We asked 24 agents why Kale. Money came in second.
Somebody answering the phone came in first. We hit record, we didn't edit, and nobody got a script. Pick the thing you need most and hear from the agents who joined for it.
The videos are unedited. The quotes beside them are the agents' words, trimmed for length.
I was kind of thinking of Kale as possibly the Planet Fitness of brokerages. I quickly realized I was wrong.
Nobody handed them talking points. Here's what came up anyway.
We rewatched every video and tallied what each agent brought up on their own.
- 18of 24said someone answers when they call or email
- 14of 24brought up keeping 100% of their commission
- 13of 24talked about the training
- 7of 24came from another brokerage and said so on camera
Start here
Three agents, three situations. If you only watch three, watch these.
3 agentsZach BellizziKale broker
Spent his first year and a half paying a big-name brokerage. Two years licensed.
“At a bigger-name brokerage, all you're doing is paying for a name. I couldn't afford all the payments going out every single month. At Kale it's 100% commission. The only fees are a transaction fee and a monthly fee.”
Listen forIf you've ever added up what your split and monthly fees actually buy, this is your video.
Azadeh ShemiraniKale broker
Part-time, with a full-time job. Closed two deals this year around it.
“I do real estate part-time. There are no required hours to come in, and the training portal is at your own pace. I've closed a couple of deals this year while working a full-time job. If I have a question, I email or call the managing broker or anyone in the office.”
Listen forThe most detailed part-timer's account on the page. She walks through the transaction tools too.
Suli GazaferKale broker
Referral-based business. Three to four years in. His wife got licensed and joined too.
“All my referrals were coming from me, my family, my friends and past clients. I don't see why I'd share that commission with a broker that wasn't providing any service Kale doesn't offer anyway. We took the money we would've paid a broker and put it into marketing ourselves.”
Listen forThe clearest version of the math. He kept more and put it back into marketing.
Want to sample our trainings? 29 minutes, recorded August 2026.
"I keep everything I earn."
$400 a closed deal, capped at $6,000 a year. These agents did the math out loud.
3 agentsKevin BarnettKale broker
Investor and agent. Four years in.
“Pretty much all my leads were friends and family to start out. Why would I give my money to someone else? Kale is kind of a perfect setup. Then I met D.J. in the office and felt welcomed right away. I wouldn't see myself going anywhere else.”
Listen forFor agents whose business already comes from their own people.
Jordan CoxKale broker
Ten-plus years as a Chicago broker.
“You can't really find a better commission split. They don't get in the way and clog up your time with mandated meetings. And the guys that run the company are super responsive. It kind of blew me away.”
Listen forA veteran who still watches the training videos. He says why.
Dawn Crumbley BarnettKale broker
New and part-time. A friend of six years sent her.
“A good friend has been with them six years and couldn't stop raving. It doesn't hurt that you keep 100% of your commission and the fees are extremely reasonable. As soon as I emailed D.J. Paris, he emailed right back.”
Listen forPrompt follow-up was new to her. Listen for what changed.
"Someone actually picks up."
The most-mentioned thing in all 24 videos. A seven-person team, a managing broker who answers, and D.J. replying to email himself.
5 agentsNatalia IvanovaKale broker
Five-plus years in. Recorded after a brutal estate sale.
“My career turned out to be more difficult than I anticipated. Every time I had a question, it was answered. Every time I missed something on paperwork, it was nicely pointed out and corrected. Sometimes you just need support from a human being, and that support was always there.”
Listen forThe longest video here and the most personal. This is what 'in your corner' looks like on a bad week.
Gregory WhighamKale broker
Tried another brokerage after Kale's licensing school, then came back.
“I tried another company, which I won't name, and they were not as helpful. Anytime I had questions or needed anything, all I had to do was pick up the phone. They're very responsive.”
Listen forHe compared us to somewhere else. Listen for what he'd tell any broker trying to make it.
Greg DybasKale broker
Team lead, Bellizzi Davis Partners. Switched to Kale in year two.
“Real estate is a very hard business. It's hard enough just trying to find a brokerage that's willing to keep up with you. If we had not changed to Kale in our second or third year, we would be in a completely different spot.”
Listen forFor teams. Listen for 'first line of defense.'
Lili XuKale broker
Did her real estate school at Kale. Three-plus years in.
“Whenever I need help, I email the admin or call anybody in the office, and I always get it answered with immediate help. Kale is always trying new things, like working with Zillow, to help you promote yourself and get more leads.”
Listen forDaily trainings, immediate answers, and a brokerage that keeps adding things.
Adnan MohammedKale broker
Newer agent building his own book.
“The commission structure is really nice and they let a realtor go into the market and use their own contacts. We have great training and support from everyone. You can call anyone and get support.”
Listen forShort and plain. 'You can call anyone.'
"Better training than the big shops."
Live virtual sessions Tuesday through Thursday, hundreds of recordings, one-on-one help. None of it mandatory.
4 agentsAngel Johnson RookerKale broker
Started at big companies. Joined Kale this year.
“I've been with some big companies since I started in real estate, and this company provides phenomenal training. Webinars with guest speakers and lawyers, a CRM, the tools to work it. And the cherry on top is that you get 100% commission. I don't know how they do it, but I love it.”
Listen forShe ranks the training above the commission. Listen for why that matters right now.
Janet OCampoKale broker
Thirty seconds on the weekly trainings.
“The virtual trainings Tuesday to Thursday are straight to the point. You can ask questions at any time, and at the end they open the floor. It really feels like there's someone there to help with whatever question you may have.”
Listen forThe shortest video on the page. Exactly what the training week looks like.
Latasha HarringtonKale broker
On why she chose Kale.
“This brokerage offers an incredible amount of support to their agents. 100% commission, low monthly fees, hundreds of training videos, and one-on-one training to make sure every agent has the skills to be successful.”
Listen forThe whole offer in four sentences.
Pamela BellKale broker
A couple of months in.
“Everything is simple and straightforward. Trainings every week, and they're not super long. Nothing's mandatory, everything is at your own pace, and you do have the support. It's a down-to-earth brokerage.”
Listen forFor agents burned by 'required' meetings.
"Nothing's mandatory."
Part-timers, remote agents, and people done with required meetings.
1 agentRhonda WilliamsKale broker
Sent by another broker. Recorded while fully remote.
“My first meeting with Kale was with D.J., and his energy is so positively infectious that's why I signed on. Working remotely has been simply seamless. It's something Kale had in place before any of this, so I kept my business going without skipping a beat.”
Listen forRemote was already built in. Listen for 'without skipping a beat.'
"A family, not a franchise."
Family-owned, Chicago-based, voted a top workplace by the Chicago Tribune ten years running.
3 agentsLori DakeKale broker
Didn't start her career here, but stayed. Years in.
“I can work at any brokerage. I go with these guys because they're genuinely kind, sincere, and want to help you succeed. I'm always able to ask questions, even off hours. And the fees are so low I can put my own little touches on my marketing.”
Listen for'I can work at any brokerage' is the honest starting point. Listen for what tipped it.
Elizabeth ElieKale broker
Lizzy G. Educator, rapper, realtor.
“Ever since I got licensed, I knew I wanted to be part of the Kale family. Anytime I email them, anytime I call them, they're right there to assist me. And guess what, we get 100% of our commissions. That's lit.”
Listen forThe most fun fifty seconds on this page.
Ebony HymonKale broker
South Suburbs. Met a Kale agent across the table on her first deal.
“The fees were attractive, I keep all of my commission, and the people. I met a Kale realtor on my very first deal and he seemed like a good person, so I looked Kale up. My first week solidified it. I knew I made the right choice.”
Listen forShe found us through the other side of a deal. Listen for the first week.
"Better tech than I had."
A website, a CRM, transaction software, and a domain live in under an hour.
2 agentsTony DelisiKale broker
Ten years as a broker, mostly at big brokerages.
“I just wish I'd found out about Kale earlier. I've been with big brokerages, and the website they give you is even better than what I was offered. No meetings you have to attend. The commission split is great and the people are fantastic.”
Listen forA ten-year veteran comparing the tech, not just the fees.
Mohammad Ali MaliKale broker
Molly. One month in when he recorded this.
“I registered my domain and had my website up in almost less than an hour. The training is great, the tools are awesome, and the team has helped me get up to speed in numerous ways.”
Listen forWhat the first month looks like.
Nobody here says the Kale name got them a listing.
That's not what we sell. Your clients hire you, not your brokerage. What these agents talk about is what happens after the client says yes: someone answers, the training is real, and the check is yours. If what you need is a brand on the sign, we're the wrong call, and we'll tell you that ourselves.
You've heard from 24 of them. Now let's hear from you.
A quick, no-pressure call with D.J. Paris about your business, your goals, and what you're missing right now. Then you decide. If Kale isn't the right fit, we'll tell you ourselves.
Your move is on us. We handle the transfer paperwork.
Quotes last verified September 2026