The Income Question No One Answers Clearly
Most brokerages advertise splits. Few show you what they mean in actual cash.
You're evaluating a move. You want to know what your first twelve months could realistically generate. Not hype. Not best-case fantasy. The numbers.
Here's the honest breakdown.
The Arithmetic: How Commission Flows in West Cairo
West Cairo transactions fall into three buckets. Each carries different margins and close rates.
Primary Sales (Off-Plan)
Developers pay the brokerage 2% to 3% of the unit price. On a LE 4,000,000 apartment in Sodic West, that's LE 80,000 to LE 120,000 gross.
At 80% split, you keep LE 64,000 to LE 96,000 per closed deal.
Resale Transactions
Seller-side listings in Sheikh Zayed typically yield 2.5% commission. A LE 3,500,000 resale villa in New Zayed generates LE 87,500 gross. You take home LE 70,000.
Buyer representation earns 1% to 1.5% in most cases. Smaller slice, but faster cycle if you're working qualified leads.
Rentals
One month's rent as standard commission. A LE 25,000/month furnished apartment in Zed brings LE 25,000 gross, LE 20,000 to you.
Rentals close faster than sales. Inventory turnover is higher. Some consultants stack three rental deals in the time one sale closes.
Three First-Year Scenarios
These projections assume you're working full-time, following the training system, and actively prospecting. Not passively waiting for walk-ins.
Scenario A: Conservative Start (Rentals + One Sale)
Months 1–3: Onboarding, training, first listings. Two rental closings (LE 40,000 total retained).
Months 4–6: Momentum builds. Three more rentals, one off-plan sale in October Gardens (LE 64,000 from sale, LE 60,000 from rentals).
Months 7–12: Another primary sale in Palm Hills, five rentals, two buyer-side resale assists (LE 64,000 + LE 100,000 + LE 40,000).
Year-end total: LE 368,000 gross retained commission.
That's LE 30,667 monthly average. Your fourth quarter runs hotter than your first, so momentum compounds into year two.
Scenario B: Balanced Growth (Mix of Sales + Listings)
Months 1–3: One primary sale, three rentals (LE 64,000 + LE 60,000).
Months 4–6: Two resale listings close in Sheikh Zayed, four rentals (LE 140,000 + LE 80,000).
Months 7–12: Three primary sales (Green Belt villa + two 6th October apartments), two resale assists, six rentals (LE 192,000 + LE 70,000 + LE 120,000).
Year-end total: LE 726,000.
Monthly average: LE 60,500. But your back half delivers LE 382,000 — over half your annual total — because your pipeline matured.
Scenario C: High-Volume Operator (Listings + Team Leverage)
Months 1–3: Aggressive prospecting. Two primary sales, five rentals (LE 128,000 + LE 100,000).
Months 4–6: Three resale listings, one commercial lease (Beverly Hills clinic), seven rentals (LE 210,000 + LE 60,000 + LE 140,000).
Months 7–12: Five primary sales, four resale transactions, ten rentals (LE 320,000 + LE 280,000 + LE 200,000).
Year-end total: LE 1,438,000.
This isn't common in year one. But it's documented. Three of our 2025 cohort exceeded LE 1,200,000 in their first twelve months. They worked six-day weeks and built referral engines early.
Why 80% Matters More Than the Percentage Suggests
The split doesn't just affect what you take home today. It changes how you build.
Reinvestment Velocity
At 60% or 70%, you're slower to fund lead generation, professional photography, or premium listing services. At 80%, your second deal finances tools that accelerate deal three and four.
Two consultants in our brokerage used their first-quarter commissions to hire transaction coordinators part-time. That freed them to double prospecting hours. Both crossed LE 800,000 by December.
Referral Economics
If a past client refers a buyer and you close a LE 5,000,000 Green Belt plot at 2% commission, that's LE 80,000 net to you. Some brokerages take 40% of that (you keep LE 48,000). We take 20% (you keep LE 64,000).
That LE 16,000 difference funds your next database campaign or CRM subscription. Compounding happens faster.
The Variables That Shift Your Number
Inventory Control
Consultants who secure exclusive listings in New Zayed compounds (Allegria, Mountain View, Karmell) earn on both sides when they bring the buyer. One agent here closed four dual-side transactions in Q2 2025. Each deal netted over LE 120,000 retained.
Niche Depth
If you focus on Green Belt villas (NUCA-regulated, high per-meter rates, longer close cycles), your deal count drops but ticket size climbs. One transaction can deliver what five rentals generate.
If you specialize in 6th October investor units (studios and one-beds for rental yield), you'll close more deals at smaller commission per. Volume model vs. premium model. Both work.
Referral Discipline
Top earners here ask every closed client for three introductions. Not casually. Systematically. They close 30% to 40% of their deals from referrals by month nine.
What the Forecast Doesn't Include
Non-Commission Income
Some consultants offer property management as an add-on service for investor clients. That's recurring monthly revenue outside the transaction model.
Second-Year Acceleration
Your database, past clients, and listing inventory carry forward. Most consultants double their year-one income in year two without doubling effort. The machine runs smoother.
Equity in the Business
RE/MAX agents can transition to ownership if they want to build a team or open a franchise. That's a longer-horizon asset, but it's on the table. You're not capped at individual production.
The Honest Part
Not everyone hits these numbers. Some consultants treat this like a side gig and earn LE 100,000 in a year. That's fine if that's the goal.
But if you're reading this, you're not interested in side-gig math. You're evaluating whether this can replace or exceed your current income — and whether the upside justifies the risk.
The data says yes, if you execute. The 80% split is the structure. Your prospecting discipline and deal velocity are the engine.
How to Pressure-Test Your Own Forecast
Sit down with a spreadsheet. Column A: your prospecting capacity (calls, door-knocks, database touches per week). Column B: your estimated conversion rates (we'll give you benchmarks from our agents). Column C: average commission per deal type in your target area.
Multiply it out month by month. Adjust for pipeline lag (primary sales take 60 to 90 days from offer to close). Add referrals conservatively.
That's your number. Not a pitch. Not a promise. Your forecast based on effort and market reality.
Next Step
If you want to see the actual commission statements from the scenarios above, or model your own first-year projection with one of our senior consultants, schedule a call. We'll walk through the splits, the support structure, and the training calendar.
The 80% is real. The earnings are documented. The question is whether you're ready to build it.