Robert Reffkin

Robert Reffkin had quite a happy new year. Barely a week into 2026, the Compass brokerage that he co-founded in 2012 closed its $1.6 billion acquisition of Anywhere Real Estate.

The deal made Compass in the words of The New York Times “far and away the world’s largest real estate brokerage” with brand-name companies Corcoran, Coldwell Banker, Sotheby’s International Real Estate and Century 21 coming under its corporate umbrella — where Christie’s International Real Estate, ERA Real Estate and Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate were already huddling.

It’s no exaggeration to say that most home sales in the United States involve a broker from Compass or one of its subsidiaries. Heck, that might even apply to home sales around the globe. The post-Anywhere Compass now commands around 340,000 professionals in 120 countries and territories, according to a January statement. That includes brokers working in the key niche of new-development marketing and sales, which can make or break fresh condo and rental projects.

“Our collective vision is to become the best in the world at empowering real estate professionals with everything they need to realize their entrepreneurial potential,” Reffkin said in that statement.

Also, given the scope of his company, Reffkin’s pronouncements on the real estate business have carried increasing weight. Throughout 2025 and into 2026, he waded into an often heated debate about multiple listing services. He initially accused MLSs of hindering brokers’ interests by curtailing where and how they could list homes. By March 2026, Reffkin was calling himself “pro-MLS” in a public letter, but advocating for the spread of MLSs that are more open with listings versus those that might curb them.

Finally, Compass has become known for its technology focus. And, given its size, where Compass goes technology-wise, much of the real estate industry is apt to follow. That includes moving into artificial intelligence. For instance, in June 2025, Compass rolled out what it described as “the next phase of Compass AI.” The platform includes a voice-activated AI assistant to provide brokers real-time support and to automate certain tasks.