In today’s tight talent market, real estate firms are finding it harder than ever to hire the right people. Not because talent isn’t out there, but because traditional hiring methods aren’t cutting it anymore.

Whether you’re scaling a fast-growing brokerage or trying to replace a retiring leader, the hiring process can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Spoiler alert: it’s not just you. The struggle is real, and widespread.

But there’s good news: retained search offers a smarter, more strategic approach that’s gaining serious traction in real estate.

The Hiring Headaches Are Real

Let’s start with the pain points. Why is hiring so hard right now?

  1. It’s a Candidate’s Market
    Despite some economic cooling, high-performers still have options, anf they’re being choosy. Top talent isn’t actively applying to job boards; recruiters, peers, and competitors are courting them.
  2. Time Is the Enemy
    Most internal teams simply don’t have the time to run a full-scale, focused search while juggling day-to-day operations. That leads to reactive hiring, rushed decisions, and too often… the wrong fit.
  3. Job Descriptions Are… Vague
    “Rockstar needed. Must be a team player. Fast-paced environment.” Sound familiar? If your role isn’t clearly defined, aligned with your business goals, and marketed to the right people, you’re going to struggle to stand out.
  4. Misalignment Between Hiring Managers and Candidates
    You want someone strategic. Your team wants someone scrappy. The candidate wants a roadmap. If you’re not aligned on what success looks like, the process derails quickly.

A recent McKinsey report found that nearly 40% of executive-level hires fail within 18 months—not because they lacked skills, but because of misaligned expectations and poor cultural fit.¹

What Is Retained Search—And Why It Works

Retained search is a recruitment model where a firm partners closely with a search consultant or firm to fill a key role. Unlike contingency recruiters (who only get paid if someone is hired), retained search is proactive, strategic, and highly collaborative.

Here’s how it helps real estate firms hire better:

✅ Deep Market Intelligence
Retained search firms don’t just post a job and wait—they go into the market, map the talent landscape, and reach passive candidates you’d never find on LinkedIn alone.

✅ Role Clarity from the Start
A retained partner helps define the role, align internal stakeholders, and craft a compelling narrative to attract the right person. They’re not just filling a seat—they’re making sure the right person is in that seat. 

✅ Speed Without Sacrificing Quality
With a clear brief, focused resources, and an experienced team, retained search often moves faster than internal hiring because every step is dialed in from the beginning.

✅ Stronger Cultural Fit
Retained firms prioritize more than skills. They dive into your company culture, leadership style, and long-term vision to find candidates who align with your mission, not just your metrics. A retained firm also spends longer than a typical recruiter understanding who you are and what you need, and will go the extra mile to make sure they’ve found the exact right fit. 

✅ Higher Retention Rates
Because the process is so intentional, candidates placed through retained search tend to stay longer and perform better. According to the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants, the average tenure of executives placed via retained search is significantly longer than those placed through contingency recruiting.²

When Should You Use Retained Search?

It’s a great fit when:

  • The role is mission-critical
  • You need specialized expertise
  • You’ve tried (and failed) to fill it on your own
  • You’re scaling quickly and need consistent talent pipelines
  • Cultural alignment is a top priority

In other words: when you can’t afford to get it wrong.

People-First (For Hiring Too!) 

Real estate is a people-first business. And yet, too often, hiring gets treated like an afterthought. If your firm is struggling to find, attract, or land the right professionals, retained search might just be your secret weapon.

It’s not just about filling roles—it’s about building the kind of team that grows your business, elevates your brand, and sticks around for the long haul. If you’re interested in learning what a retained search firm could do for your organization, get in touch