eXp Realty Team Structure – Commission Split, Caps, & More

eXp Realty offers several ways to structure your team and position yourself in a way that can help your business grow exponentially.

The unique eXp model strives to give more agents the means and opportunity to build a seventh-level business. Over the past few years, the company has seen this come to life, with hundreds if not thousands of agents now earning passive residual income every month. 

What is a Seventh Level Business?

A “seventh-level business” occurs when you’ve built your real estate business so that your business can carry on with little to no input from you. This happens when you’ve invested time in implementing effective systems, building your team, and maintaining a client base that guarantees referrals and “repeat clients”.

“Great things in business are never done by one person; they’re done by a team of people.”

Steve jobs

It is safe to say that is a level of success we would all yearn to be at, where we can remove ourselves from the grind and still earn a substantial income from our real estate business. But the sad truth is that many of us real estate agents and team leaders will spend our entire 20, 30, or even 40-year career chasing the carrot and never catch it.

That is where the vision behind eXp was born, as a way to harness the motto “work smarter, not harder.” 

Let’s look at how building a team at eXp can help you get there.

What does a Team Look Like at eXp?

There are several ways you can structure your team at eXp. 

First, I want to take a moment to note that any team name you establish under these models needs to be filed with your state commission before using it for marketing or branding purposes. 

1. Self-organized team. This eXp Realty team structure is almost like a referral partnership. I, myself operate my business as a self-organized team. This is the most common way team leaders start their careers at eXp. 

• Under this model, you are the team leader, and there is no minimum amount of deals you have to do to sustain your team. 
• The cap is not reduced for any team members, so everyone is on a $16,000 cap, and there is no minimum referral percentage required of the team leader. 
• There is no formal team agreement required by eXp, but you will want to submit a team roster. This provides eXp with a list of agents that you are sharing deals consistently (one-off deals do not have to be on the roster).
• An agent may want to start a self-organized team to allow other agents to use the team leader’s marketing and branding. 

2. Standard team. This model is probably what most people think of building a real estate team, with team splits and formal leadership from the team leader.

• Each team member has a half cap of $8,000, except the team leader, who remains at a $16,000 cap.
• Each agent pays a referral percentage to the team leader with a minimum required split of 75:25 on all deals. Remember, agents on your team are only paying a half-cap, so there has to be some balance here to ensure the system can continue to work for everyone. 
• A written team agreement must be submitted to eXp and approved. eXp provides customizable team forms to fit your specific team needs. A team roster is also required to be submitted so that it is clear which agents are working under your team name.
• Qualifications: To qualify as a standard team, you must have closed 30 transactions the previous year or have done a minimum of $6 million in business. Remember that this number refers to a consecutive 12-month period, not a calendar year. Once your team is in place, you will be expected to maintain this production level as a team leader. Personal production and the team split all count toward your numbers here.

3. Mega icon team. This is the eXp Realty team structure you would look at if you were looking to bring on a substantial team of 10 or more. The mega icon team provides a way to help your agents lower their costs while enhancing the value proposition for you as the team leader. 

• Each agent (except the team leader) has a quarter cap of $4,000.  The cap for the team leader remains at $16,000.
• This team is similar to the standard team, requiring a written team agreement and a team roster.
• The mega icon team also mimics the standard team with a required referral percentage to the team leader of 25%.
• Qualifications: A mega icon team requires a minimum of $40 million in closed transactions for the team or 175 closed transactions. It also has to have ten capping team members in the previous 12 months. 
• The team is responsible for $56,000 in caps regardless of how many agents reach their caps. This helps ensure that the team is producing and is a bigger concern for a team of 10 agents versus one with 25 agents working toward that $56,000 cap.

4.  Domestic Partnership. This is an option for spouses who are legally married and want to join eXp as a team. A domestic partnership can be dissolved or established anytime by contacting eXp support. 

• Domestic Partnerships share one $16,000 cap.
• Agents who structure this way receive a discount on eXp’s monthly fees. Instead of paying two $85/mo fees to eXp, there is one $85/mo fee, while the second is reduced to $50/mo.
• There is no written team agreement required. eXp’s agent registration forms contain a dedicated section about domestic partnerships, where all pertinent information is entered. Remember that proof of marriage will be required to elect this structure. 

Those are the more traditional ways to structure your team with eXp. An additional way that agents and team leaders are building teams with eXp is through eXp Realty revenue share.

	Domestic Team	Self-Organized Team	Standard Team	Mega Icon Team
Who can start a team?	Anyone who has a spousal relationship or files joint tax returns	Any agents at eXp Realty	Anyone who can document a minimum of $6 million or 30 closed transactions in the prior 12-months	Anyone who can document a minimum of $40 million and 175 closed transactions in the prior 12 months:
Is there a minimum number of team members?	2	2	2	11 (The team leader and at least 10 team members who would have capped had they been at eXp Realty in the prior 12 months)
Is there a maximum number of team members?	2	No Maximum	No Maximum	No Maximum
Can you be part of a second group or team?	Yes, if the Primary is a Team Lead for one of our other team structures	Possibly. If there is no formal team created where it is more of an agreement to help each other out, you can have multiple loose arrangements. Domestic Teams can be Team Leads.	You cannot participate on a standard team and another team except the Team Lead is a Domestic Team Primary Partner. eXp Realty does not allow for teams in teams.	You cannot participate on a Mega Icon Team, and another team except the Team Lead being a Domestic Team Primary Partner. eXp Realty does not allow for teams in teams.
Is there a minimum amount the Team Lead must charge on arm’s length transactions?	n/a	n/a	25% for any Team Member choosing the reduced cap option	25% for any Team Member choosing the reduced cap option
What kind of documentation is needed to be approved and set up?	You will need a marriage certificate or a tax return showing joint filing on file with eXp Realty for the team to be approved and set up.	You do not have to have a formal Team Agreement between the Team Lead and Team Member, besides a written referral on file with eXp Realty at a minimum	You will need a written Team Agreement between the Team Lead and Team Members on file with eXp Realty for the team to be approved and set up along with the production.	You will need a written Team Agreement between the Team Lead and Team Members on file with eXp Realty for the team to be approved and set up along with the production.

What is Revenue Share?

Revenue share is eXp’s way of rewarding agents and helping to grow the company. The company designed the revenue share model to encourage teamwork and a culture of agents helping one another find success in their business. 

The way that revenue share works are through a sponsorship-type program. Agents who sponsor another agent will earn a percentage of their gross commission income for the entire time they are with the company.

That percentage comes from eXp’s share of the split; it is not an additional fee paid by the agent. And it doesn’t stop there; as the agents you work with evolve in their business and start growing their team, your revenue share team will also grow.  

The income earning opportunity from this type of team is unique because it grows exponentially versus the traditional team, which typically grows linearly, meaning slowly over a long period. 

Revenue share is a key reason why the eXp model is so effective. However, there are even more benefits to building a team at eXp Realty. 

Benefits of Having a Team at eXp

Now that we have gone over the eXp Realty team structure let’s dive into the benefits of having a team at eXp. 

kvCORE Team Platforms

kvCORE is the CRM system used by eXp Realty agents. Access to kvCORE is included with eXp, but only as an individual license within the system. As a team leader, you can upgrade your license with kvCORE to a team license and manage an unlimited number of agent accounts for a mere $399 per month.

The savings here are monumental. For a comparable system, you would be looking at spending between $750 to $2000 a month. This dramatically reduces your overhead which means money back in your pocket that can be allotted for things such as lead generation.

Training

Another way that eXp lightens the financial burden on agents is by providing a robust training system that can quickly get your team members up to speed. As a team leader, you can recommend training within eXp World that teach the lessons you want your agents to learn.

Speaking from my own experience when I had my brokerage, taking weeks or months to train every one of my agents personally took a lot of time and resources that I could have spent on marketing or production. With eXp, I can streamline the training process by directing my agents to a list of top training I’ve compiled for getting started in their business.

ICON Eligibility

The ICON award is granted to agents and team leaders who meet production and cultural requirements each year. While you can certainly achieve ICON status as an individual agent, team leaders have an advantage here. As a team leader, your production and the splits you receive from agents on your team will count toward the ICON requirements.

ICON agents receive their $16,000 cap back in the form of eXp publicly traded stock, and eligibility for the ICON award renews every year.  This unique award program is the best compensation for productive agents and team leaders that I know of. 

Branding 

Branding is crucial in any business, especially a relationship-based business like real estate. It is important in the development stages of your business and certainly for the sustainability of your business over time. eXp knows that and grants agents the freedom to brand themselves how they see fit for their business, within state requirements.

By allowing you to take charge of your branding, you can market yourself in a way that spotlights YOU as the agent. The branding focus is not on the brokerage, like at RE/MAX or Keller Williams, resulting in many styles amongst eXp business cards and online.

If you look at my website, Instagram, or Facebook business page, you will notice my business logo stands out. The colors displayed are my colors, not eXp’s iconic orange and blue. My marketing is cohesive, and my headshot is everywhere I can fit it to remind clients that I am the same Kyle Handy they have come to know and trust. 

	Domestic Team	Self-Organized Team	Standard Team	Mega Icon Team
Does eXp Realty have special Team forms?	A signed Domestic Team Agreement will need to be signed and returned for the application to be considered complete	Possibly. If there is a formal Team Agreement, eXp Realty will need the Team Lead. and Team Member to fill out and return the Team’s Checklist for the application to be considered complete	eXp Realty will need the Team Lead and Team Members to fill out and return the “Team’s Checklist” for the application to be considered complete.	eXp Realty will need the Team Lead and Team Members to fill out and return the “Team’s Checklist” for the application to be considered complete.
When do rosters need to be shared?	The two parties will be identified at the application!	A Team Roster needs to be turned into eXp Realty for the application to be considered complete, and the team recognized, onboarded together, or set up correctly with the Broker Teams, especially if there is a written team agreement in place as well. This roster needs to be kept current every month.	A Team Roster needs to be turned into eXp Realty for the application to be considered complete, and the team recognized, onboarded together or set up correctly. This roster needs to be kept current every month.	A Team Roster needs to be turned into eXp Realty for the application to be considered complete, and the team recognized, onboarded together or set up correctly. This roster needs to be kept current every month.
Are there special considerations for the team members?	There is only one cap of 16K for a domestic team	There are no special considerations for team members of self-organized teams.	There is an 8K capping option for team members of Standard Teams.	There is a 4K capping option for team members of Mega Icon Teams.
Can team members ICON?	There is one ICON award available to Domestic teams.	Everyone on a Self Organized Team is on a 16K cap, so everyone may achieve ICON awarding.	Anyone choosing a 16K cap, as opposed to the 8K option, on Standard Teams may achieve ICON awarding.	Anyone choosing a 16K cap, as opposed to the 4K option, Mega Icon Teams may achieve ICON awarding.
How are changes/ additions made after initial set-up	Contact teamservices@ exprealty.net or stop into the Onboarding & Agent Support Lobby	Contact teamservices@ exprealty.net or stop into the Onboarding & Agent Support Lobby	Contact teamservices@ exprealty.net or stop into the Onboarding & Agent Support Lobby	Contact teamservices@ exprealty.net or stop into the Onboarding & Agent Support Lobby
Once the team is set up can team members in another state be added to the team?	If you add a state of licensure, the Primary must have the same licensure, or unfortunately, we cannot process the commission without a referral	Absolutely! However, crossing state borders brings in new state regulations and set-ups. Please contact teamservices@exprealty.net or stop the Onboarding & Agent Support Lobby	Absolutely! However, crossing state borders brings in new state regulations and set-ups. Please contact teamservices@exprealty.net or stop the Onboarding & Agent Support Lobby
What happens if the team Leader can’t join when the rest of the team is ready?	One partner will join as a single agent. Once the second partner joins, the new team can keep either Anniversary Date, however there will be no payment refunds once the two are combined.	If there is a formal team with a written team agreement, there has to be an Interim Team Lead identified. The Interim The team Lead will have all responsibilities of the Team Lead until the Lead on LOI joins eXp Realty replacing the Interim Team Leader on Team Documents.	There has to be an Interim Team Lead identified. The interim Team Lead will have all responsibilities of the Team Lead until the Lead on LOI joins eXp Realty replacing the Interim Team Leader on Team Documents. The Interim Team Lead will be a full capping agent while Interim, and no refunds or post-closing commission adjustments will be made when the Lead replaces them on LOI as Team Lead.	There has to be an Interim Team Lead identified. The Interim Team Lead will have all responsibilities of the Team Lead until the Lead on LOI joins eXp Realty replacing the Interim Team Leader on Team Documents. The Interim Team Lead will be a full capping agent while Interim, and no refunds or post-closing commission adjustments will be made when the Lead replaces them on LOI as Team Lead.

eXp Realty Team Structure Conclusion

As you can see, there are many different ways to run your business at eXp. With eXp, you can build a traditional team or carry on your current team while adding the exponential value that revenue share provides.

The eXp Realty team structure gives you the flexibility to scale and grow your business and offers the average agent the opportunity to create the seventh-level business we all crave.