Look for four things you can check before you sign: where the leads come from, what training looks like in your first 90 days, who handles the file after the contract, and terms written down in plain language. If a team can’t show you all four, keep looking.

Here’s what to ask, and what a real answer sounds like.

Why join a team at all?

Because doing everything alone gets old fast. Prospecting, marketing, showings, paperwork, follow-up. When you’re solo, every one of those is yours, and the one you skip is usually follow-up. That’s where deals die quietly.

A team is worth it when it takes real work off your plate and puts real opportunities in front of you. If it only takes a cut, it isn’t a team. It’s a toll booth.

Where will my business come from?

Ask this first, and don’t settle for “we have lots of leads.” Ask:

• Where do the leads come from? Online, sign calls, referrals, past clients?
• How are they handed out, and how fast do I have to respond?
• What’s expected of me on my own sphere? The gold is in the people you’ve already met.
• What happens to a lead I don’t convert in 30 days?

A good answer is specific and a little boring. A process, a response time, a follow-up plan. If it sounds like a sales pitch, it probably is one.

What does training look like in my first 90 days?

Ask to see the calendar. Real training has dates on it. Scripts you practice out loud, contract walk-throughs, shadowing a listing appointment, role play on objections. Ask who runs it and whether they still sell.

Also ask about coaching after the first 90 days. The newer you are, the more the day-to-day coaching matters. That’s where you learn to never leave a conversation without the next step booked.

Who handles the file after the contract?

This is where a team earns its keep. Ask who opens escrow, tracks deadlines, chases signatures and keeps the lender and title moving. Is there a transaction coordinator, and do you pay for it separately?

Then ask what the systems are. Which CRM? Is follow-up automated or on you? Who builds your marketing? You want to spend your hours with clients, not fighting software.

How does the split and fee structure work?

Get it in writing, read every line, and have your own attorney or accountant review it if anything is unclear. We’re not going to quote numbers here, and you shouldn’t trust any page that promises you income. Ask:

• What do I pay on team-generated leads versus my own clients?
• Are there desk fees, tech fees or marketing fees on top?
• What happens to my clients and pending deals if I leave?

And remember the client side: what an agent charges a buyer or seller is always negotiable and never set by law.

Does the team know West County?

Ask them. Pinole, Hercules, Richmond, El Sobrante and San Pablo are close together but each has its own local rules, fire and flood maps, and transit. A team that works here every week should be able to talk about things like the new homes going up at Appian Village or which Pinole streets sit near the WestCAT JPX stops without looking them up.

Ask how many of their recent closings were in West County. Then ask to see where, on a map, not just a number.

What’s the culture like when things go wrong?

Every team looks good in the interview. Ask what happens when you miss a goal, lose a listing or have a deal fall apart. Ask two current agents, not the recruiter. You want accountability that sounds like coaching, not like punishment.

What does The Davis Team offer?

Leads, training, support, mentorship and systems, with a team behind you instead of doing it alone. We’re based in Hercules, at 2525 Bayfront Blvd, next door to Pinole. Ask us every question on this page. We’d rather you join with your eyes open.

Questions people also ask

Should a new agent join a team or go solo?

It depends on how much structure you want and how fast you need business. A team can give a new agent leads, training and help with the file, but you pay for that in a split or fees. Going solo keeps more of each check but puts every task on you. Compare written terms from at least two teams before deciding.

What questions should I ask before joining a real estate team?

Ask where leads come from and how they’re handed out, what training looks like in the first 90 days, who handles escrow and paperwork, and exactly what you’ll pay on team leads and your own clients. Ask what happens to your clients if you leave. Get every answer in writing and talk to two current agents.

How do I know if a team’s income claims are real?

Treat any promised income as a red flag. Ask for the written agreement instead and read how the split, fees and lead costs actually work. Talk to current agents about their experience, and have an attorney or accountant review terms you don’t understand. A good team will walk you through how it works, in writing, without promising what you’ll make.

Your next step

Set up a call and bring this list. We’ll answer every question on it, straight. See how The Davis Team works or call (510) 949-5525.

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

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