How the Compass-Anywhere Merger Reshapes Brokerage Decisions Through Attrition

An Explosion with Compass- Anywhere Merger Rocks The Real Estate Industry

The Compass and Anywhere merger is a landmark event for real estate. Both companies bring scale, brand recognition, and deep resources. There is no question that Compass will remain a dominant buyer in the marketplace and that Anywhere’s legacy brands carry enormous weight. For many brokers this merger may represent a chance to gain stability and benefit from being part of a larger combined organization.

At the same time, it is important to recognize what history tells us about major integrations of this size. Change, even when it is positive, often creates uncertainty. Agents and brokers alike ask whether the new structure will align with their goals, their profitability, and their independence. For Anywhere brand brokers in particular, the months ahead will bring choices worth considering carefully.

Industry data makes it clear that agent movement is a fact of life, and those movements often accelerate when large structural changes occur. A 2024 report by Recruiting Insight found that 13% of active business-operators changed brokerages in 2024. That includes productive agents, not just part-timers. Tens of thousands of transactions shifted with them, underscoring the financial weight of churn across the industry. Another analysis showed that about 10% of agents changed brokerages in the past year, and when only active producers are considered the figure is closer to 14%.

The data also shows who is most likely to leave. Newer agents in their second through eighth years are the most mobile. Mid-career professionals in their late 30s and early 40s tend to evaluate brokerage fit more critically. High producers, even with long tenure, will move if they feel their support or profitability is threatened. Mergers can unintentionally magnify these concerns, because systems are aligned, contracts are revisited, and policies change.

For brokers under the Anywhere umbrella this means attrition should be viewed not as a possibility but as a probability. The question is not whether some agents will leave, but how many and how that movement will affect the value of your brokerage. Attrition affects recruiting, retention, profitability, and ultimately valuation. For owners who may one day want to sell, merge, or restructure, those numbers matter.

None of this diminishes the strength of Compass as a buyer or the significance of Anywhere’s national presence. Both will continue to shape the future of the industry. But at REMA we believe that brokers best positioned for success are those who look at these facts with clear eyes and act before challenges turn into losses.

There are several ways to do that. First, conduct an honest assessment of which agents are most at risk of leaving and what it would mean if they did. Second, build strategies that reinforce your brokerage’s local value, from culture to support to leadership. Third, consider whether now is the time to explore options—whether that is doubling down on growth, preparing for an eventual sale, or aligning with a structure that better reflects your vision.

Attrition is part of the business cycle, and large mergers historically increase its pace. The Compass–Anywhere combination will bring opportunities, but it will also test loyalty. For Anywhere brokers this creates a rare window: a chance to make proactive decisions before renewal dates and integration milestones narrow the field of options.

At REMA we help broker-owners use data to understand the risks, model the financial impact, and identify the opportunities. Sometimes the right answer is to stay the course with renewed focus. Sometimes it is to prepare for transition or to merge under better terms. The key is timing. Acting early almost always results in stronger positions.

This merger will no doubt reshape the landscape for years to come. Compass will remain a powerful force and Anywhere’s legacy will endure. But for those who want to protect the value of their brokerage and keep their options open, now is the moment to think strategically. Attrition is a fact, but it can also be the opening for stronger, smarter moves.