We help entrepreneurial California agents launch their own brokerage corporation — without a broker's license.
Most agents assume these two things are the same. They're not. A broker's license and brokerage ownership are entirely separate concepts — and understanding the difference is what makes Brokerise possible.
"To own a brokerage, I need a broker's license first."
This belief keeps thousands of California agents working under someone else's brand indefinitely — waiting for a license they may never pursue, while building equity for a brokerage they'll never own.
California law allows a corporation to hold a real estate broker license — as long as a licensed broker serves as its Designated Officer.
That broker doesn't have to be you. Brokerise provides one. You own the corporation. You own the license. You own the brokerage — starting now, not years from now.
A Broker of Record — formally called the Designated Officer under California DRE rules — is a licensed California real estate broker who takes legal responsibility for the compliance and supervision of a real estate corporation.
Every real estate corporation in California is required by the DRE to have one. Their role is structural and compliance-focused — they are not the owner of the business, they don't control the brand, and they have no claim to the corporation's equity or commissions.
Think of it like a corporation that requires a licensed CFO to sign off on financials — the CFO fulfills a required role without owning the company. The Designated Officer fulfills a required DRE role. You own the company.
Becoming a licensed broker is a worthy goal — and Brokerise actively supports agents who want to get there. But it shouldn't be a prerequisite for ownership. Here's an honest comparison of both paths.
When you work under someone else's brokerage, you're building all three for them — their brand recognition, their corporate equity, their licensing history. Brokerise flips that entirely. Every transaction you close, every client relationship you build, every year you operate goes into something that belongs to you.
Your California S-Corp or C-Corp, formed in your name, with you as CEO / President and 100% shareholder. The DRE issues a broker license directly to your corporation — not to a parent brokerage, not to us. The entity is yours.
Your brokerage name. Your logo. Your identity on every sign, every MLS listing, every business card, every contract. We remain completely invisible — clients, agents, and the public only ever see your brand.
Every transaction you close builds value inside your corporation — not someone else's. The operating history, the reputation, the book of business: it accumulates inside an entity you own, can grow, and one day sell or pass on.
Your own corporate bank account. Paid directly from escrow. Build corporate credit under your entity. Choose your own E&O policy — no forced surcharges. No mandatory monthly tech fee. And uniquely: Realtor association membership is your choice — not a requirement. Your business, run your way.
In any typical brokerage arrangement — even a "100% split" one — your salesperson's license is affiliated with someone else's entity. If you leave, you leave. The brand, the license history, the entity: none of it comes with you.
Here, the California DRE issues a broker license directly to your corporation. Your corporation is the licensed brokerage. Brokerise provides a licensed Broker of Record who serves as the Designated Officer within your corporation — a role required by DRE — but the broker license belongs to your entity, not to them personally.
Every transaction, every relationship, every year of operating history is being built inside something you own.
When buyers see your yard sign, when agents pull up your listing in the MLS, when a client hands your card to a friend — they see your brokerage. Your logo, your colors, your name. We remain entirely invisible. That's by design.
There's no "powered by" disclosure on your marketing. No parent company in small print. Your corporation is the brokerage of record. What the world sees is 100% you.
Most brokerages can't say that. With Brokerise, you decide — and it's one of the most meaningful freedoms we offer.
NAR's historic "three-way agreement" required that if the Broker of Record at a brokerage was a Realtor member, all agents at that brokerage had to be Realtor members too — and vice versa. It was a package deal. Join the association or find a different broker. Agents had no say.
Combined annual dues — local board, CAR, and NAR — can exceed $1,000 per agent per year. For agents whose practice doesn't rely on CAR forms, the legal hotline, or other association-specific benefits, this is money paid for services they may not use.
We maintain a network of both Realtor-member and non-Realtor Brokers of Record. When we set up your corporation, we match your Designated Officer to your membership preference. Want to be a Realtor and access CAR forms, the legal hotline, and association benefits? We have that. Want to opt out? We have that too.
Importantly: in California, MLS access is legally protected and cannot be conditioned on Realtor membership — so opting out of the association does not mean losing MLS access.
This is about freedom — financial, ideological, or practical. You decide what's right for your business.
Side pioneered the idea of agents launching their own branded brokerage while someone else handles the back office. It's a genuinely good model. But there's a structural distinction that matters — most agents don't discover it until they try to leave.
Every brokerage promises a great deal. Here's what those deals look like side by side — on branding, entity ownership, and what you keep per transaction.
| Keller Williams | RE/MAX | eXp Realty | Side | Brokerise | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Split | 70/30 (64% after franchise fee) | 60–95/5 (plan dependent) | 80/20 | ~90/10 | 100% |
| Annual Cap | ~$18K–$25K (market center varies) | $23K (RAPP plan) | $16K | No cap — % every deal | No cap — flat fee only |
| Monthly Fees | ~$85–$150/mo | $500–$2,000+/mo (desk fee) | $85/mo | Varies | None — no forced tech or monthly fees |
| Franchise / Royalty | 6% per deal (cap $3K/yr) | 5–6% per deal | None | None | None |
| Your Brand on Signs & MLS? | ✕ KW brand required | ✕ RE/MAX brand required | ✕ eXp brand required | ✓ Your brand (under Side's entity) | ✓ Your brand, full stop |
| Who owns the entity? | ✕ KW franchise owner | ✕ RE/MAX franchise owner | ✕ eXp Realty, Inc. | ✕ Side, Inc. | ✓ You |
| DRE License issued to? | The franchise / market center | The franchise office | eXp Realty, Inc. | Side, Inc. | ✓ Your corporation |
| Where do you hang your license? | Their entity | Their entity | Their entity | Their entity (your brand on top) | ✓ Your own corporation |
| Path to true independence? | Leave and start over | Leave and start over | Leave and start over | Leave and start over | ✓ Already there. Get broker license, replace us. |
Commission splits, caps, and fees are approximate based on publicly available 2025–2026 data and vary by office, market, and individual agreement. Not an official representation of any brokerage's current fee structure. Always verify directly with any brokerage before making decisions.
Other 100% brokerages give you 100% of the check. Brokerise gives you 100% of the business — the commission, the brand, the entity, the license, and the path forward.
| HomeSmart | Realty ONE Group | Fathom Realty | CURB Realty (CA) | Brokerise | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commission | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Monthly Fee | $25–$75/mo | ~$100–$200/mo (varies) | $500/yr (no monthly) | $95/mo | None — no forced tech or monthly fees |
| Per-Transaction Fee | $350–$750 | $375–$895+ (tiered) | $450 pre / $99 post-cap | $595 (E&O included) | Flat fee (discussed on strategy call) |
| Your Brand on Signs & MLS? | ✕ HomeSmart brand | ✕ Realty ONE brand | ✕ Fathom brand | ✕ CURB Realty brand | ✓ 100% your brand |
| Your Own Brokerage Name? | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes — DRE-approved name of your choice |
| Who owns the entity? | ✕ HomeSmart / franchise | ✕ ROG / franchise | ✕ Fathom Realty, Inc. | ✕ CURB Realty | ✓ You |
| Where do you hang your license? | Their entity | Their entity | Their entity | Their entity | ✓ Your own corporation |
| Corporate tax structure? | ✕ IC under their corp | ✕ IC under their corp | ✕ IC under their corp | ✕ IC under their corp | ✓ S-Corp or C-Corp — your choice |
| Path to true independence? | Leave and rebrand | Leave and rebrand | Leave and rebrand | Leave and rebrand | ✓ Get your broker license — you're already there |
Fee data based on publicly available 2025–2026 information. Fees vary by office and market. "IC" = independent contractor. Always request a full fee schedule in writing from any brokerage before signing.
Almost no one in California is offering this. Because most brokerages aren't structured to. Brokerise is.
In California, there are two types of Mortgage Loan Originator (MLO) license. The first is issued by the CA-DFPI (Department of Financial Protection and Innovation) — it's easier to get, but limits you to working under DFPI-licensed companies only and doesn't connect to your real estate license at all.
The second — and the one Brokerise works with — is the CA-DRE MLO License Endorsement. This is for agents who already hold a California real estate license. It lives under the DRE umbrella, connects to your real estate license, and allows your corporation to be licensed as both a real estate brokerage and a mortgage brokerage under the same entity.
DRE-endorsed MLOs are the gatekeepers of the full California real estate transaction — the only MLOs who are embedded in both the purchase and the financing side of a deal.
Your Brokerise corporation can apply for a Company MLO License Endorsement through NMLS under the DRE. This adds a full mortgage brokerage license to the same entity that already holds your real estate brokerage license. One corporation. Two licenses. A complete business.
As a licensed MLO under your own corporation, you can originate residential mortgage loans — earning income on both the real estate commission and the loan origination — all flowing through your own entity.
The same model applies: 100% of your loan origination fee, minus a flat transaction fee. No splits to a mortgage company. No referral fee arrangement. Your loan, your income.
The DRE MLO Company Endorsement requires a licensed California real estate broker as the designated broker/officer of the corporation. Brokerise's Broker of Record is a DRE-licensed broker with an active MLO endorsement — which is exactly what's needed to add mortgage licensing to your corporation. Most brokerage platforms either don't have this infrastructure or simply never thought to offer it. We did.
No splits with a corporate office taking 20–40% of every deal you close. Your commission is your commission — whether that's a real estate sale or a mortgage origination fee. You built the relationship, you did the work, you keep what you earn.
You're running a real corporation, so every dollar flows through your entity with the full tax advantages of being a business owner — not a contractor paying self-employment tax on every cent.
Setup involves a one-time fee plus applicable state and DRE filing fees. If you're adding a mortgage brokerage license to your corporation, there is an additional setup fee — still very reasonable, and we discuss the full breakdown on your strategy call so there are no surprises.
When you're a sole proprietor, you pay self-employment tax on every dollar. When you're the CEO of your own corporation, you have options most agents never get to consider. Your CPA will be delighted.
The most common choice for active real estate entrepreneurs. Income passes through to your personal return, but you may significantly reduce self-employment tax by paying yourself a reasonable salary and taking remaining profit as a distribution.
Preferred by agents building toward something bigger — hiring staff, retaining earnings, or positioning for a future sale. The flat corporate tax rate can work in your favor depending on your income level and growth goals.
Tax structure decisions should be made with a qualified CPA or tax attorney. This is not tax advice.
The goal is for you to eventually not need us. Your corporation, your brand, your equity, and your client relationships belong to you throughout this process. When you earn your broker's license, you step into the Designated Officer role yourself — and Brokerise steps out. No exit fee, no penalty, no drama.
Entity formed. Brokerage name chosen. DRE application filed. You're CEO / President from the moment of incorporation — the licensing process takes approximately 1–2 months.
Close deals, grow your brand, recruit agents if you choose. Our Broker of Record handles compliance as your Designated Officer — every transaction builds equity in your corporation, not someone else's.
Study at your own pace. Nothing about this arrangement pressures you to rush — or to stay.
You become Broker-of-Record of your own corporation. The brand, the entity, the equity, the license — all yours. Zero owed to us.
You focus on the vision. We handle the structure. Corporation formation takes about a week. DRE brokerage licensing typically takes 1–2 months. Here's what the path looks like.
We map out your goals, chosen brokerage name, preferred corporate structure, and timeline. No pressure — just a real conversation about what you want to build.
Your California S-Corp or C-Corp is formed with you as CEO / President and 100% shareholder. Brokerise provides a licensed Broker of Record who joins as VP and Designated Officer to fulfill DRE requirements. This takes approximately one week.
Your corporation's broker license application is filed with the California DRE under your chosen brokerage name. DRE approval typically takes 1–2 months — we guide you through the entire process.
DRE approves your brokerage corporation. You move your license under your own brand, start closing deals, and keep 100% of your commissions — in your own corporation, building your own equity.
Answers that don't sugarcoat the details.
Brokerise is a brokerage incubator — not a discount brokerage, not a lead generation company, not a coaching program. If ownership is the goal, you're in the right place.
I did try hanging my license with traditional brokerages early on — just long enough to confirm that owning my own was the only way I wanted to do this.
My name is Constantine. I'm a California and Hawaii real estate broker, NMLS-licensed mortgage broker, and the founder of Brokerise. I've been doing this since 2014 — and I've spent most of that time building something that belongs to me. Now I help other agents do the same.
"I got my license in 2014 and within my first year I was already running my own brokerage corporation. Not because I was a broker — I wasn't yet — but because someone showed me it was possible."
Early in my career I connected with a broker who was doing something I'd never heard of. He set me up with my own California corporation, my own brokerage name, and a 100% commission structure with a flat fee. He served as my Broker of Record. I hung my license under my own entity from day one. That broker is Jason Youngs, and I owe him a lot — because that experience changed everything about how I thought about this business.
I named my company Agent916 — a boutique brokerage for the Sacramento region. My brand. My identity. Every listing in the MLS showed Agent916 as the brokerage. I loved it. I was already entrepreneurial — I'd run other businesses before real estate — and the idea of building equity for someone else's company had never sat right with me. This felt right immediately.
In 2016 I got my California broker's license and did exactly what I tell agents they can do today: I stepped into the Designated Officer role, replaced my Broker of Record, and took full control of my own corporation. No exit fee. No drama. That's how it's supposed to work.
I tried other arrangements briefly along the way — a well-known national brokerage, and a small independent that offered flexibility on doing both real estate and loans. Neither lasted. Being restricted on how to run my business, what brand to represent, what I could and couldn't do — it wasn't for me. Those experiences made me appreciate what I'd built even more, and convinced me that more agents deserved the same freedom.
In 2018 I added my NMLS mortgage broker license and became dual-licensed — real estate and mortgage origination flowing through the same corporation. It's challenging to operate on both sides of a transaction, but for the right person who genuinely wants to understand both the real estate and financing sides of a deal, it's incredibly rewarding. In 2023 I expanded to Hawaii, adding a second state to my practice.
Since 2019 I've helped launch 15 agent-owned brokerage corporations in California. Each one is its own entity, with its own DRE broker license, its own brand, and 100% agent ownership. Some of those agents have since gotten their broker's licenses and replaced me as Designated Officer entirely — which is exactly the point.
I also bring a background in IT and web development to this work. I understand systems, processes, and technology in a way that most brokers don't. Brokerise isn't just a concept — it's a carefully built platform with the infrastructure, documentation, and processes to get your brokerage launched correctly the first time.
Got licensed and immediately set up Agent916 — my own California brokerage corporation — with a Broker of Record. Never worked a day under someone else's brand.
Passed the broker exam, stepped into the Designated Officer role of my own corporation, and replaced my Broker of Record. Full control. The model working exactly as designed.
Added mortgage origination. Became dual-licensed — real estate and mortgage flowing through the same corporation. Both sides of the transaction under my own roof.
Started helping other California agents set up their own brokerage corporations using the same model I benefited from. The beginning of what would become Brokerise.
Expanded to Hawaii. Now dual-state licensed, practicing in California and Hawaii.
15 agent-owned brokerage corporations formed. A platform built to scale. Now actively helping entrepreneurial California agents launch the brokerage they actually own.
I didn't invent this as a product. I benefited from it as an agent in 2014, loved it, became my own broker in 2016, and have been refining and teaching it since. I know exactly what it feels like to own your brokerage from the inside.
California DRE Broker, Hawaii Broker, and NMLS-licensed mortgage originator. I understand both sides of the transaction and can help you add mortgage licensing to your corporation if that's your goal.
Before real estate I worked in IT and web development. I bring technical fluency to the platform — the infrastructure, documentation, and processes behind Brokerise are built with that background in mind.
These are the California brokerage corporations where I have served or currently serve as Broker of Record / Designated Officer. All are publicly verifiable through the California Secretary of State and DRE databases.
| Brokerage Name | Filed | Sec of State # | DRE # |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Real Estate & Mortgage, Inc | 05/01/2014 | 3672023 | 01958600 |
| The 916 Agency | 04/03/2019 | 4263376 | 02094213 |
| Bitcoin Realty | 06/05/2020 | 4599693 | 02123750 |
| Realty Agents Inc | 02/07/2023 | 5495261 | 02212087 |
| Realty Agents CA Inc | 02/10/2023 | 5502398 | 02212090 |
| Pivot X Realty | 08/14/2023 | 5862366 | 02227561 |
| Surf & Vine Realty Inc | 08/11/2023 | 5858547 | 02226805 |
| Hamilton Homes Norcal | 09/20/2023 | 5912626 | 02230966 |
| JB Realty | 09/29/2023 | 5925006 | 02232476 |
| Profit With Property Corp | 09/29/2023 | 5925014 | TBD |
| IP Capital Real Estate | 10/03/2023 | 5927923 | 02231876 |
| Real Estate 411 | 10/24/2023 | 5937229 | 02235962 |
| Homes Pro Realty and Loans Corporation | 11/13/2023 | 5977170 | 02236920 |
| East Bay Home Solutions Inc | 02/22/2024 | 6113372 | 02423234 |
| Tri-Valley Property Management Inc | 03/24/2025 | B20250042497 | 02329520 |
| All American Realty Pro | 12/31/2025 | B20250444805 | 02437564 |
All corporations verifiable through the California Secretary of State BizFile portal and the California DRE license lookup. DRE numbers shown are corporate broker license numbers.
Most agents spend their careers making other brokerages rich — building someone else's brand, someone else's equity, someone else's future. You don't have to. Let's build something that belongs to you.
Schedule Your Intro CallThe goal of Brokerise is not to build one giant brokerage. It's to help create hundreds of independently owned brokerages — each one belonging entirely to the agent who built it. Brokerise succeeds when you become an owner.
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