Ryan Schneider, former CEO of Anywhere Real Estate, has left the company following its acquisition by Compass, a representative from Anywhere confirmed.
“In accordance with the terms of the merger agreement, Ryan exited the company upon closing last month,” said Dan Ivers, senior director, business communications at Anywhere.
Schneider departed as part of Compass and Anywhere’s all-stock merger, which closed on Jan. 9, forming Compass International Holdings. The transaction followed stockholder approval on Jan. 7 when shareholders of both companies voted in favor of the merger at special meetings.
Compass International Holdings is led by chairman and CEO Robert Reffkin, who said in a Jan. 9 open letter that the combination marks the beginning of an “exciting new chapter” for the industry. Reffkin described the merged company as one built by and for real estate professionals, with a focus on supporting agents and affiliate broker-owners through technology, tools and services designed to help them grow their businesses.
Under the terms of the merger, each brand within the combined organization will continue to operate independently while leveraging a shared technology platform known as the Agent Operating System.
Keller Williams Realty agreed to pay $20 million to settle the Batton home-buyer commission lawsuit, which alleges Keller Williams, RE/MAX, Anywhere Real Estate and the National Association of REALTORS® conspired to fix agent commissions and inflate home prices.
Keller Williams is the first defendant in the class-action lawsuit to settle. The preliminary, “ice-breaker” settlement, disclosed in federal court in Chicago on Monday, must be approved by a judge.
Keller Williams spokesperson Darryl Frost said, “Keller Williams is pleased to reach a nationwide settlement releasing the company — and all of our franchisees and affiliated agents and teams — from antitrust litigation brought by home buyers who purchased residential real estate that was listed on a MLS during the relevant time period.”
The plaintiffs argue that buyer agent commissions were inflated by a rule requiring the home seller to pay the buyer-broker commission in a transaction. That rule was dropped as part of the Sitzer Burnett class-action lawsuit settlement in 2024. In that suit, NAR agreed to pay $418 million over four years and amend its rules. The most salient part of that settlement was the removal of commission promises from MLS listings and requiring buyers to sign broker agreements with their agents before any home showings.
In response to the Keller William settlement, NAR said it would continue to pursue all legal options in pursuit of an “outcome that best serves members, the industry and consumers.”
“We respect Keller Williams’ right to settle these claims and anticipated the possibility they would do so,” NAR said. “NAR remains actively engaged in the Batton joint defense group, and we continue to defend our rules where questioned. Given recent history and the dynamics of this case, NAR continues to pursue all potential resolutions, both non-litigation and litigation, to reach a result that is in the best interest of our members, the industry and consumers.”
In an email sent to Keller Williams market leaders, President and CEO Chris Czarnecki said the brokerage decided to settle the lawsuit to eliminate uncertainty for its agents.
“We came to the decision to settle with careful consideration for the immediate and long-term well-being of our franchisees and agents and the business model they depend on,” Czarnecki said. “It was a decision to bring certainty and allow everyone at KW to focus on our mission without distractions. It allows us all to turn our attention back to what we do best: delivering unparalleled value in an ever-evolving real estate market.”
After a year of big moves for Compass, Chairman and CEO Robert Reffkin retained his position as the No. 1 most powerful person in real estate, according to the annual Swanepoel Power 200 from T3 Sixty.
Jeremy Wacksman, CEO of Zillow Group, ranked No. 2, following a profitable year for the real estate portal. T3 Sixty also noted Wacksman’s ongoing battle with Compass over exclusive listings.
No. 3 on the list was Rocket Companies CEO Varun Krishna, who oversaw the group’s acquisition of Redfin in July; followed by eXp World Holdings Founder and CEO Glenn Sanford at No. 4 and Anywhere Real Estate President and CEO Ryan Schneider at No. 5.
Also in the top 10 were Andy Florance, founder and CEO of CoStar Group at No. 6; Chris Kelly, president and CEO of HomeServices of America at No. 7; Howard “Hoby” Hanna IV, CEO of Hanna Holdings at No. 8; Nykia Wright, CEO of the National Association of REALTORS® at No. 9; and Leo Pareja, CEO of eXp Realty at No. 10.
Compass, Inc. and Anywhere Real Estate Inc. have officially completed their all-stock merger and will now operate as Compass International Holdings (CIH), led by chairman and CEO Robert Reffkin.
In an open letter to real estate professionals, affiliate partners and employees, Reffkin described the merger as the start of an “exciting new chapter” for the industry. He framed the combined company as one “built by real estate professionals, for real estate professionals.”
Reffkin emphasized the focus on supporting agents and affiliate broker-owners with tools, technology and services to help them save time, grow their business and better serve clients. He stated that the combination is not merely a transaction but a union of respected brands and professionals working together on a single, modern technology platform, the Agent Operating System.
Each brand within the merged company is set to continue operating independently, preserving its identity while leveraging the combined platform’s capabilities. The network will feature brokerage-led sites founded on the principle of “your listing, your lead.”
Reffkin stated that real estate professionals and their sellers will continue to have the freedom to choose how their listings are marketed and sold and that Compass International Holdings will not mandate or require the use of Private Exclusives.
The new Compass International Holdings unites approximately 340,000 real estate professionals and affiliate broker-owners operating in every major U.S. city and across 120 countries and territories. Reffkin emphasized that this extensive network enhances both local expertise and global reach for agents and clients alike.
Reffkin’s letter outlines several commitments for the merged company, including:
Preserving the distinct identities of major brands such as @properties, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, CENTURY 21, Christie’s International Real Estate, Coldwell Banker, Compass, Corcoran, ERA, and Sotheby’s International Realty.
Making the unified technology platform available to company-owned brokerages and affiliates, allowing them to choose the tools that best support their businesses and clients.
Ensuring that real estate professionals retain control of their data and client relationships, including the ability to take their client database and communications with them.
On Jan. 7, stockholders of both Compass, Inc. and Anywhere Real Estate Inc. overwhelmingly approved all proposals tied to the companies’ $1.6 billion merger.
The residential real estate brokerage world was rocked Monday with news of the industry’s largest-ever consolidation.
Compass announced a $1.6 billion deal to acquire Anywhere Real Estate in an all-stock transaction.
The acquisition will make Compass the world’s largest residential real estate firm with an enterprise value of about $10 billion, according to a joint statement from the two publicly traded companies.
Once the transaction is completed in the second half of 2026, Compass, which also owns Christie’s International Real Estate, will take over Anywhere’s brands, including Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, Century 21, Coldwell Banker, Coldwell Banker Commercial, Corcoran, ERA and Sotheby’s International Realty.
With the merger of the two real estate giants, Compass will have 340,000 real estate professionals globally serving about 120 countries and territories. The company, which was already the top brokerage firm before the acquisition, reported 2024 revenue of $5.629 billion.
Compass CEO and founder Robert Reffkin said he has “deep respect” for Anywhere’s leadership, agents, employees, culture and brands.
“By bringing together two of the best companies in our industry, while preserving the unique independence of Anywhere’s leading brands, we now have the resources to build a place where real estate professionals can thrive for decades to come,” Reffkin, who will continue to lead the combined companies, said in the statement.
The consolidation of Compass and Anywhere is expected to cut combined operating costs by about $255 million a year by combining operations and eliminating redundancies. Compass projects it will complete 1.2 million home sales annually as a result of the merger and add more than $1 billion in sales from Anywhere’s established franchise, title and escrow, and relocation operations, according to the statement.
Here on Long Island, where most of the brands involved in the merger are prominent, brokers differ on the local significance of the deal.
Joseph Sabella, owner of Oakdale-based RealPro Consulting, said the Compass/Anywhere merger isn’t likely to have any major implications for the Long Island real estate market.
“Our market is largely driven by local inventory, pricing, and relationships,” Sabella told LIBN. “Where we may see ripple effects is on a national level, particularly in how the combined company positions itself against major players like Zillow and even the National Association of Realtors. It’s a strategic move, but its influence will be felt more broadly across the industry than here at home.”
Peter Morris, founder and co-owner of Huntington-based Signature Premier Properties said the Compass acquisition of Anywhere is a bold but risky deal.
“They are taking on significant debt, and Wall Street‘s immediate response has not been favorable, with their stock falling following the announcement,” Morris said in a written statement. “Growth and consolidation on this scale always comes with challenges. We know firsthand that agents do not like change and for those at Coldwell Banker, Corcoran, or other Anywhere brands, change is inevitable. The forecast of $255 million in savings points to layoffs, office consolidations, tech platform shifts, and leaner marketing departments.”