Robert Reffkin

Proving it’s never too late in the year to make headlines, in December 2024, Robert Reffkin and Compass announced the acquisition of @properties Christie’s International Real Estate for $444 million. Compass was already the leading brokerage in sales volume, according to RISMedia’s 2024 Power Broker Report, but even at the top there is room to grow.

“This partnership will allow us to empower strong independent brokerages and broker/owner entrepreneurs around the world who are affiliates under Christie’s International Real Estate,” said Reffkin in a statement.

Reffkin’s map to the future involves more than acquisition, though. Speaking at RISMedia’s 2024 CEO & Leadership Exchange, he argued that the industry standard of clear cooperation must change. “I think it’s not ‘clear cooperation.’ I think it’s forced cooperation,” he said. “The thing I’d like to see is MLSs having people use them because they want to, not because they’re forced to. And I think that is inevitable. We need to do that before lawyers make us do that.”