You Passed the Florida Real Estate Exam. Now What? Choosing a Brokerage

A passed exam and an active license don't make you a working agent yet. Florida requires every active sales associate license to be held under a licensed broker, which means the brokerage decision is the next real fork in the road, and it's one a lot of new licensees rush through right after the relief of passing wears off.

Your license has to be sponsored by a broker

You can't operate independently as a brand-new sales associate. Your license must be activated under a specific broker, and that broker holds supervisory responsibility for your transactions. Choosing where to hang your license is effectively choosing who's responsible for your early training and oversight, not just a logo to put on your business cards.

Commission split isn't the only number that matters

It's tempting to compare brokerages purely by commission split, but the split alone doesn't capture brokerage fees, transaction fees, required E&O insurance costs, marketing costs, and desk or technology fees that some brokerages charge separately. A higher split with more fees stacked on top of it can net out worse than a lower split with fewer add-on costs.

Training and mentorship matter more in year one than the split does

New agents who get real, structured training and lead support in their first year tend to close more transactions, faster, than new agents at brokerages that hand them a license and a desk with no structured onboarding. Since most agents' early income is thin regardless of split, the brokerage that gets you to your first few closings faster often produces a better first-year outcome than the one with the best-sounding split on paper.

Ask about the post-licensing course requirement specifically

Some brokerages help cover or coordinate your required 45-hour post-licensing course; others leave it entirely up to you. Given that missing the post-licensing deadline voids your license, it's worth asking directly how (or whether) your prospective brokerage supports new agents through that requirement, rather than discovering the answer the hard way close to your renewal date.