Look for a team that can teach you the local stuff your clients will ask about in your first month, show you how a normal week actually runs, and put every term in writing before you sign. In Richmond, that local stuff is real. The city has its own transfer tax, its own rent program and a refinery with its own alert system.

Run the test below on any team you’re talking to, including ours.

Why does local training matter so much in Richmond?

Because clients will ask you questions a generic script won’t cover. Here are four that come up, each with the official source a good team should already know:

  • “What will the transfer tax cost me?” Richmond charges its own tax on top of the county’s. The city rate is $7.00 per $1,000 under $1 million and $12.50 per $1,000 from $1 million to $3 million, on the full price (Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder, City of Richmond transfer tax page, checked September 24, 2026). A seller near $1 million needs you to know that.
  • “Is this fourplex rent controlled?” Richmond’s Rent Program says rent control applies to multi-unit properties on one parcel built before February 1, 1995 (City of Richmond, Rent Program, checked September 24, 2026). An investor buyer will expect you to know where to look, and to send them to the program and an attorney for the rest.
  • “What about the refinery?” Contra Costa County’s Community Warning System sends alerts about industrial incidents, and buyers can sign up at cwsalerts.com (Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, Community Warning System page, checked September 24, 2026). Your job is to show them the tools, not to tell them how to feel.
  • “What’s happening at Hilltop Mall?” The city’s Hilltop Horizon Specific Plan is still a draft for about 143 acres, with no adoption vote on a City Council agenda through September 22, 2026 (City of Richmond, eScribe meeting portal, checked September 24, 2026).

If a team can walk you through those without winging it, they’ll probably train you well on everything else.

How can I test a team in one conversation?

Ask them to explain one local issue like it’s your first client meeting. Pick one from the list above. Then watch what happens.

A good answer names the official source, explains it in plain words and tells you where the agent’s job stops and the attorney’s, tax pro’s or agency’s starts. A weak answer sounds confident and has no source. That’s exactly how you’d end up sounding in front of a client.

Then ask: who taught you that, and when? You want a team where the training is a habit, not a hallway conversation.

What does a normal week on the team look like?

Ask to see one, not hear about it. Good requests:

  1. Sit in on a team meeting. Is it coaching and role play, or just announcements?
  2. See a follow-up list. Every team says it has systems. Ask to see what a new lead’s first two weeks of follow-up look like in their CRM.
  3. See a transaction checklist. Who opens escrow, tracks deadlines and chases signatures? Is that support included or billed to you?
  4. Talk to two agents who joined in the last year. Not the ones the recruiter picks. Ask what surprised them.

Never leave that conversation without the next step booked, even if the next step is “I’m going to compare you with one other team.”

What should I get in writing before I sign?

All of it. The written agreement is the deal, not the pitch. Ask for:

  • How leads are assigned and what you pay on team leads versus your own clients.
  • Every fee, including desk, technology, marketing and transaction fees.
  • What training and coaching you get, and for how long.
  • What happens to your clients, listings and pending deals if you leave.
  • Any production minimums and what happens if you miss them.

Read it before you sign, and have your own attorney or accountant review anything you don’t understand. On the client side, remember that what you charge a buyer or seller is always negotiable and never set by law. A team shouldn’t tell you otherwise.

What are the red flags?

A few things should make you slow down:

  • Income promises. Any number about what you’ll make is a sales line, not a term. Ask for the agreement instead.
  • Pressure to sign today. A good team will still want you next week.
  • Vague lead sources. “We have tons of leads” isn’t an answer. Where do they come from, and who gets them?
  • No written terms. If it isn’t on paper, it isn’t real.
  • No one who knows the area. If nobody can talk about Richmond, San Pablo, El Cerrito, Pinole or Hercules without looking it up, you’ll be learning alone anyway.

Is a team the right move for me at all?

Maybe not, and that’s fine. A team makes sense if you want structure, business to work, and help with the file, and you’re willing to share income for it. Going on your own at a brokerage may keep more of each check and puts every task on you. If you’re newer, training may matter most to you. If you already have a client base, support and systems may matter more. Decide what you need first, then pick the setup.

What does The Davis Team offer?

Leads, training, support, mentorship and systems, with a team behind you so you’re not figuring it out alone. We’re based in Hercules at 2525 Bayfront Blvd, Suite G, a short drive up I-80 from Richmond. Ask us every question on this page. We’ll show you, not just tell you.

Questions people also ask

Is it better to join a real estate team or a brokerage in Richmond?

It depends on what you need. A team can bring leads, training and help with the file, and you share income for that. Working directly under a brokerage may keep more of each check and puts every task on you. Compare written terms from at least one team and one brokerage, and talk to agents at both before deciding.

What should be in a real estate team agreement?

Look for how leads are assigned, what you pay on team leads versus your own clients, every fee, the training and coaching you get, any production minimums, and what happens to your clients and pending deals if you leave. Read it fully and have your own attorney or accountant review anything unclear before you sign it.

What local rules should a new agent in Richmond learn first?

Start with four: Richmond’s own city transfer tax and its rate change at $1 million, the city Rent Program’s coverage of older multi-unit buildings, Contra Costa County’s Community Warning System for industrial incidents, and the status of the Hilltop Horizon plan. Each has an official city or county page. A good team will teach them early.

How do I know if a real estate team really trains new agents?

Ask to see it. Sit in on a team meeting, ask for the training calendar, and talk to two agents who joined in the last year. Then ask a trainer to explain one local issue, like Richmond’s transfer tax, the way they’d explain it to a client. If they can’t point to the official source, keep looking.

Your next step

Bring your questions and hold us to the same test. We’ll walk you through how our leads, training and support work, in writing. See how The Davis Team works or call (510) 949-5525.

Not licensed yet? Start with how to become a real estate agent in Richmond.

By Bill Davis, DRE #01880656, The Davis Team at eXp Realty, Richmond, CA. Updated September 24, 2026.

Sources

  • Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder, City of Richmond transfer tax page: contracostavote.gov (checked September 24, 2026)
  • City of Richmond, Rent Program: ci.richmond.ca.us/3376 (checked September 24, 2026)
  • Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, Community Warning System: cccfpd.org and cwsalerts.com (checked September 24, 2026)
  • City of Richmond, City Council agendas, September 2025 through September 22, 2026: pub-richmond.escribemeetings.com (checked September 24, 2026)