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Real estate agents flourish when they can generate referrals, and Jason Mitchell Group (JMG) has practically industrialized the process.
The Arizona-based brokerage has organized a vast network of referral partners that include major mortgage lenders like Rocket Mortgage, Veterans United Home Loans and Mr. Cooper just to name a few.
This has enabled JMG agents to close more transactions. According to the 2025 RealTrends Verified Top Brokerage Firms rankings, the firm closed 11.6 sides per agent in 2024, the most of any brokerage with 500 to 999 agents.
According to Mitchell, his brokerage fed its agents an average of 106 referrals in 2024, adding that about 85% of its businesses come through its referral partners.
“When you’re getting that many referrals coming through, it really helps you not only on the front end in closing more deals, but those people refer their friends and family [to JMG],” said the brokerage’s founder Jason Mitchell. “It’s a great 360 circle that we’ve created because we just have a lot of business that we provide our agents.”
While JMG has perfected the art of referral partnerships, it’s just one of many ways that brokerages and franchisees can help their agents boost productivity, as evident by the diversity of approaches among leaders in sides per agent within RealTrends rankings.
Doing it the ‘old-fashioned ‘ way
Minnesota-based RE/MAX Results closed 14.5 sides per agent in 2024 — first among brokerages with 1,000 to 2,000 agents — and it did it the old-fashioned way. Founded in 1986, the franchisee targets experienced agents when it looks to expand, then provides them with a robust coaching regime to fine tune their skills.
RE/MAX Results has a department dedicated to training. It hosts training events as part of its Results Academy, and they can get personalized training sessions with a regional manager who travels to different offices, as the company’s footprint includes markets in both Minnesota and Wisconsin.
In addition, there are on-demand online training sessions tailored to specific topics, such as SEO, social media, setting expectations with buyers and sellers, among others. When RE/MAX Results does hire less experienced agents, they’re given a mentor who they have immediate access to or are placed on a team.
“There’s just such a huge variety [of agents],” RE/MAX Results President Suzanne Bushard said. “There are people who have areas where they can benefit from some additional training and they recognize that they have needs to cover.”
In addition, says Bushard, “[The founders] took the pyramid and flipped it upside down. They [the founders] made sure that sales executives were always provided the very best. They would bend over backwards to try to make it happen.”
The referral engine keeps chugging
JMG’s referral engine is also helping it grow. The brokerage closed 10,277 sides in 2024, a 20% increase over the previous year. It’s also a 180% rise relative to 2020. After a merger with Arkansas’s iRealty, JMG now operates in 42 states.
The system has made it attractive to agents who are considering a move to another brokerage, and JMG has been aggressive in adding to its agent count. How aggressive depends on the market, however. Where it looks to add is where it’s generating more referrals than its agents can process.
“We need a core group of agents in a market that we’re not in because once we flip the switch, we’re going to get referrals,” Mitchell said. “One or two agents can’t handle the volume.”
”While fast-growing brokerages using revenue share and flat-fee models are getting all the headlines, traditional models remain successful. RE/MAX franchisees did especially well in agent productivity in 2024, particularly among brokerages with 100 to 499 agents.
RE/MAX Traders Unlimited (19.2 sides per agent) in Peoria, Illinois; RE/MAX Real Estate Professionals (18.6) in East Lansing, Michigan; RE/MAX Preferred (17.4) in Monona, Wisconsin; and RE/MAX Realty Group (17.3) in Pittsford, New York all finished among the top 10 in agent productivity.
Keller Williams franchisees hold four of the top 10 in agent productivity among brokerages with 500 to 999. Those include Keller Williams West Texas (10.1 sides per agent) in Lubbock, Texas; Keller Williams Realty King Group (10) in Fayetteville, Arkansas; Keller Williams Legacy Group Realty (9.9) in Canton, Ohio; and Keller Williams Consultants Realty (9.1) in Dublin, Ohio.
Coldwell Banker placed three in the top 10 in agent productivity among brokerages with 1,000 to 2,000 agents — Coldwell Banker Real Estate Group (9.6 sides per agent) in Shorewood, Illinois; Coldwell Banker Apex Realtors (8.7) in Richardson, Texas; and Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage (8.7) in Wilmington, North Carolina.
