The Swanepoel Power 200 ranks the most powerful leaders in the residential real estate brokerage industry as 2024 kicks off. Criteria used to rank leaders include the scope and power of leaders’ positions, the financial resources they have at their disposal, whether they have equity stake in their company, their trajectory and much more. For a detailed description of the careful methodology T3 Sixty used to determine the rankings, please see the methodology here.
The SP 200 reflects the relative power of leaders in the industry and is not a company ranking. Size and sales volume listed in bios provide framing and, while used to determine ranking, were just part of the data considered. Note that the numbers used in many of the bios reflect full-year 2022 data, as those are the only available across the board for all companies. Most companies have not completed their 2023 financials. When they do this spring, T3 Sixty will publish its annual ranking of the industry’s largest brokerages, brands and enterprises.
21
Carter leads the nation’s largest MLS in CRMLS, which has over 108,000 members, and is the country’s most powerful and influential MLS executive. Known as a clear, innovative leader, he has helped spearhead numerous MLS initiatives, including a new MLS data-monetization effort in REdistribute. In 2023, he coordinated a data-share agreement with two other large MLSs: Bright MLS and BeachesMLS.
22
Donnellan leads the nation’s second largest MLS in Bright MLS, which serves over 104,000 members in the Mid-Atlantic region, with a steady, clear focus on innovation and serving members. In 2022, he helped spearhead a new data-monetization strategy for MLSs through the creation of the REdistribute initiative and, in 2023, helped launch a new MLS-powered national portal in Nestfully.
23
Liebman leads Anywhere Real Estate’s newest franchise brand, Corcoran Group, as president and CEO. The brand, designed to serve megacities and leisure markets in the U.S. and around the world, sold its first franchise in 2020 and has grown into a network of over 4,000 U.S. agents who do over $33 billion in annual sales. Liebman previously managed the day-to-day operations of the New York City-based offices of this powerhouse for two decades.
24
As Zillow Group president, Daimler leads the firm’s Premier Agent business as well as its mortgage and StreetEasy businesses. In her role, she oversees the divisions that fuel the bulk of Zillow Group’s significant annual revenue. Through the third quarter, Zillow Group’s residential (of which Premier Agent provides the bulk of revenue) and mortgage divisions brought in nearly $1.2 billion in revenue combined. Daimler joined Zillow in 2012 when the company acquired her Buyfolio platform, one of several startups she has co-founded over her career.
25
Budnick runs Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, the flagship franchise brand for HomeServices of America. In this role, she oversees the nation’s fifth largest real estate franchise brand, which has over 50,000 affiliated agents who do over $146 billion in annual sales. She previously served as the president and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty and is known for her practical and logical approach to the real estate profession.
26
As president and CEO of Century 21 Real Estate, Miedler oversees the nation’s sixth largest franchise brand. The brand’s nearly 50,000 affiliated U.S. agents do over $100 billion in annual sales. Before assuming the lead of Century 21, Miedler served as global chief growth officer for the brand where he led the franchise sales team and focused on capturing share in emerging and diverse markets.
27
The third-generation leader of the brokerage his grandfather founded in 1931, Scott oversees nearly 2,900 agents in more than 100 franchised and company-owned offices in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Northern California, who do over $17 billion in annual sales. Scott is involved with NAR as past chair of the Large Residential Firms Advisory Group and the NAR Research Committee.
28
Dwiggins leads NextHome, a fast-growing real estate franchise, with more than 600 active offices across the US. A third-generation real estate professional, who has over 20 years in the industry himself, Dwiggins grew his industry influence in 2023 with a popular podcast that digests important industry issues, most notably the compensation developments in the industry. He founded NextHome in 2014 and co-founded a tech platform for agents, Rayse, that launched in 2022.
29
In 2023, Hale celebrated 50 years at Houston Association of Realtors. First hired as legal counsel, Hale became president in 1988. The association has grown to over 45,000 members across Texas, making it the nation’s second largest local Realtor association. Its real estate portal HAR.com, which displays listings throughout Texas, draws approximately 8 million monthly visitors, making it one of the nation’s most trafficked portals.
30
Gehringer plays a key role in the growth and operation of Anywhere Real Estate’s franchise wing. In her role, she oversees Coldwell Banker Affiliates, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, Century 21, and ERA Real Estate. Gehringer became president of Coldwell Banker Affiliates in 2021. Before becoming chief operating officer of Coldwell Banker Affiliates in 2018, she served as a senior vice president at Coldwell Banker parent Anywhere Real Estate. She entered leadership at the company in 2006.
31
Swartzman runs Peerage Realty Partners, which owns a network of brokerages in the luxury real estate space across North America. Its more than 4,700 U.S. agents do approximately $28 billion in annual sales, which makes Peerage the nation’s eighth largest brokerage firm. The firm has grown quickly through acquisitions of large brokerages, many of them affiliates of Sotheby’s International Realty. He joined Peerage in 2014 from MDC Partners where he oversaw 15 partner firms and real estate activity across the company’s entire network.
32
Boomsma runs LeadingRE, one of the nation’s most influential brokerage networks with over 550 firms and some 138,000 agents in over 70 countries. The invitation-only organization counts many of the nation’s largest independent brokerages as members, who network and share best practices and referrals with each other. In 2005, at his start with LeadingRE, he created its Luxury Property International, which he led until becoming CEO of LeadingRE in 2018.
33
Brothers Chris and Ryan lead the firm their father, CEO William “Bill” Raveis, founded in 1974. At William Raveis Real Estate, the nation’s 14th largest brokerage, Ryan oversees strategy and operations. Chris is responsible for residential sales business and growth. The firm operates throughout the Northeast and Florida with nearly 4,400 agents who do over $18 billion in annual sales. In 2023, the brokerage expanded to South Carolina with the acquisition of Carolina Realty Group.
34
A multidimensional real estate leader who owns a variety of real estate brokerages, technology and training platforms, Kinney made a huge leap into real estate teams by co-founding Place in 2020. The platform, which provides back-office and other key support to over 100 teams across the U.S., raised $100 million in 2021. He also runs the Built How event series, which hosts live events across the country with real estate leaders highlighting how they achieved their success.
35
Gal has run Side, an innovative brokerage model he co-founded, since co-founding it in 2017. Over the past six years, the San Francisco-based company has provided key operational and back-office support for over 500 real estate companies, who reportedly do, collectively, enough volume to place Side on the Mega 1000 in 2024. In 2023, Gal brought in Stephen Capezza as president to drive growth. Gal is a long-time entrepreneur who has founded three other companies and continues to advise other tech innovators.
36
As co-founder and CEO of The Real Brokerage, Poleg leads one of the fastest-growing brokerages in the U.S. The firm, launched in 2014, became the nation’s 18th largest brokerage in 2023 with more than 7,000 agents who do over $12 billion in annual sales. Real, which now has a presence in all 50 states, leverages a revenue-sharing, capped model similar to eXp Realty to achieve this growth. The company went public in 2020 and continues to scale rapidly. In 2023, it released an agent-focused financial suite, a consumer app, and an AI-powered virtual concierge.
37
As chief operating officer, Wacksman is focused on helping Zillow Group create a seamless customer experience. At the firm since 2009, Wacksman has been overseeing core company operations as COO since 2021. Prior to this role, he served as Zillow president and CMO for Zillow Group. At Microsoft he led Xbox marketing and product management before moving to real estate. Wacksman remains an active advisor to startup and growth companies.
38
O’Bryon has been at Re/Max Gold as CEO since 1996. In that time, he has grown the company immensely from its Northern California base. Thanks to several acquisitions, the brokerage, which has over 3,000 agents who do over $18 billion in annual sales, now has operations in California, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Arizona, and Washington. The firm celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2023. In 2023, the firm expanded to Utah and introduced a seller concierge offering in which sellers fix up their home before a sale and pay upon close.
39
As the leader of Engel & Völkers Americas, Hitt leads the U.S. operations for the German luxury real estate franchisor. The brand’s more than 5,400 American agents do an estimated $17.2 billion in annual sales. The franchise continued to grow in 2023 with a new presence in Washington, D.C., and an expanded presence in Florida, Colorado, California and Pennsylvania.
40
Eales succeeded David Doctorow at the helm of Move, which operates realtor.com, in June 2023. Eales, who held a variety of roles at News Corp Australia including as chief marketing officer and chief operating officer of the Australian publishing business, was most recently executive vice president and global head of transformation at News Corp, which acquired Move in 2014. In his work in Australia, he helped REA Group’s realestate.com.au maintain and grow its standing as Australia’s leading real estate portal. Eales faces a fierce battle with Homes.com to hold onto the U.S.’s No. 2 portal position.
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