Agent Migration: Q1 Had Some Big Surprises

by | Apr 23, 2026

Our quarterly Agent Migration Report will be released next Monday, and several surprising trends are already starting to emerge.

For starters, the wait-and-see market is over.

External agent moves increased 25% quarter-over-quarter and 7% year-over-year.

The brokerages gaining traction right now are those with a strong value proposition, a disciplined recruiting process, and the ability to speak directly to what productive agents actually want.

The data also shows that mid-tier producers ($1M–$4M/year) are driving much of the movement, with 56% of agents changing brokerages falling into this range.

Because there’s a limited supply of these producers, competition is intensifying for those looking to recruit and retain top talent.

There are additional insights on which models are gaining traction, the productivity roller coaster, the evolving impact of brand, the growing succession mandate, and more.

While there’s a lot to digest, it’s critical to apply these insights to your recruiting strategy in the months ahead.

That’s one of the reasons we’ve partnered with Lone Wolf to host a live webinar covering the Q1 Agent Migration trends you need to understand to compete effectively.

Industry veterans Mark Johnson and Kyle Hunter will lead the session, simplifying the data, prioritizing what matters most, and outlining clear, actionable steps you can take.

The webinar will be held next Tuesday (the 28th) at 2:00 PM ET/11:00 AM PT.  Register now to save your seat!

 

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The Attrition Variables

The Attrition Variables

While these attrition constants still have the greatest influence, there are some emerging attrition variables worth noting. People also tend to leave companies when: They feel like they’re not doing as well as others in their peer group outside the company. They feel like they’re not as far along as they should be at a certain point in life.

The Attrition Constants

The Attrition Constants

If you’re not focusing most of your retention effort on these issues, you’ll miss the mark. If you’re not focusing most of your recruiting effort on exploiting these weaknesses among your competitors, you’re missing the best opportunities.

The Persistence Mindset

The Persistence Mindset

A leader equipped with this mindset can have a profound effect on the life and career of each individual they engage. It works because an agent is getting a real-time glimpse of what it would be like to work on your team. But it only becomes believable when it is persistently applied over time.