Changing brokerages is a real decision with real risk. Your license, your pending deals, your listings and your income all move at once.
In Georgia, the mechanics are simple once you know the order. Here’s the sequence we walk agents through.
Before you give notice
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- Read your Independent Contractor Agreement. Look for notice periods, anything owed when you leave, and how pending commissions get paid.
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- List every pending transaction and active listing. That’s where most of the questions come up.
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- Decide where you’re going before you tell anyone. You can’t practice between brokerages, so keep that gap short.
How the license transfer works
In Georgia, your broker holds your license. When you leave, your current broker releases it at Georgia Real Estate Commission website with the click of a button. Your new broker claims your license on the same GREC website.
After release, you can’t do any real estate activity until your new broker claims your license. No showings, no offers, no listing appointments. Plan the switch for a quiet day.
Pending deals and listings
A listing agreement is between the seller and the brokerage, not you personally. Your current broker decides whether a listing stays, moves with you or is released. Ask early, and put the client first.
For contracts already under way, Georgia law lets you finish them for your former broker only when both brokers agree in writing. That agreement lists the transactions and how you’ll be paid. Without it, the deal stays with the old brokerage.
The checklist after the transfer
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- MLS: move your membership to the new office in FMLS and Georgia MLS.
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- Association: update your Board of REALTORS® membership to the new office.
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- Marketing: Georgia advertising rules require your brokerage name & phone number, so update your website, signs, email signature and social profiles ASAP.
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- Database: export your contacts, if your agreement allows it.
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- Past clients & Sphere of Influence: tell them where you landed. A short personal note beats a formal announcement.
Choosing where you go next
The paperwork takes an afternoon. The choice takes longer. If you’re weighing a team against going solo, start with Team vs. Solo: Which Real Estate Career Path Fits You? If you’re looking at a Zillow team, read Questions to Ask Before Joining a Zillow Team.
Switching to Path & Post
When an agent joins us, we walk through the transfer together and handle the setup on our side, so the gap between brokerages stays short. Then you’re in the next Tuesday workshop.
This is general guidance, not legal advice. Your Independent Contractor Agreement and your broker have the final word on your situation.
See what it’s like to work here
Meet the team, see how we train, and find out what makes our culture different.
Thinking about a move? We’ll walk you through every step.
