Internships in Real Estate: How Brokerage Mergers Create New Entry-Level Roles

Hook: Want an entry into real estate but don’t know where to start?

If you’re a student, recent grad, or career-switcher frustrated by buried job boards and vague internship listings, brokerage mergers and franchise conversions are the hidden hiring events you should watch. In 2026, consolidation and brand conversions — like REMAX’s high-profile conversion of two Risi-led Royal LePage firms in Toronto — are creating a wave of real estate internships and entry-level roles that aren’t posted on traditional boards. This guide shows you how those conversions produce opportunities, exactly what roles open up, and how to spot and win them fast.

The big picture: Why brokerage conversions matter for interns and juniors

When a large team or entire brokerage converts from one brand to another, the transition is more than a logo change. It triggers operational scale-up, new systems, training, marketing campaigns, and compliance updates — all of which need staff. That means more entry-level roles and internships across functions beyond sales: marketing, transaction coordination, operations, data, training, and client services.

REMAX + Toronto: a real-world trigger event

In late 2025 REMAX announced the conversion of two Royal LePage firms led by the Risi family. Together the firms represented roughly 1,200 agents and 17 offices (16 in the Greater Toronto Area). REMAX CEO Erik Carlson said the move reflected REMAX’s global presence and investments in technology and marketing.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Vivian, Michelle, Justin and their sales associates into the global REMAX community.” — Erik Carlson, REMAX

That single conversion created a hiring ripple: onboarding 1,200 agents into new systems means support roles at scale. Use this as a playbook — similar conversions across 2025–2026 are making local markets fertile for internships.

How conversions create specific internship and entry-level roles

Below are the common role types that open up during and after a conversion. For each, you’ll find what to look for and the skills that make candidates stand out in 2026.

1. Transaction coordinators / compliance assistants

• Why they’re created: New contracts, new compliance checklists, and volume spikes during onboarding.
• What to watch for: Job postings mentioning “transaction,” “closing admin,” “compliance,” or "file management"; training bootcamps scheduled by the franchise.
• Skills that win: Attention to detail, familiarity with MLS/board software, basic contract literacy, and process documentation skills.

2. Marketing & social media interns

• Why they’re created: New branding, franchise-wide marketing campaigns, and agent-level social media support needs.
• What to watch for: Roles asking for Canva, Meta Ads, Instagram Reels, or “open house promotion”; office-level marketing coordinator posts.
• Skills that win: Short-form video production, paid social basics, copywriting, and AI-assisted content creation (prompt engineering for listing copy).

3. Onboarding & training coordinators / program assistants

• Why they’re created: Large conversions require structured onboarding programs, especially when teams adopt new CRMs and lead-gen stacks.
• What to watch for: Announcements for “training schedule,” “onboarding cohort,” or “agent bootcamp.”
• Skills that win: Project coordination, training materials creation, virtual workshop facilitation, and LMS familiarity.

4. Data & market research interns

• Why they’re created: Franchisors want market insights to tailor campaigns; agents need neighborhood-level comps and trend briefs.
• What to watch for: Listings for “market analyst,” “research assistant,” or “data intern.”
• Skills that win: Excel/Sheets, charting, basic SQL or data visualization tools, and an ability to translate market data into client-facing summaries.

5. Showing assistants / buyer-siders

• Why they’re created: High agent counts increase demand for showing help and buyer support, especially in busy markets like Toronto.
• What to watch for: Short-term “showing assistant” or “open house assistant” gigs posted around listing surges.
• Skills that win: Local market knowledge, punctuality, client communication, and smartphone-first presentation skills.

Estimate the scale: back-of-the-envelope hiring math

Use a simple model to estimate opportunity size during a conversion. If 1,200 agents join a franchisor and the support ratio is roughly 1 assistant per 10–15 agents, that’s an estimated 80–120 assistant roles alone. Add one marketing coordinator per office for 17 offices, plus several regional onboarding and compliance roles — and you quickly reach hundreds of potential internships and entry-level openings over 12–18 months.

How to spot conversion-driven openings (your 10-step toolkit)

Companies rarely advertise “We’re hiring because we converted.” You have to detect the signs. Here’s a repeatable checklist.

1. Monitor franchisor pressrooms — REMAX, Royal LePage, Century 21 post conversion news and leader quotes.
2. Set Google Alerts & Twitter/X lists for phrases: REMAX conversion, franchise conversion, office transfer, and the local brokerage names (e.g., Risi, RoyalLePage, REMAX Toronto).
3. Track local business journals & industry sites — HousingWire, local Toronto business press, and real estate trade press report conversions early.
4. Follow local boards — Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) and regional MLS updates often flag agent transfers.
5. Follow the people who matter — senior brokers, team leads, and regional managers on LinkedIn; conversions boost their hiring activity.
6. Search job sites with targeted boolean queries — Example: ("REMAX" OR "RE/MAX") AND (intern OR assistant OR coordinator OR "transaction") AND Toronto
7. Watch office footprints — new office signage, virtual “Grand Opening” events, and increased listing volume imply hiring waves.
8. Join local networking groups — agent meetups, REI clubs, and campus career centers often hear about roles first.
9. Check franchisor training calendars — onboarding cohorts often need program assistants and facilitators.
10. Use curated platforms — internships.live and specialized real estate job aggregators list junior roles faster than general boards; also track the evolution of job search platforms to spot new AI-driven listings.

Practical application: how to apply and stand out

Here are step-by-step actions you can take the week you detect a conversion announcement.

Day 1–3: Rapid response

• Identify the converted offices and leadership (e.g., the Risi family in the REMAX conversion).
• Tailor a short LinkedIn message and email to the office manager and the regional director — use the template below.
• Update your resume with 3–5 bullets focused on tangible results (numbers, how many leads handled, content reach, timeline improvements).

Day 4–10: Build social proof

• Publish a short case study or portfolio sample: a proposed social calendar for a hypothetical REMAX office, or a neighborhood market brief using public data.
• Share it with the office on LinkedIn with a direct note: “Quick idea for REMAX Your Community Realty’s Instagram during onboarding month.”

Interview prep and questions to ask

• Ask: “What does onboarding look like for agents and what support roles are you prioritizing?”
• Ask: “Which systems and CRMs are being rolled out and who manages integrations?”
• Show: A 30–60–90 day plan for the role: what you’ll accomplish, metrics to measure, and early wins.

Templates you can use now

LinkedIn outreach (short)

Hi [Name], congrats on the REMAX conversion — exciting news for Toronto. I’m a marketing/transaction support student with hands-on experience in listing promotions and MLS tools. I built a short sample social calendar for a 17-office rollout — can I share it with you? I’m eager to help with onboarding support this quarter.

Email pitch (targeted)

Subject: Quick support idea for REMAX [Office name]

Hi [Name],

I saw the REMAX conversion announcement and wanted to offer a short proposal: a week-by-week showing assistant and social campaign plan to support new agents during the first 90 days. I’ve attached a one-page sample and can adapt it to your tech stack (e.g., [CRM name]). I’m available for contract or internship work immediately.

Best,

[Your name] | [Phone] | [LinkedIn]

Resume bullets for non-licensed roles

• Managed social postings for a student-run housing campaign, increasing open-house attendance by 22% in 6 weeks.
• Supported 30+ listing file preparations using MLS templates and reduced paperwork errors by 40% through a new checklist.
• Compiled weekly neighborhood market briefs for a local brokerage; brief was used in 12 agent client presentations.

Licensing, pay, and legal notes (2026 update)

In 2026, licensing rules remain region-specific. In Ontario, the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO) regulates registration and education. Many entry-level internship roles — marketing assistants, transaction coordinators, research analysts — do not require a salesperson license, while client-facing sales roles do. Always check local regulator guidance before accepting deals that may require registration.

Compensation trends: the industry is moving toward more paid internship and apprenticeship models. Post-2024 regulatory pressure and competition from tech-enabled brokerages have pushed many firms to offer stipends or part-time hourly pay instead of unpaid internships. When you negotiate, ask about stipend, commission splits (for sales roles), and any training or licensing reimbursements.

Skills employers want in 2026

Across conversions in late 2025 and early 2026, we’re seeing a consistent skills wishlist:

• Digital marketing: short-form video, paid social, and CRM-driven email campaigns.
• Operations: transaction processing, checklist creation, and compliance basics.
• Data literacy: neighborhood-level analysis and market brief writing.
• Tech fluency: familiarity with major CRMs and proptech tools (dotloop, DocuSign, native MLS tools). AI-savvy candidates who can use automation to scale outreach are in high demand.

Networking & long-term strategy: convert an internship into a career

Brokerage conversions can be a foothold. Here's how to convert short-term roles into long-term careers:

1. Be indispensable: document processes, reduce agent admin time, and demonstrate measurable impact.
2. Ask for responsibility: volunteer to run parts of onboarding or lead a small marketing campaign — then report results.
3. Pursue licensing strategically: if you want to transition into sales, plan your courses and licensing timeline while working in a support role.
4. Negotiate pathways: when hired, agree on milestones that unlock commission split access or promotion to junior agent after licensing.

Future predictions: what 2026–2028 will look like

Based on late 2025 and early 2026 trends, expect:

• More consolidation: franchise conversions will continue as national brands compete for consistent market presence and technology efficiency.
• Higher demand for digital-first interns: brokerages will prefer hires who can run social campaigns, AI-assisted copy, and virtual showings.
• Formal apprenticeship programs: larger franchisors will roll out paid apprenticeship tracks designed to create junior agents and support staff internally; see ideas for converting short launches into ongoing paths in program design.
• Remote and hybrid support roles: transaction coordination and marketing work can often be done remotely, widening opportunities beyond city centers — tie into remote hiring tools.

Checklist: move from spotting to applying (48-hour action plan)

1. Set an alert for the conversion or office name on Google and LinkedIn.
2. Use the boolean search above across job boards and REMAX careers page.
3. Send the LinkedIn outreach template to the regional manager and office admin.
4. Upload a one-page portfolio or market brief and link it in messages.
5. Prepare a 30–60–90 day plan tailored to the role; bring it to interviews.

Final takeaways — why this matters for your job search

Brokerage conversions like REMAX’s Toronto expansion are more than corporate news — they’re practical hiring signals. These events create a disproportionate number of internships and entry-level roles across marketing, operations, compliance, and research. In 2026 the combination of franchise scale, proptech adoption, and AI-driven marketing makes these roles strategic for anyone starting a real estate career. If you move quickly, demonstrate measurable value, and build relationships during onboarding, you can convert short-term roles into long-term career paths.

Call to action

Ready to act? Sign up for our curated REMAX and Toronto listings alerts on internships.live, download the 48-hour outreach checklist, and get a free resume review tailored to brokerage conversions. The next conversion could be the fastest route into your real estate career — don’t wait for job boards to catch up.

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