Compass, a New York real estate brokerage firm, will buy San Francisco brokerage Pacific Union International less than two months after it purchased Paragon Real Estate Group, also of San Francisco.
Pacific Union is the nation’s fifth-largest residential real estate firm based on transaction volume and Compass is sixth, according to Real Trends, a Colorado consulting firm. Based on those numbers, the combined firm would leap to number three.
If real estate brokerage finishes its consolidation, it will be controlled by Buffet, Sodtbank and other rich guys. What’s the risk to consumers? Should SF board of supervisors block this deal and keep the realtor options open for citizens?
If SoftBank creates a house shortage to advance Japanese interest, what can we do?
Compass is aggressively expanding. Jim-the-Realtor down in San Diego who I have been following over the years recently folded up his own brokerage to join Compass. He wrote two pieces talking about his initial reactions and reasons why he joined:
The brokerage business is rapidly consolidating. Don’t forget Warren Buffett is a big player too. We truly have a battle of the titans shaping up.