We provide leads. Summitly's Brokerage Leads are warm — the person contacted us first — and never shared: each lead goes to one agent. No charge per lead, 50/50 when it closes, and a senior broker to help you convert it. They go to agents on the Leads Plan.
A brokerage lead is a client the brokerage found and handed to you. At Summitly, when one of those deals closes, the commission is split 50/50: 50% to you, 50% to the brokerage. There is no charge per lead. They go to agents on the Leads Plan. This article walks through what that means in dollars — with simple, clearly-labelled examples.
First, one term: GCI
GCI means gross commission income — your commission before splits and fees. Every split is a share of GCI.
The simple math
Say a lead we hand you buys a home, and the commission on your side is $10,000. With a 50/50 split, you keep $5,000 and the brokerage keeps $5,000. If the lead doesn't close, you owe nothing for it.
| Commission on the deal | You keep (50%) | Brokerage (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | $2,500 | $2,500 |
| $10,000 | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| $20,000 | $10,000 | $10,000 |
Illustration only. The commission amounts are round numbers for the math — not typical, expected or promised figures. Commission in Ontario is negotiable between the brokerage and its client. Amounts are before HST and before your package's monthly and per-deal fees. We don't promise any number of leads or any income.
Compare it with your own clients
On the same $10,000 commission from a client you found yourself:
- Package A (95/5): you keep $9,500.
- Package B (90/10): you keep $9,000.
- Brokerage Lead (50/50): you keep $5,000.
So your own clients pay you more per deal — as they should. The lead deal pays less, but it's a deal you didn't have to find or pay for. The right question isn't "$5,000 or $9,500?" It's "$5,000 or nothing?"
Split shares only. Your package's monthly and per-deal fees are separate — see Summitly's commission split and fees, and ask us how a lead deal counts toward them.
What the brokerage's half pays for
- Finding the person. Leads come from summitly.ca enquiries, Summitly apps, Zara AI conversations, ads, social campaigns, call tracking, events. That costs money and time — and you don't pay any of it up front.
- Helping you close. A 1-to-1 senior broker, weekly training with scripts and role-play, and the CRM to track follow-up.
- Taking the risk. If the lead never closes, the brokerage has paid to find them and gets nothing back.
Leads plus your own business
You join on Package A (95/5) or Package B (90/10, moving to 95/5 after $100,000 of GCI in a calendar year). That package covers the business you bring yourself — your sphere, referrals and your own marketing. Brokerage Leads sit on top: only deals from leads we hand you are split 50/50.
A simple way to think about it: keep building your own clients at a high split, and use leads to fill the gaps — the quiet months, the first year, the months after a move.
Want to see your own-business numbers? Try the Package A vs Package B take-home calculator.
When a 50/50 lead split makes sense
- You have more time than clients. Leads turn spare hours into conversations.
- You're new. You learn on real deals, with a mentor beside you.
- You'd otherwise pay for ads. Here the brokerage pays to find the lead, and you pay only from a closed deal.
When to be careful
- Don't let leads crowd out your sphere. Your own clients pay you more. Keep in touch with them.
- Don't take more leads than you can follow up. A lead you don't call is a wasted chance for you and the client.
Frequently asked questions
Is 50/50 normal for brokerage leads?
Brokerages set their own lead terms, and many don't publish them. Compare on what you pay if nothing closes, whether leads are shared, and what help you get — not just the percentage.
Will I earn a set amount from leads?
No. We don't promise a number of leads or any income. A lead is a chance to help someone; what you earn depends on your work, the client and the market.
Do rentals count?
Yes — the 50/50 split applies to sales or leases from leads the brokerage generates and hands to you.
Key takeaways
- 50/50, no charge per lead. The split applies only to a closed deal.
- Compare with zero, not with your own-client split.
- Your own business keeps its own split (90/10 on the Leads Plan).
- All numbers here are illustrations, not promises.
Want warm leads and help closing them?
Summitly's Brokerage Leads are leads the brokerage generates — from summitly.ca enquiries, Summitly apps, Zara AI conversations, ads, social campaigns, call tracking, events — and hands to its agents. They are warm: the person contacted Summitly themselves about buying, selling or renting a home. Each lead goes to one agent only; it is not shared. Leads go to agents on the Leads Plan. There is no charge per lead; on a closed sale or lease from a Brokerage Lead the commission is split 50/50, and you work the lead in the brokerage CRM, with coaching to help you convert it.
See how Brokerage Leads work, read about real estate careers at Summitly, or book a confidential conversation with Summitly (Coldwell Banker Summit Realty, Brokerage). We don't promise a number of leads or any income — we'll explain how leads are handed out today, in writing.
