Since co-founding Compass in 2013, Reffkin has led his company on a speeding, venture capital-backed ride to the upper echelons of residential real estate. Compass became the nation’s largest brokerage by annual sales volume in 2022 and has only deepened that position since. This has made Reffkin, for the first time, the industry’s most powerful leader.

With the $444 million acquisition of @properties and the Christie’s International Real Estate franchise brand Compass announced in late 2024, Reffkin has increased his company’s position as the U.S.’s largest brokerage company while adding a franchise division and a significant international presence in one fell swoop.

Known as a leader who listens — including to his own Realtor mother, who is also at Compass — Reffkin represents a newer guard at the top of the industry leaderboard. His industry voice has grown on important industry topics such as his advocacy for foundational changes to the Clear Cooperation Policy.

Along with the major year-end acquisition announcement, Reffkin made several big moves in 2024 including:

• Led Compass to its first profitable quarter (second quarter 2024 with $20.7 million) while narrowing net losses. The company appears poised for profitability.
• Continued Compass’s national expansion with acquisitions including Tennessee market leader Parks Real Estate and Louisiana-based Latter and Blum.
• Unveiled a luxury vacation home network, Compass Resort.

On the heels of a major acquisition announcement, Reffkin is no doubt riding high. He still must contend with his company’s ongoing challenge to achieve profitability. Through the third quarter in 2024, the firm lost $114.1 million. Yet, there are bright spots as that represents just net revenue loss of 2.6%, and the company achieved a net profit of $21.1 million in the second quarter.

With the acquisition of At World Properties (expected to close in early 2025), Reffkin now leads more than 30,000 agents who do more than $200 billion in annual sales, and a franchise brand with dozens of affiliates in the U.S. and in nearly 50 countries and territories. For his continued, savvy guidance of the largest brokerage the industry has yet seen, Reffkin has become the industry’s most powerful leader in 2025.