Industry Relations How will the portals respond to the Compass-Anywhere deal?
Oct 8, 2025
A surprising acquisition by Compass could redefine residential real estate. The debate centers on whether Anywhere is truly the industry's crown jewel or just a pawn. Zillow's dominance looms large, prompting talk of potential responses from lobbying to launching their own brokerage. The future of private listings sparks concern over an arms race among brokerages. Discussions also examine Rocket Companies' strategy, impacts on MLS visibility, and how AI might disrupt traditional listing models.
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Residential Real Estate Could Consolidate
- Rob Hahn predicts residential real estate will consolidate into a few dominant national firms, like commercial real estate.
- He argues size will matter for competing at scale and owning distribution channels.
Zillow Still Controls Consumer Attention
- Greg Robertson argues Zillow remains the de facto king because it controls consumer attention.
- He warns large broker acquisitions struggle to change agent behavior quickly due to independent-contractor inertia.
Scale Gives Strategic Leverage
- Rob quantifies scale: combined Compass–Anywhere would eclipse competitors in sales volume and transactions.
- He uses numbers to show why scale gives strategic leverage in the industry.