Agent recruiting activity rises sharply in early 2026
Agent recruiting activity accelerated in the first quarter of 2026 as brokerages competed more aggressively for talent after a slower 2025, according to a new industry report.
Agent movement picked up sharply in the first quarter of 2026, with a more competitive recruiting environment emerging after a slower 2025, according to the Q1 2026 Agent Migration and Brokerage Model Performance Report.
Recruiting Insight reported 3,742 external brand changes in its first-quarter sample, representing $16 billion in annualized production and projected roughly 50,000 agent moves nationally this year. Internal mobility also rose, with office-to-office transfers up 38% year over year.
According to the report, internal movers outperform external recruits, generating an average annualized production of $5.47 million, approximately 28% higher than the $4.27 million average for external movers.
"The 'wait-and-see' era is officially over," said Mark D. Johnson, managing partner at Recruiting Insight.
The report also found that production varies widely across traditional, flat-fee, virtual and hybrid firms, with execution standing out more than model type.
"The model sets the stage, but it does not determine the outcome," said Johnson. "What determines it is execution: how well a brand brings in production relative to what it loses."
Retention, recruiting strategy, and identifying the smaller group of agents consistently driving production are becoming increasingly important as competition heats up, particularly as firms face increasing succession pressure.
Source: RISMedia (05/01/26)
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