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Swanepoel Mega 1000 ranks industry’s top brokerages

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California-based real estate consulting firm T3 Sixty, for the first time today, released the Swanepoel Mega 1000
, a new inclusive ranking of real estate brokerages by sales volume that was exclusively previewed with Inman last week. NRT and HomeServices
of America tower atop the list, but newcomers like Compass and Redfin are rising through the ranks.

Stefan Swanepoel, chairman and CEO of T3 Sixty, wanted to take a different approach with his company’s list, so T3 Sixty included brokerages that previously declined to participate in industry rankings. Overall, the list features $60 billion more in annual sales volume than the REAL Trends 500, and $80 billion more than the RIS Media Power Broker Report.

“Due to the fact that the other lists exclude data from brokerages that decline to participate in their surveys, it has become imperative for T3 Sixty to create a new inclusive list that has more complete data so when we advise our consulting clients as well as write about trends we do so with the most accurate information possible,” Swanepoel told Inman last week, noting that his staff put more than 1,100 hours into data gathering, research and analyzation.

Competition among real estate brokerages can be fierce — especially when faced with low inventory. But the brokerages at the top of the list have been able to find a way to secure new listings and complete transactions with consistency.

NRT — one of 204 subsidiaries of Realogy Holding Group to secure a spot in the top 1,000 — smashed the competition finishing 2017 with more than $178 billion in total sale volume and completing 346,941 transaction sides. It’s been tops in the industry since 1996, according to Swanepoel.

Following NRT was HomeServices of America, an affiliate of Berkshire Hathaway. The company finished with more than $125 billion in sales and completed 328,355 transaction sides.

Douglas Elliman, finished a distant third with $26 billion in sales, however, its the largest independent brokerage on the list. Scott Durkin, president and COO of Douglas Elliman, said being able to rank so highly without any other affiliation shows the success of their ever-growing nationwide expansion. “[Ranking so highly] packs a big punch when it comes to giving the customer the assurance that we have a very wide reach in our own company,” Durkin told Inman. “We’re not part of a franchise. We all speak a similar language. We’re all part of culture
and possess the same DNA.”

Redfin was one of the lists newcomers previously not ranked by other reports. While the company declined to comment on its ranking and the methodology used to determine its fourth place finish and $22 billion in sales, it did provide some insight into why it believes it placed so highly.

“We set up all of our agents to be top producers, with plenty of customers from our search site, and coordinators and showing agents to help with paperwork and some of the tours,” a spokesperson for the company said. “We are working to automate every task that can be automated to free up our agents’ time to focus on things that only human beings can do — like take a buyer on a home tour and sit at a seller’s kitchen table to evaluate offers.”

“Our software platform for agents automatically feeds customer information from our website and helps agents stay organized with appointments, offers, transaction milestones and customer follow-up,” the spokesperson added. “Because we meet customers through our website and referrals, our agents’ primary focus is not generating new leads, but helping our customers buy and sell homes. By organizing into teams, we can respond to customers faster than most individual agents could.”

Rounding out the top five was Weichert Realtors, which finished with $20 billion in sales. Weichert Realtors has also previously declined to participate in industry rankings.

Compass, the youngest company on the list since its founding in 2012, finished ninth in overall sales volume, with slightly more than $14 billion in sales last year. Chief Growth Officer Rob Lehman said the reason for their precipitous rise in such a short amount of time: building the world’s most agent-centric company.  “The key to our success is that we build for agents and learn from them,” Lehman said. “Agents have never truly been treated as the primary client in this industry. Everything we do is about elevating agents and serving them as the CEOs of their business
with world class technology, marketing and support.”

Keller Williams had the largest presence on the list. In total, 304 franchises — including Keller Williams GO Management at 13 — made the top 1,000. Re/Max had 204 franchises on the list, finishing just behind Realogy and Keller Williams. “It’s exciting to see more than 300 of Keller Williams’ top producing brokerages recognized on the inaugural Swanepoel Mega 1000,” said Darryl Frost, a spokesperson for Keller Williams. “Taken altogether, our brokerages represent a full 19 percent of
the ranking’s total sales volume. And we’re proud to be in business with each brokerage recognized.”

# Brokerage Name 2017 Sales Volume (in millions) 2017 Transaction Sides 2017 Agent Count
1 NRT 178,153.26 346,941.53 50,300
2 HomeServices of America 125,423.56 328,355 40,950
3 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 26,115.06 22,272 7,136
4 Redfin (1) 22,500 37,500 1,250
5 Weichert Realtors (1) 20,000 72,000 9,000
6 Hanna Holdings 17,429.80 90,468 7,154
7 RealtyOne Group 16,837.65 47,302 6,327
8 Pacific Union International 14,139.21 9,822 1,665
9 Compass 14,010.64 10,543 2,043
10 Alain Pinel Realtors 12,223.89 7,591 1,212
11 HomeSmart 10,369.07 33,601 9,064
12 William Raveis Real Estate 10,189.63 20,871 4,077
13 Keller Williams GO Management Offices 9,326.49 34,076.80 4,688
14 @properties 9,056.21 18,670 2,278
15 Ebby Halliday Real Estate 8,039.22 18,835 1,764
16 Terra Holdings (1) 8,000 4,200 2,100
17 John L Scott 7,412.16 16,743 1,359
18 RE/MAX Alliance/Equity Group 7,302.72 17,695.35 1,329
19 RE/MAX Results (Minnesota) 6,487.58 24,397 1,103
20 Coldwell Banker Bain 6,354.16 11,818 1,350
21 LIV Sotheby’s Realty 6,186.50 7,740 642
22 Keller Williams Forward Management 6,140.88 6,359 2,933
23 eXp Realty 5,896.99 24,655 6,511
24 Crye-Leike Realtors 5,847.52 28,699 2,896
25 First Team Real Estate 5,800.93 8,427 1,694
26 Baird & Warner 5,758.36 17,450 2,340
27 Allen Tate Companies 5,672.15 22,273 1,662
28 Real Estate One 5,642.08 24,589 2,088
29 RE/MAX Gold 5,329.81 13,266.50 1,175
30 Rodeo Realty 5,209.46 5,648 964
31 Keller Williams Pinnacle Partners Group 5,120.90 21,211 2,985
32 Berkshire Hathaway HS Arizona/Nevada/California 4,780 11,433 2,700
33 Keller Williams The Rawls Group 4,590.72 14,808.50 1,917
34 Keyes Company/Illustrated Properties 4,546.19 14,174 2,835
35 Keller Williams Ben Kinney Companies 4,542.51 10,126.50 1,433
36 RE/MAX Estate Properties 4,461.90 4,341 658
37 Berkshire Hathaway HS PenFed Realty 4,311.35 14,221 1,784
38 Equity Real Estate (1) 4,070 13,550 4,000
39 William Pitt Sotheby’s Realty 3,962.57 5,660 1,053
40 Pacific Sotheby’s Realty 3,892.89 3,867 838
41 Keller Williams Cunningham Group 3,853.84 3,348.38 1,317
42 The Agency 3,800 1,883 180
43 Keller Williams (Franklin, TN) 3,610.86 14,388.10 1,651
44 Sereno Group 3,457 2,524 334
45 Watson Realty 3,445.98 15,934 1,450
46 Century 21 Affiliated 3,445.69 18,901 2,207
47 Golden Gate Sotheby’s Realty 3,345.83 2,345 425
48 West USA Realty 3,338.55 20,762 2,484
49 Daniel Gale Sotheby’s Realty 3,333.42 4,073 1,017
50 Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage 3,317.09 14,739 1,256
51 Hilton & Hyland (1) 3,300 680 130
52 Russ Lyon Sotheby’s Realty 3,296.56 5,900 885
53 Coldwell Banker The Real Estate Group 3,189.03 17,384 1,241
54 Keller Williams Memorial 3,177.46 12,080.20 1,915
55 Keller Williams (Austin, TX) 3,140.16 8,859.20 1,321
56 Berkshire Hathaway HS Homesale Realty 3,134.98 14,712 1,194
57 Latter & Blum ERA Powered 3,083.45 12,815 3,992
58 Keller Williams Heart of Atlanta Group 3,057.72 11,358.90 1,321
59 Century 21 Everest-Troop Real Estate 3,047.55 7,793 1,124
60 Premier Sotheby’s Realty 3,020.04 4,018 715
61 Century 21 New Millennium 3,010.02 7,833 874
62 Lyon Real Estate 3,002.54 7,308 937
63 REeBroker Group (1) 3,000 8,500 2,500
64 TTR Sotheby’s Realty 2,983.09 3,154 424
65 Berkshire Hathaway HS Florida Realty 2,976.74 8,928 1,769
66 Allison James Estates and Homes 2,929.08 8,890 1,162
67 Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s Realty 2,871.87 4,370 557
68 Carolina One Real Estate Services 2,855.39 8,802 973
69 Keller Williams Virginia Realty Alliance Group 2,833.07 6,940 918
70 F.C. Tucker Company 2,756.51 11,336 658
71 Shorewest Realtors 2,731.70 11,851 940
72 Surterre Properties 2,730.48 1,457 406
73 Tomlinson Real Estate Group 2,667.14 10,420 790
74 Michael Saunders & Company 2,635.61 5,746 681
75 Washington Fine Properties (1) 2,630 2,200 170
76 Realty Austin 2,625.00 6,904 414
77 Coldwell Banker Schmidt Family of Companies 2,614.26 14,416 1,361
78 Realty Executives (Phoenix/Yuma) 2,577.89 8,086 876
79 Vanguard Properties 2,576 2,250 420
80 Berkshire Hathaway HS Drysdale Properties 2,530.68 4,504.90 1,088
81 RE/MAX Professionals (Colorado) 2,519.33 5,722.50 409
82 Sibcy Cline 2,511.91 11,441 1,108
83 HER Realtors 2,498.29 12,681 1,106
84 Better Homes & Gardens Gary Greene 2,490.36 8,517 1,194
85 Century 21 Select Real Estate 2,441.32 6,899 1,008
86 Berkshire Hathaway HS Mich./N Ind./Tomie Raines 2,435.98 14,191 1,012
87 J. Rockcliff Realtors (1) 2,430 2,600 370
88 Bennion Deville Homes (1) 2,400 5,000 880
89 Fathom Realty 2,400 10,427 1,728
90 Pinnacle Estate Properties (1) 2,370 4,300 900
91 Keller Williams Chadwick Group 2,369.24 9,503.28 1,283
92 Keller Williams (Blue Bell, PA) 2,357.73 10,036.80 1,337
93 Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s Realty 2,342.93 4,174 458
94 Your Castle Real Estate 2,306.10 5,914 740
95 Zephyr Real Estate 2,295.18 1,840 340
96 Berkshire Hathaway HS Utah Properties 2,288.33 3,837 416
97 Paragon Real Estate Group 2,263.61 1,591 170
98 Coldwell Banker Howard Perry & Walston 2,261.46 8,280 862
99 Parks 2,254.07 6,539 775
100 Century 21 M&M and Associates 2,239.03 5,779 1,095

A PDF copy of the full 1,000 brokerage ranking is available here.

Email Patrick Kearns