Real estate attracts massive numbers of agents because it offers one of the lowest friction paths to potentially high earnings. In Ontario, you can become a licensed salesperson in about 12–16 weeks through courses from OREA or Humber, then affiliate with a brokerage. Alberta, BC, and Quebec have similar timelines. Compare that to law, medicine, or engineering—real estate licensing is accessible to almost anyone willing to study for a few months and pass standardized exams. The commission structure amplifies this appeal. A single $800,000 home sale in Ottawa at 5% total commission (typically split between buyer and seller agents, then split again with the brokerage) can net an individual agent $10,000–$15,000. That's more than many Canadians earn in a month, earned in one transaction. The upside looks enormous to people outside the industry, especially those tired of salaried jobs. Flexibility matters too. Real estate licenses don't require full-time commitment. Many agents start part-time while keeping a day job, testing the waters without burning bridges. Brokerages like RE/MAX, Royal LePage, and Keller Williams actively recruit because they profit from agent fees and desk costs, even if individual agents do zero deals. This creates a revolving door—thousands join yearly, most quit within two years when they realize consistent income requires relentless prospecting, marketing spend, and thick skin during market downturns. From an SEO perspective, this saturation is why real estate is one of the most competitive local search verticals. Every city has 40+ agents fighting for "homes for sale in Kanata" or "Toronto condo realtor." At Ottawa SEO, we see agents spending $2,000–$5,000 monthly on Google Ads and SEO just to stay visible, because organic rankings require beating brokerages with 150+ agents feeding one domain. The paradox: low entry barriers create high competition, which demands either significant marketing budget or a strong personal brand to survive. Most agents have neither, so they churn out while a small percentage captures the majority of transactions.