Compass, Inc. provides residential real estate brokerage and related services in the United States.[4][5] Including its franchised businesses, it has approximately 340,000 agents and associates, who are generally independent contractors, on its platform.[2] It operates under many brand names including Compass, @properties, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, Century 21 Real Estate, Coldwell Banker, Corcoran Group, ERA Real Estate, Sotheby's International Realty, and Christie's International Real Estate.[2]
History
Compass was founded by Ori Allon, Robert Reffkin, and Avi Dorfman as Urban Compass, Inc. in New York City in October 2012.[2][6] Allon was a Director of Engineering at Twitter, and previously founded companies acquired by Twitter and Google.[7] Reffkin had previously served as the chief of staff to the president of Goldman Sachs[8] and worked in the White House.[9][10] Avi Dorfman had previously worked at McKinsey & Company and Lehman Brothers, and founded a startup.
The company raised $8 million of seed funding.[10][7] The initial business model employed full-time, salaried brokers[11] and was focused only on rentals. The service was launched in May 2013.[12][13]
In January 2014, Compass announced it would change its overall business model by contracting independent real estate agents, receiving a portion of the broker commission.[14]
In July 2014, Compass signed a lease on 25,000 square feet of office space at 90 5th Avenue, which became its global headquarters.[15]
In June 2014, Leonard Steinberg, previously with Douglas Elliman, was named president of the company.[16][17] At that time, the company had 125 agents and 70 staff members.[18]
In July 2016, the company launched a mobile app.[19]
The company expanded into several markets, both organically and via acquisitions. By January 2017, the company operated in 9 U.S. markets: New York, Boston, San Francisco, Miami, Washington, the Hamptons, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Aspen.[20] At that time, it had 1,300 agents.[21]
On April 1, 2021, the company became a public company via an initial public offering.[22]
In November 2021, Compass settled with Avi Dorfman, ending an 8-year dispute, and acknowledging him as a member of the founding team.[6] The company took a $21.3 million charge in connection with the matter.[23]
The company announced several rounds of layoffs in 2022 and 2023.[24][25]
In June 2025, Compass sued Zillow for violation of federal antitrust laws with its policy that any home that was put on the market but not available for listing on Zillow within 24 hours would be banned from its site.[26]
Acquisitions
External links
References
- Marian McPherson. Avi Dorfman's 8-year battle with Compass is finally over Bradley Inman, September 16, 2021^
- Compass, Inc. 2025 Annual Report (Form 10-K) U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, February 27, 2026^
- Schedule 14A (Rule 14a-101) Information Required in Proxy Statement Schedule 14A Information U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, April 4, 2025^
- Mike Delprete. How has Compass grown so fast? A look at the numbers Bradley Inman, May 1, 2019^
- Andre Bourque. 25 Inspiring Entrepreneurs Under 40 Who Are Creating the Next Big Thing Entrepreneur, September 28, 2016^
- Natasha Mascarenhas. Avi Dorfman's legal battle to be named founding member of Compass has ended in a settlement TechCrunch, November 16, 2021^
- Ben Popper. After cashing out to Google and Twitter, Ori Allon is going all in with Urban Compass The Verge, November 27, 2012^
- John Paul Titlow. Why This Real Estate App Is Making New York Brokers Nervous Fast Company, June 18, 2015^
- Daniel Roberts. Modernizing the New York apartment hunt Fortune, October 13, 2014^
- Ingrid Lunden. With $8M in Seed Funding From Founders Fund, Goldman Sachs; Urban Compass Wants To Build A Hyper-Local, Human-Powered Database TechCrunch, December 16, 2012^
- Ben Popper. Urban Compass: can a startup finally fix the nightmare of renting an apartment in NYC? The Verge, May 7, 2013^
- Ingrid Lunden. Urban Compass Comes Out Of Stealth with a Hyperlocal Social Network, And A Disruptive Rental Portal That Will Serve As A Magnet TechCrunch, May 7, 2013^
- Jason Sheftell. High-tech start-up Urban Compass hopes to change how we rent and live in new york city New York Daily News, May 7, 2013^
- Teke Wiggin. The big pivot: why Urban Compass has gone traditional Bradley Inman, January 15, 2014^
- Gus Delaporte. Urban Compass Signs Lease at RFR's 90 Fifth Avenue Observer Media, July 22, 2014^
- Hiten Samtani, Zachary Kussin. Leonard Steinberg exits Douglas Elliman for Urban Compass The Real Deal, June 2, 2014^
- Amber Taufen. The Real Trends/WSJ Thousand list for 2016 has been unveiled Bradley Inman, June 24, 2016^
- Paul Hagey. Urban Compass launches nationwide expansion push with Washington, DC, acquisition Bradley Inman, November 15, 2014^
- Nathan McAlone. This $800 million startup just launched an app to make buying a home easier Business Insider, July 20, 2016^
- Ingrid Lunden. Maelle Gavet is the new COO at real estate startup Compass TechCrunch, January 18, 2017^
- Marilyn Kalfus. Luxury real estate startup Compass expands to Newport Beach, scores top agent Rob Giem Orange County Register, February 5, 2017^
- Sohini Podder. SoftBank-backed Compass valued at $8.22 bln in NYSE debut Reuters, April 1, 2021^
- EX-99.1 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission^
- Matt Turner, Daniel Geiger, Jordan Parker Erb, Hallam Bullock. Compass is reeling from a horrible year, from financial losses to tech troubles to mass layoffs Business Insider, December 18, 2022^
- Priyamvada C. Real estate broker Compass to cut more jobs to deal with housing downturn Reuters, January 5, 2023^
- Debra Kamin. Compass Sues Zillow, Accusing Site of Gate-Keeping Home Listings The New York Times, 2025-06-23^
- Dion Haynes. New York realty firm to open office in D.C. The Washington Post, November 13, 2014^
- Urban Compass Takes First Milestone Step in National Expansion by Acquiring Lindsay Reishman Real Estate in Washington, D.C. Market PR Newswire, November 13, 2014^
- Lauren Glendenning. Tech company Compass acquires Shane Aspen Real Estate The Aspen Times, April 1, 2016^
- Stephanie Sims, Natalie Terchek. Compass acquires Bushari Real Estate Boston Agent Magazine, January 19, 2018^
- Dennis Rodkin. Compass acquires Chicago brokerage Conlon Christie's Crain's Chicago Business, April 25, 2018^
- Gill South. Compass acquires Chicago's Conlon Real Estate Bradley Inman, April 25, 2018^
- E.B. Solomont, Matthew Blake. Compass faces a reckoning The Real Deal, March 2, 2020^
- Marc Stiles. $2.2 billion real estate tech company enters the Puget Sound region market American City Business Journals, April 25, 2018^
- Dennis Lynch. Compass buys Hudson Company, continuing Chicago expansion effort The Real Deal, June 25, 2018^
- Patrick Kearns. Compass acquires Chicago indie brokerage The Hudson Company Bradley Inman, June 25, 2018^
- Paragon Real Estate of SF acquired by Compass to form city's largest brokerage San Francisco Chronicle, July 10, 2018^
- Patrick Kearns. Compass acquires Paragon, seeks San Francisco market supremacy Bradley Inman, July 9, 2018^
- Marc Stiles. Avenue Properties joins real estate tech company Compass American City Business Journals, August 14, 2018^
- Patrick Kearns. Compass takes over Avenue Properties' Seattle offices Bradley Inman, August 14, 2018^
- Compass buying Pacific Union – its second SF real estate acquisition in two months San Francisco Chronicle, August 22, 2018^
- Hannah Norman. Compass acquires Pacific Union American City Business Journals, August 29, 2018^
- Compass acquires DC indie brokerage The Real Deal, November 13, 2018^
- Patrick Kearns. Compass Acquires D.C. Indie Wydler Brothers Real Estate Bradley Inman, November 12, 2018^
- Ingrid Lunden. Compass acquires Contactually, a CRM provider to the real estate industry TechCrunch, February 27, 2019^
- Kathleen Pender. Compass buys Alain Pinel to create Bay Area real estate behemoth San Francisco Chronicle, March 5, 2019^
- Fiona Kelliher. Alain Pinel turned down Compass' acquisition offer last year. Now, it's changed its mind American City Business Journals, March 4, 2019^
- E.B. Solomont. Compass strikes deal to buy Stribling The Real Deal, April 3, 2019^
- Patrick Kearns. Compass to acquire Stribling & Associates Bradley Inman, April 3, 2019^
- Jared Council. Real-Estate Brokerage Compass Buys AI Startup Detectica The Wall Street Journal, November 19, 2019^
- Compass Acquires Detectica, Deepening Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Capabilities Across The Compass Real Estate Platform PR Newswire, November 19, 2019^
- Pam Rosacia. Home trading platform Compass buys AI company Detectica S&P Global, November 19, 2019^
- Taylor Soper. Real estate brokerage Compass to acquire Seattle-based home closing startup Modus GeekWire, October 5, 2020^
- Taylor Soper. Real estate giant Compass shuts down Modus, the Seattle-based title business it acquired in 2020 GeekWire, June 16, 2022^
- Compass Acquires KVS Title PR Newswire, February 25, 2021^
- Patrick Kearns. Compass moves deeper into closing services with KVS Title acquisition Bradley Inman, February 25, 2021^
- Cordilia James. Compass buys Glide, RE transaction management platform The Real Deal, April 26, 2021^
- Compass Agrees to Acquire Real Estate Transaction-Management Platform Glide PR Newswire, April 26, 2021^
- Compass Agrees to Acquire First Alliance Title PR Newswire, September 22, 2021^
- Jim Dalrymple II. Compass scoops up yet another title company Bradley Inman, September 22, 2021^
- Compass Agrees to Acquire CommonGround Abstract PR Newswire, September 28, 2021^
- Jim Dalrymple II. Compass acquiring third title company in less than a month Bradley Inman, September 28, 2021^
- Compass Agrees to Acquire Consumer's Title Company of California PR Newswire, May 3, 2022^
- Ben Verde. Compass acquires Consumer's Title Company of California Bradley Inman, May 3, 2022^
- Angela Gonzales. Scottsdale's Launch Real Estate joins national giant, introducing it to metro Phoenix American City Business Journals, April 6, 2023^
- Jim Dalrymple II. Compass scoops up 300-agent indie brokerage in Arizona Bradley Inman, April 6, 2023^
- Andrew Asch. Compass acquires Pasadena firm DPP The Real Deal, September 19, 2023^
- Cody Baird. Compass buys Realty Austin, Realty San Antonio American City Business Journals, September 27, 2023^
- Marian McPherson. Compass acquires No. 1 indie brokerage in Central Texas Bradley Inman, September 27, 2023^
- Joe Lovinger. Compass Acquires Realty Austin, Realty San Antonio The Real Deal, September 27, 2023^
- Kate Hinsche. Compass to acquire Fort Lauderdale-based Attorneys Key Title The Real Deal, January 16, 2024^
- Stephanie Riegel, Adam Daigle. Louisiana’s dominating Latter & Blum sells to country’s largest brokerage The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate, April 3, 2024^
- Jim Dalrymple II. Compass acquires 3,100-agent Gulf Coast giant Latter & Blum Bradley Inman, April 3, 2024^
- Compass Strengthens Footprint in Southeastern U.S., Welcoming the Top Brokerage in Tennessee PR Newswire, May 13, 2024^
- Compass Strengthens Footprint in Southeastern U.S., Welcoming the Top Brokerage in Tennessee PR Newswire, May 13, 2024^
- Jake Indursky. Compass acquires luxury brokerage in DC amid market drama The Real Deal, February 20, 2025^
- Compass Welcomes PorchLight Real Estate Group, Expanding Presence In Colorado July 9, 2025^
- Compass Grows North Carolina Footprint, Welcomes Cottingham Chalk July 29, 2025^
- Compass to acquire Anywhere, creating world’s largest brokerage RealEstateNews.com, 2025-09-22, retrieved 2025-09-22^