How Real Estate Brokers Use Stock Options to Scale Fast

If you're building a real estate brokerage and want to attract top talent, retain high performers, and scale faster than your competitors—going public might be the smartest strategic decision you ever make.


Why Go Public?


Most real estate brokers think going public is about raising capital. It's not.


The real advantage lies in using stock and stock options as a structured recruiting and performance tool—just like EXP, Fathom, and Real did.


These firms weren’t large when they listed. But by offering agents a chance to earn equity in a public company, they created a compelling reason for ambitious professionals to join, stay, and perform.


That equity narrative helped them:

  • Recruit faster than competitors
  • Retain top agents longer
  • Drive performance with shared upside
  • Expand nationally without overextending capital


The result? These companies grew from small brokerages into firms valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars—with agent-first cultures fueled by equity ownership.


How It Works


With the right guidance, any real estate agency can go public in the U.S.—there’s no revenue minimum required.


Once public, you can:

  • Issue stock options to agents and team members through a 409A-compliant plan
  • Use equity to reward loyalty and production
  • Build culture and alignment through shared ownership
  • Access capital later to expand into new markets or acquire competitors


This model works especially well for profitable, founder-led firms that want to grow aggressively and build something enduring.


We've Done It Before


Years before EXP and others popularized this model, our founder launched a mortgage brokerage, took it public, and scaled from zero to:

  • $80 million in funded transactions
  • $2.3 million in revenue
  • 125 employees
  • In just 12 months


He’s since helped more than a dozen entrepreneurs go public—without VC money—resulting in over $10 billion in combined shareholder value. Four of those companies were his own.

What It Costs

Contrary to what many assume, going public doesn’t have to be expensive.


Most entrepreneurs we work with spend about $20,000 upfront. With a clear path to public status, they can then raise capital from investors to cover the remaining expenses.


You don’t need to be a tech startup.
You don’t need millions in revenue.
You need a real strategy, a committed founder, and the right playbook.


Is This the Right Move for You?


If you're driven to build a valuable, national brand in real estate, this strategy gives you a tool most agencies don’t even consider:


Structured equity—used strategically—to attract, retain, and scale.


We believe a focused, well-positioned brokerage can reach a $100+ million valuation within five years by going public and executing the right growth plan—especially one fueled by acquisitions, transparency, and a strong equity culture.


Get in Touch


If you want to explore whether this is the right path for your agency, we’d be happy to talk.


Our founder has more than 25 years of capital markets experience—including as a partner at a 700-person investment banking firm and analyst at two institutional asset managers. He’s taken 17 companies public—and helps entrepreneurs position their business for scale, capital, and long-term value.


Let’s explore what’s possible for your brokerage.