I hope to join a team/company that the broker helps me as my team leader does, but only with one layer of commission cut, not two layers.BTW, I am part-time.

There are many things you can do like file complaints with state financial commission, the SEC, FINRA and other agencies.

https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news-release/2024/03/over-240-california-community-organizations-unite-againstLate in the legislative process the tax was slipped into a 2022 law, A.B. 205, authorizing the California Public Utilities Commission, or CPUC, to add a fixed charge to electricity bills based on household income.

The only reason I can think of, is that they have some sort of deal with this middleman, and stand out to make a commission out of this.

The reason I wanted to get my license was so my husband and I could begin investing in real estate and could save on commissions.

I thought that the ability to work "whenever I wanted", and the commission potential and income, would help me get the basic funding needed for when I was finished with college.

Using one off mountain will not get your offer as well received because off mountain agents do not like to come up for inspections, etc. and dump that work on the local agents who resent doing it and not getting the commission for that part of the deal.Look at the zoning. 

Mostly I want to know other downsides to commission based off sqft rather than %.

@Jeffery Cooper   how long is the kitchen out of commission?    

They don't publicize they take a commission from your guests.