Why We Left 1,540 Agents at eXp to Start Over at REAL Brokerage

Two years ago, Clayton Gits and his team made the decision to leave eXp Realty, where they had built a network of over 1,540 agents, and start over at REAL Brokerage. In this video, Clayton gives a full two-year update on what that decision has looked like in practice, what worked, what didn't, and whether he'd make the same call again.

Why They Left eXp After Building 1,540 Agents

Walking away from a network you spent years building is not a decision anyone makes lightly. Clayton explains the specific inflection point: a combination of changing economics at eXp, the early signals from REAL's technology roadmap, and a fundamental belief that the most innovative brokerage in the space was about to have a significant run. The calculus wasn't about what eXp had done wrong, it was about where REAL was going.

What the First Year at REAL Actually Looked Like

Year one was a rebuild. Clayton and his team had to re-establish trust with agents, explain the move, and demonstrate that REAL's platform delivered on its promises. What surprised them most was how quickly the REAL community absorbed them, the culture was genuinely different from the transactional feel of larger cloud brokerages, and the agents who came over from eXp were unanimous in saying the move felt right within 90 days.

Two Years In: The Numbers

Two years after the move, Clayton's team has sponsored over 2,100 agents to REAL. The revenue share income has scaled significantly. The stock they accumulated through REAL's incentive programs has compounded. And perhaps most importantly, the AI and technology investments REAL made in 2023 and 2024 have made the platform demonstrably stronger than any alternative in the space. Clayton walks through the specific numbers in the video.

Would He Make the Same Decision Again?

The short answer is yes, without hesitation. But Clayton is careful to note that REAL isn't right for every agent in every situation. If you're considering a similar move, the right starting point is running your own numbers, not copying someone else's decision. Use the cost calculator on this site, watch the video in full, and book a call if the math looks promising for your business.