Brokerage comparisonVerified 2026-05-20

Realty ONE Group vs Sotheby's International Realty

100%-commission franchise with low monthly fee vs Luxury-focused global brand under Anywhere Real Estate.

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Reviewed by SofaBrain Editorial Team

Editorial Team · Last reviewed 2026-05-20

Net-income side by side

Computed at the realtor median: $120,000 annual GCI ÷ 12 transactions per year. Adjust the inputs on the live commission calculator.

Realty ONE Group

$115,824

estimated net take-home

GCI: $120,000
Brokerage share: −$0
Monthly fees (×12): −$1,788
Per-tx fees: −$2,388

Sotheby's International Realty

$72,000

estimated net take-home

GCI: $120,000
Brokerage share: −$48,000

Feature matrix

FeatureRealty ONESotheby's
Commission model100-commissionsplit
Default split100/060/40
Annual cap
Monthly fee$149
Per-transaction fee$199
Royalty fee
Training programstandardextensive
Lead programagent-sourcedoptional
Stock awards
Profit share
Sponsorship residual
Publicly tradedPrivateHOUS
Approx agent count22,00026,000
HeadquartersIrvine, CAMadison, NJ
Founded$2,005$1,976

Best/worst fit for Realty ONE

Best for: Moderate-volume agents who want 100% commission with predictable fees

Worst for: Brand-new agents — no mentorship cushion if business stalls

Tech stack: Skyslope, Z57, OneU

Best/worst fit for Sotheby's

Best for: Luxury-segment agents in major metros; global referral network

Worst for: Entry-level / sub-$500K market agents — brand requires luxury inventory

Tech stack: MOXI, Curate, SIR Mobile

FAQ

What's the biggest difference between Realty ONE Group and Sotheby's International Realty?+

Realty ONE Group runs on a 100-commission model (100/0 split) while Sotheby's International Realty runs on a split model (60/40 split).

Which is better for new agents?+

Newer agents typically benefit more from extensive training + lead programs. Realty ONE Group: standard training, agent-sourced leads. Sotheby's International Realty: extensive training, optional leads. The brokerage with more brokerage-provided leads + extensive training is usually the safer first move.

Which is better at high volume?+

At high volume (30+ transactions/year), cap-based and 100%-commission brokerages outperform split-based ones because the brokerage's share is capped while your output keeps growing. Realty ONE Group is the cap/100%-commission option in this pair.

Does this comparison include lender/title splits?+

No. We model the brokerage's cut of your gross commission income (GCI) after the buyer-broker / seller-broker split between firms. Lender, title, and ancillary splits vary deal-to-deal and aren't modeled here.

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Sources