your brokerage is built to help you scale past your own hours.
What This Looks Like at Fiv Realty
This audit is the reason Fiv Realty is structured the way it is: nationwide agent collaboration, training built for agents who want to keep growing, revenue share as an additional income stream, and support for agents who want to build and lead their own teams. The goal isn’t just helping agents close another house — it’s helping them build a real business with leverage and equity behind it.
If you’re a top producer and this resonates, the next step is simple: set up an exploratory call directly with Nazar — just the two of you, no pressure, no obligation. If it’s a fit, great. If not, no harm done.
Phone: 435-212-4233 | Email: join@fivrealty.com
About Fiv Realty: Fiv Realty is a high-split, low-cap, cloud-based brokerage built for agents who want to keep more of their commission, build passive income through revenue share, and collaborate with a nationwide network of growth-minded professionals. Learn more at fivrealty.com.
