The Switch Season: Why So Many Agents Are Moving to Great Lakes Real Estate This Year
The New Year Reality Check for Agents
Every December, agents take a long, honest look at their business. What worked. What didn’t. What they earned. And—most importantly—what they gave away.
For many Western New York agents, that reflection leads to the same conclusion every year: they’re working too hard to watch a large piece of their commission split vanish into a brokerage they rarely see, never hear from, and certainly don’t feel supported by.
This year, more agents than ever have decided to change that.
They’re coming to Great Lakes Real Estate.
A Brokerage Where Agents Actually Hit Their Cap
Here’s the part most agents can’t believe until they see it in person: A huge portion of Great Lakes agents hit their cap each year—and then keep 100% of their commission.
Not someday. Not if they pay for extra “premium programs.” Not after stacked fees and surprise deductions.
Just clean, straightforward earnings.
A traditional big-box brokerage tells you the same dream, but by the time:
• company dollar, • franchise fees, • marketing fees, • tech fees, • monthly office fees, • and transaction fees
get taken out…
…it’s hard to see daylight, let alone hit a cap.
At Great Lakes Real Estate, agents actually reach it—and quickly. Many even begin earning 100% commission right away if their previous brokerage’s company dollar is applied to the cap.
This is how agents grow faster. This is how they keep more of what they earn. This is why so many are switching now.
Local. Accessible. Actually There When You Need Help.
There’s a reason agents describe Great Lakes as “the brokerage where you’re not just a number.”
You’re not dealing with a national hotline. You’re not waiting three days for help. You’re not getting a rotating cast of managers who have never once stepped into your market.
At Great Lakes Real Estate, Broker Bruce Andrews is in the office daily. He knows the agents. He supports the agents. And he’s respected across the industry for a reason.
Big-box brokerages are built for scale. Great Lakes is built for agents.
Hidden Costs That Drain Your Year:
Agents are tired of watching their paychecks shrink due to:
• desk fees • technology fees • training subscriptions • franchise percentages • “brand marketing fees” • mandatory programs that deliver minimal value
At Great Lakes Real Estate, there are no franchise fees, no mandatory meetings, no hidden charges, and commissions are paid the same day they are received.
Lack of Actual Support
Most agents don’t need another generic webinar or national training portal. They need real, local, tailored support.
Great Lakes offers:
• in-house aerial photography • free domain names for listings • tech support • two fully equipped conference rooms • 17 computer workstations • free lawn signs and business cards • E&O insurance included • leads • a modern website with individual agent pages
This isn’t “corporate training.” This is the real-world support agents need today.
Feeling Like Just Another Agent in a Massive Machine
If your calls go unanswered… If no one checks in… If big-box culture makes you feel replaceable…
You’re right to question staying.
At Great Lakes Real Estate, agents stay because they feel seen, supported, and part of something real—not just another badge number in a national system.
The New Year Is the Best Time to Make the Switch
If you’re an agent looking ahead at next year’s goals, ask yourself:
Are you happy with what you kept? Did you feel genuinely supported? Was your broker present? Do you feel like you’re building your business—or theirs?
Agents are switching because they’ve realized something important:
Their business grows faster when their brokerage exists to serve them, not the other way around.
Thinking About a Change? Talk to Us Confidentially.
If you want a private conversation or an office tour, contact:
Great Lakes Real Estate Office: (716) 754-2550 Broker: Bruce Andrews – (716) 628-0051 Visit: GreatLakesRealEstate.com
No pressure. No commitments. Just an honest conversation about what your business could look like at a brokerage built for agents.
