Look for four things you can check before you sign: where the business comes from and how it gets to you, training that’s on a calendar, support that takes the paperwork off your desk, and a split and fee sheet in writing that you fully understand. Then make sure the team is set up the right way with its broker.

That’s the list. Here’s how to test each one in an interview, so you pick a team that fits you instead of the one with the best pitch.

Where will my business come from?

Ask this first, and don’t accept a vague answer. “We have tons of leads” isn’t an answer. Ask where they come from, how they’re handed out, how fast you’re expected to respond, and what happens to a lead you don’t convert.

Good follow-ups:

• What share of my business will come from the team, and what share do I have to build myself?
• Who decides which agent gets which lead?
• What happens to my own past clients and sphere if I leave?

Here’s how I coach it: speed and consistency is the whole game. A team with real leads should also have a real plan for how you work them. If there’s no plan, the leads die quietly.

What does training actually look like?

Ask to see the calendar. Not the promise, the calendar. When is training, who runs it, and what do you do in week one, week four and week twelve?

Look for:

• Scripts and role play you practice, not just watch.
• A person you can call when a deal gets messy, with a name, not “the team.”
• Ride-alongs on listing appointments and buyer tours before you run your own.
• Contract and disclosure training, since that’s where new agents get hurt. When a question goes past training, the answer comes from your broker or a real estate attorney, not a guess.

If nobody can tell you who you’ll call at 7 p.m. on a Friday when an inspection goes sideways, you have your answer.

Who handles the paperwork?

Somebody has to. Ask who opens escrow, tracks deadlines, chases signatures and keeps the file clean. On a good team, transaction coordination is a system, not a favor.

This is where agents on their own lose hours every week. Every hour you get back goes to appointments. Ask what tools the team runs on, too, like the database you’ll work leads from and how production is tracked. You want to see them, not hear about them.

How does the money work?

Get it in writing before you decide. Ask for the split, every fee (desk, transaction, tech, marketing), any cap, and how lead source changes the split. Then work out what you’d actually keep on a sale, with your own numbers.

One more thing to know: commissions are always negotiable between the client and the brokerage. They are not set by law. A team that tells you otherwise isn’t being straight with you.

We don’t publish numbers on this page. Every team’s plan is different, and yours should be walked through line by line, in person.

Is the team set up right with its broker?

It has to be. A team is not its own brokerage. In California, a salesperson without a responsible broker can’t do anything that requires a real estate license (California DRE, Requirements to Apply for a Salesperson License page, checked September 24, 2026).

The DRE’s team name rules are simple to check (DRE, Frequently Asked Questions Regarding “Team Names,” revised December 2021):

• A team name must include the surname of at least one member plus “group,” “team” or “associates.”
• It can’t use words like “broker” or “real estate brokerage” that suggest a company separate from the responsible broker.
• Ads must show the team name, and the surname and license number of at least one team member.
• The responsible broker’s identity must be as prominent as the team name.

Look up the team lead and the broker on the DRE’s “Find a real estate agent or broker” search at dre.ca.gov. Check that the licenses are active and look for any discipline. It takes five minutes. That’s the cheapest insurance in this business.

What should a Solano County agent be ready for?

An active market with Travis Air Force Base right next door. In Fairfield, Redfin counted 253 home sales in August 2026, with a median of 36 days on market and a median sale price of $599,603 (Redfin, Fairfield housing market page, checked September 24, 2026).

Two local skills matter:

• VA loans. With the base next door, VA loans come up. Learn the basics from VA itself: the Certificate of Eligibility, the funding fee, and the rule that the buyer must plan to live in the home (VA, Purchase Loan page, updated January 7, 2026).
• Tax bill surprises. Fairfield has many Landscaping and Lighting Maintenance Districts, and the City began mailing LLMD refund checks on July 29, 2026 (City of Fairfield news release, July 30, 2026). Buyers will ask you. A good team teaches you where to look and to send tax questions to a tax professional.

Ask any team you interview how they train on both.

What are the red flags?

• Income talk with no written plan behind it.
• Nobody can explain lead distribution the same way twice.
• Training is “whenever you need it,” with no schedule.
• The broker’s name is hard to find on the team’s ads.
• You’re told you’ll get business, but no one tells you what’s expected of you.

A team should be clear about what it gives you and what it needs from you. Both halves.

Questions people also ask

Should a new agent join a team or work alone?

Many new agents join a team for leads, training and a person to call when a deal gets hard. Others want full control and are ready to build their own business from day one. Neither is wrong. Compare the written split and fees, the training calendar and the support. Then pick the one that gets you to consistent sales faster.

What questions should I ask a real estate team leader?

Ask where leads come from and how they’re assigned, what training happens in your first 90 days and who runs it, who handles transaction paperwork, and for the split and every fee in writing. Also ask what the team expects from you each week. A strong team answers all of it clearly and puts the money part on paper.

Is a real estate team the same as a brokerage?

No. In California a team works under a responsible broker. The DRE says a team name can’t use terms like “broker” or “real estate brokerage” that suggest a separate company. The broker’s identity must appear as prominently as the team name in ads, per the DRE’s Team Names FAQ, revised December 2021.

Are commission splits on a team negotiable?

The split between you and a team is set in your agreement, so ask for it in writing and compare it with other offers. Commissions paid by clients are always negotiable between the client and the brokerage, and they are not set by law. Read every fee and cap before you sign, and ask about anything that isn’t clear.

Your next step

Bring your questions and interview us like you’d interview anyone. The Davis Team offers agents leads, training, support, mentorship and systems, and we’ll walk you through exactly how each one works. See what joining looks like at whythedavisteam.com or call (510) 949-5525. Not licensed yet? Start with how to become a real estate agent in Fairfield.

More on Fairfield: Is Fairfield, CA a good place to live? · Fairfield market update

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

Sources

• California Department of Real Estate, Requirements to Apply for a Real Estate Salesperson License: dre.ca.gov (checked September 24, 2026)
• California Department of Real Estate, Frequently Asked Questions Regarding “Team Names,” revised December 2021: dre.ca.gov
• Redfin, Fairfield housing market, August 2026 data: redfin.com/city/5980/CA/Fairfield/housing-market (checked September 24, 2026)
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Purchase Loan page, updated January 7, 2026: va.gov (checked September 24, 2026)
• City of Fairfield, “City of Fairfield mails first batch of LLMD refund checks,” July 30, 2026: fairfield.ca.gov