It’s official. As of Friday morning, the Compass–Anywhere mega merger is complete leaving Brown Harris Stevens as largest privately owned real estate brokerage in New York City, and one of the only luxury independent firms across Palm Beach, Miami, Connecticut, the Hamptons, and Northern New Jersey, and the Hudson Valley.
Brown Harris Stevens CEO Bess Freedman views the moment as one of opportunity rather than disruption. While acknowledging the “noise” surrounding the merger, Freedman believes the greater challenge lies with the companies being absorbed and integrated, not with firms that already have a clear identity and operating model.
“Instead of offering more of the same, BHS can give agents, buyers, sellers and renters something unique: We are singularly focused on customer service and our only stakeholders are our agents. In NYC, we are the only company that manages nearly 400 buildings and offers a broker specialist program. Real estate is an information and service business, and the synergy between our brokerage and managed buildings is an incredible resource and opportunity for BHS agents and our clients,” Freedman said.
Her confidence comes even as post-merger estimates suggest Compass could control more than 80 percent of Manhattan market share and upwards of 60 percent in Brooklyn. Yet Freedman points to Brown Harris Stevens’ strong momentum as evidence that size alone is not the defining factor of success. Following a robust 2025, during which the firm recruited agents representing nearly $20 billion in career sales, she sees continued growth ahead.
“We continue to speak with agents from competing firms in many markets who want to differentiate their business with the support of Brown Harris Stevens,” she added.
As consolidation continues across the industry, deep local expertise, service-driven models, and a clear commitment to agents and clients remain powerful differentiators and incentives —no matter how large brokerages may become.
Read more in Housingwire
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