FastExpert’s directory contains a list of 66618 real estate brokerages in the United States.
Learn More
When you start digging into the world of real estate, you’ll find a lot of players in the game. You have likely heard many names from television advertisements, signs on the road, or friends and family.
The real estate industry is competitive. Many companies are working hard to be the biggest and have the best agents. It can be hard to know which company is right for you to partner with when deciding to buy or sell a property.
Here are some of the top real estate companies in the US and a little about how they started and how they’re doing.
Keller Williams is one of the largest real estate franchises in the US, based on the number of employees and sales. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, it was founded by Gary W. Keller and Joe Williams in 1983 and currently has around 190,000 employees. Keller Williams went international in 2012 with a subdivision called Keller Williams Worldwide.
The company is known for its innovative business model, which emphasizes agent training and education, and its focus on technology to improve the real estate industry. Keller Williams agents are independent contractors responsible for client relationships and business development. The company provides support and resources to help its agents succeed. In addition to residential real estate, Keller Williams has divisions specializing in commercial, luxury, and farm and ranch properties.
Coldwell Banker goes back to 1906 in San Francisco but didn’t expand outside of California until the 1950s. They went on to expand internationally in 1996 with an office in Toronto, Canada. It is now headquartered in Madison, New Jersey.
It is one of the oldest and largest residential real estate brokerage firms in the United States, with more than 3,000 offices in 49 countries and territories around the world. The firm was started by Albert Tucker, Colbert Coldwell, and John Lynch - later Benjamin Banker later joined, leading to the name Coldwell Banker.
Coldwell Banker agents are independent contractors who are offered a range of services, including marketing and advertising support, training, and access to a proprietary real estate technology platform. Coldwell Banker also has a number of specialized divisions that focus on specific types of properties, such as commercial, luxury, and vacation homes.
RE/MAX is short for real estate maximums. They were started in 1973 by Dave and Gail Liniger and are headquartered in Denver, Colorado. It is one of the world's largest and most successful real estate franchise systems, with over 125,000 agents in over 100 countries.
The firm was established with a somewhat unique commission model. Rather than pay a percentage of each real estate agent's sales, they pay their broker a share of the office expenses. This allows agents to keep nearly all of their commissions.
RE/MAX has one of the most recognizable symbols of any real estate company, the red, white, and blue hot air balloon. This was introduced in 1978 at a balloon festival in Albuquerque, NM.
Headquartered in Madison, New Jersey, Century 21 is one of the world's largest and most well-known real estate franchise systems. It started in 1971 and now has more than 14,000 independently owned and operated offices in more than 86 countries and territories. Their sales force is roughly 147,000.
Century 21’s name was chosen to sound somewhat futuristic, and recently, they’ve taken on a new mission. According to the corporate website, their new mission is “to defy mediocrity and deliver extraordinary experiences.”
In 2016, the CENTURY 21 brand received the J.D. Power and Associates award for “Highest Overall Satisfaction for First-Time Home Sellers, First-Time Home Buyers, Repeat Home Sellers, and Repeat Home Buyers (Tied in 2016) among National Full Service Real Estate Firms, Three Years in a Row.”
HomeServices of America is a large, full-service residential real estate company that is part of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies. It was founded in 1998 and has since grown to become one of the largest real estate companies in the United States, with a network of affiliated real estate brokers and agents located across the country.
HomeServices of America offers a wide range of real estate services, including the sale and purchase of residential properties, mortgage lending, title and escrow services, and home insurance. The company also provides marketing, lead generation, and business management tools to its affiliated brokers and agents, helping them grow and manage their businesses more effectively.
The network is known for its strong brand and commitment to providing excellent customer service to its clients. It operates in several countries around the world and has roughly 1,600 employees. The HomeServices part of the company is headquartered in Minneapolis, MN.
Compass is a real estate technology company that provides a range of services to real estate agents, including marketing, lead generation, and business management tools. They employ more than 25,000 agents who pay Compass a percentate of each sale they make, much like a traditional brokerage.
It was founded in 2012 by three entrepreneurs, one of which was the Director of Engineering at Twitter, and initially focused only on rentals. It and has since become a leading player in the real estate industry, with a network of agents and brokers across the United States. Compass provides a platform that helps agents and brokers connect with buyers and sellers, and offers a range of tools and resources to help them grow and manage their businesses more effectively. In addition to its core real estate services, Compass also offers a range of related services, such as mortgage lending and home insurance.
eXp Realty is a full-service residential real estate company that operates on a cloud-based platform. It was founded in 2009 and has since become a leading player in the real estate industry, with a network of agents and brokers across the United States and internationally.
eXp Realty uses a cloud-based business model, which means that agents and brokers can access the company's systems and tools remotely from any location with an internet connection. This allows agents to work from anywhere and provides them with the flexibility to manage their businesses in the way that works best for them.
eXp Realty offers a range of services to its agents and brokers, including marketing, lead generation, and business management tools. It also provides ongoing training and support to help its agents stay up-to-date on industry trends and best practices. In addition to its core real estate services, eXp Realty also offers related services such as mortgage lending and home insurance.
Sotheby's International Realty is a high-end real estate brokerage firm that is part of the Sotheby's auction house. It was founded in 1976 and has since become a leading player in the luxury real estate market, with a network of affiliated real estate brokers and agents located around the world.
Sotheby's International Realty specializes in the sale of luxury homes and properties, including estates, mansions, penthouses, and other high-end properties. The company's network of brokers and agents has access to a wide range of listings, including properties that are not listed on the open market.
In addition to its core real estate services, Sotheby's International Realty also offers a range of related services, such as mortgage lending and home insurance. They are known for providing exceptional customer service and for its expertise in the luxury real estate market.
Exit Realty is a full-service residential real estate company that was founded in 1996. The company is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and has over 800 offices in the United States and Canada. Exit Realty is a full-service real estate company that provides a range of services to buyers, sellers, and renters, including residential and commercial sales, property management, and mortgage services.
The company also offers services to help people with relocation, as well as title insurance and closing services. In addition to its real estate services, Exit Realty also provides insurance, home warranties, and other related products and services. One of the distinguishing features of Exit Realty is its focus on training and professional development for its agents, as well as its use of technology to improve the real estate process for its clients. Their commitment is to exceptional consumer experiences.
Weichert is a real estate company that was founded in 1969 by Jim Weichert. The company is headquartered in Morris Plains, New Jersey, and has more than 18,000 sales associates in over 300 company-owned and franchised sales offices across the United States.
Weichert is a full-service real estate company that provides a range of services to buyers, sellers, and renters, including residential and commercial sales, property management, and mortgage services. The company also offers services to help people with relocation, as well as title insurance and closing services. In addition to its real estate services, Weichert also provides insurance, home warranties, and other related products and services.