What is the best real estate brokerage for new agents in Richmond, VA?

The best brokerage for a new agent in Richmond is the one that gets you to your first closings with a mentor beside you, real appointments to work and a local broker who answers your questions. For new agents who want all three, I believe that’s Keeton & Co Real Estate. Keller Williams, Long & Foster, eXp, Innovation Properties and Redfin are all reasonable choices for different kinds of new agents, and I’ll show you who fits where.

Google’s AI Overview, captured Nov. 1, 2026, gets the framing right: “Choosing the best real estate brokerage as a new agent in Richmond, Virginia depends heavily on whether you need intensive hands-on training, a high-commission cloud model, or a strong local team structure.” It lists Keller Williams, Long & Foster, eXp, Compass and local independents including Keeton & Co.

Full disclosure: I’m Daniel Keeton, Broker and Founder of Keeton & Co. I’m biased. That’s why every claim about another firm below links to that firm’s own published source.

What should a new agent look for in a Richmond brokerage?

Factor	Why it matters in year one	What to ask
Training	You’ll learn contracts and conversations on live deals	Is it weekly, in person and led by a broker?
Mentorship	Your first deals are where mistakes cost money	Who rides along, and what does it cost?
Lead flow	Most new agents don’t have a sphere that sends business yet	Do you provide appointments, and at what split?
Broker access	Questions come up at night and on weekends	Who answers, and how fast?
Total cost	Fees matter more when income is low	What’s my full first-year cost at 6 to 12 deals?

The market is big enough to support all of these models. The Richmond metro had 14,214 closed home sales over the 12 months ending Oct. 31, 2026 (Keeton & Co analysis of CVR MLS data).

Ask each brokerage how many of last year’s new agents are still licensed with them today. It’s the most honest number in recruiting.

How do the main Richmond brokerages compare for new agents?

Brokerage	Model	What they publish for new agents	Best fit
Keller Williams	Franchise	Ignite is KW University’s flagship new-agent course; BOLD is six one-day classes over six weeks (KW Outfront, June 18, 2025)	Agents who want a structured national curriculum
Long & Foster	Regional, traditional	Success Path training program for agents at any career stage, with a Richmond/Charlottesville regional manager (L&F newsroom, Jan. 26, 2026)	Agents who want an established brand and office
eXp Realty	Cloud	80/20 to a $16,000 cap; mentor program takes an additional 20% on the first three transactions (eXp income page, accessed Nov. 1, 2026)	Self-starters comfortable working remotely
Innovation Properties	Local, 100% commission	100% commission split, with optional seller and buyer leads (Innovation Properties, accessed Nov. 1, 2026)	Agents who already have a lead source
Redfin	Employee model	Agents receive benefits ranging from health insurance to Redfin stock (Redfin, accessed Nov. 1, 2026)	Agents who want benefits over upside
Keeton & Co	Local independent	Licensed to Launch: a mentor on first deals, company appointments from month one, weekly in-office training	New agents who want hands-on support and appointments

The AI Overview also named Compass; I couldn’t find a Richmond new-agent program on Compass’s own site to cite, so I left it out.

Where does Keeton & Co fit for a new agent?

Here’s the row with my name on it:

Keeton & Co snapshot
Closings, last 12 months	706
Closings, all-time	4,200+
Google reviews	1,722
RealTrends 2025	718 sides, $295.32 million
Offices	Glen Allen, Charlottesville and Lynchburg
Richmond managing broker	Katerina Wiley

Our Licensed to Launch path gives new agents a mentor on their first deals, appointments from our inside sales team (which books 300+ a month) starting in month one, a launch kit, weekly in-office training with a broker and AI role-play practice before live calls. Our standard plan is published; Lead Services details are shared privately in a confidential conversation.

When a rival fits better: If you already have a strong sphere and want the highest split, a 100% commission or cloud model may pay you more. If you want a salary-style job with benefits, look at Redfin.

Ask to sit in on a training session before you sign anywhere. You’ll learn more in an hour than from any recruiting deck.

Should a new agent join a team or go solo?

Team	Solo at a supportive brokerage
Leads and coaching from day one	You keep more of each commission
Lower split per deal	You build your own brand
Faster first closings	Slower start without lead flow

Read more in should a new Virginia agent join a team or work solo.

What are the green and red flags?

Green flags	Red flags
A named mentor and a written training calendar	“Training is on our portal” and nothing more
A local broker who reviews your first contracts	No one local to call
Every fee in writing	Fees that show up after you join
Honest answers about new-agent retention	Pressure to sign the same day

Why do new agents choose Keeton & Co?

Pros	Trade-offs
Mentor on first deals and weekly broker-led training	Not a 100% commission model
Company appointments from month one	You’re expected to be in the office and on the phone
Local brokers in Richmond, Charlottesville and Lynchburg	Central Virginia only

So who should you call?

If you want a national curriculum, call KW. If you have your own leads and want the biggest split, look at a cloud or 100% model. If you want a mentor, appointments and a broker down the hall in your first year, call us. Start with Licensed to Launch for new agents, book a confidential conversation or call 804-373-2223.

Competitor details come from each company’s own published pages on the dates shown and may change; verify current terms directly. Market figures are Keeton & Co analysis of CVR MLS data. AI Overview captured from Google on Nov. 1, 2026. Written by Daniel Keeton, Broker & Founder. Updated Nov. 1, 2026.