Office fees of brokerages can vary widely and here’s why. The operating costs of running a business are determined by however that brokerage, or independent contractor chooses to run their business. For example, if you want to rent a billboard to put your face on to advertise that might cost a lot. If your broker wants to do that or advertise in huge magazines, they might pass the expenses on to their agents (which COULD benefit you as it is advertising). Some brokerages might not want to take that approach and might have less expensive office fees. We cannot know all these variables, but you have the right to work for whatever brokerage you choose that fits YOUR style of running a business. Shop around. You will find that brokerages want licensed agents because you inevitably help them make money. Who wouldn’t want that!? That said, finding a brokerage is rather easy. Switching a brokerage if you’re not happy with it is relatively easy as well. You can find a fit that works for your budget and your lifestyle based on your personal preferences. You are technically going to be making money for these brokerages and sometimes it takes money to make money. You can crunch some numbers and see what works for you, what does not, and where you end up wanting to work.
We have a resource on brokers who have actively asked us to tell students that they want them! That can be found here.