Company Description
Anywhere Real Estate Inc. (formerly Realogy Holdings Corp., NYSE: HOUS) operated as a major participant in the residential real estate and real estate services industry. The company is described as a global leader in residential real estate franchising and brokerage, with a broad network of well-known brands and an extensive footprint of franchised and company-owned offices. According to available information, Anywhere functioned as a full-service residential real estate services company with activities spanning franchising, brokerage, relocation, title and settlement services, and mortgage-related joint ventures.
Business model and core activities
Anywhere’s business model centered on integrated real estate services. The company states that it fulfilled its purpose "to empower everyone's next move" through integrated services that include franchise, brokerage, relocation, and title and settlement businesses, as well as mortgage and title insurance underwriter minority-owned joint ventures. Revenue-generating activities, as described in company materials, included residential real estate franchising and brokerage operations, relocation services for corporate and affinity clients, and title and settlement-related services.
Through its franchise system and company-owned brokerages, Anywhere supported a large network of affiliated agents and franchise owners. The company notes that its brands are some of the most recognized names in real estate, and that it helps fuel the productivity of franchise owners and more than 300,000 affiliated agents globally as they build their businesses and serve consumers.
Brands and franchise network
Anywhere’s portfolio included several established real estate brands. Based on company disclosures, its brands included Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, CENTURY 21, Coldwell Banker, Coldwell Banker Commercial, Corcoran, ERA, and Sotheby’s International Realty. Earlier descriptions of the business under the Realogy name also referenced ZipRealty as a technology-focused brand, Cartus as a provider of relocation services to corporate and affinity clients, and Title Resource Group as a provider of title, settlement and related services.
The franchise system members and company-owned brokerages collectively operated a very large office network. Prior Realogy disclosures indicated that the franchise system encompassed thousands of offices and hundreds of thousands of independent sales associates in numerous countries and territories. Subsequent Anywhere materials emphasize that the company supports a vast network of franchise owners and more than 300,000 affiliated agents globally, reflecting its scale in residential brokerage and franchising.
Brokerage, relocation, title and mortgage-related services
Anywhere’s activities extended beyond franchising to company-owned brokerages and related services. NRT LLC, described in earlier Realogy information as the company-owned brokerage arm, operated under several of the company’s brands and provided residential real estate brokerage services in the United States. The company also owned Cartus, described as a worldwide provider of relocation services to corporate and affinity clients, and Title Resource Group, described as a provider of title, settlement and related services.
In addition, Anywhere Integrated Services held a minority interest in mortgage-related operations through Guaranteed Rate Affinity, a joint venture between Guaranteed Rate, Inc. and Anywhere Integrated Services. Company and partner disclosures state that Guaranteed Rate Affinity originates and markets mortgage lending services to Anywhere’s real estate, brokerage and relocation subsidiaries, and that Anywhere owns 49.9% of this joint venture. These activities illustrate Anywhere’s participation in mortgage origination support alongside its core real estate services.
Relationship with Sotheby’s International Realty and luxury positioning
Sotheby’s International Realty is described as a subsidiary of Anywhere Real Estate Inc., operating both an affiliate franchise network and company-owned brokerages. The Sotheby’s International Realty affiliate network is operated by Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC, and the company-owned brokerages are operated by Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc., both identified as subsidiaries of Anywhere Real Estate Inc. Company materials highlight a long-term strategic alliance between Anywhere and Sotheby’s, under which Anywhere licenses the Sotheby’s International Realty name and develops a franchise system serving luxury real estate clients worldwide.
Through this relationship, Anywhere participated in the global luxury residential segment. Sotheby’s International Realty reports a global footprint of more than 1,100 offices in dozens of countries and territories, and focuses on high-end residential transactions, including properties in premier metropolitan and resort markets. This luxury emphasis complements Anywhere’s broader residential brokerage and franchising activities under its other brands.
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate and consumer insights
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC is described as a subsidiary of Anywhere Real Estate Inc. and as a dynamic real estate brand offering services to brokers, sales associates, and home buyers and sellers. Company communications emphasize the use of technology, business systems, and the appeal of a lifestyle brand. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate also publishes consumer and design trend research, such as the "Design Trends Moving Real Estate" report, which examines buyer preferences and home design factors influencing transactions. This research function illustrates how Anywhere’s brands engage with consumer insights to support agents and clients.
Corporate structure, financing and debt
Anywhere Real Estate Inc. functioned as the indirect parent of operating entities such as Anywhere Real Estate Group LLC and Anywhere Intermediate Holdings LLC. SEC filings describe the issuance of senior secured second lien notes and other debt instruments at the operating subsidiary level, with guarantees provided by Anywhere Real Estate Inc. and certain subsidiaries. For example, an indenture dated June 26, 2025, details 9.750% senior secured second lien notes due 2030 issued by Anywhere Real Estate Group LLC and Anywhere Co-Issuer Corp., guaranteed by Anywhere Real Estate Inc., Anywhere Intermediate Holdings LLC and certain subsidiary guarantors.
These filings outline the ranking of the notes relative to other indebtedness, the collateral securing the notes, and the intercreditor arrangements governing lien priorities. They also describe the use of proceeds, including repurchases of existing exchangeable notes and repayment of borrowings under a revolving credit facility. This capital structure information shows that Anywhere utilized secured and unsecured debt financing alongside its operating cash flows.
Merger with Compass and delisting of HOUS
Anywhere Real Estate Inc. underwent a significant corporate transformation through a merger with Compass, Inc. SEC filings and joint press releases state that on January 9, 2026, Velocity Merger Sub, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Compass, merged with and into Anywhere Real Estate Inc., with Anywhere surviving as a wholly owned subsidiary of Compass. At the effective time of the merger, each share of Anywhere common stock was converted into the right to receive Compass Class A common stock based on a stated exchange ratio, and the Anywhere common stock ceased trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
A Form 25 filed by the New York Stock Exchange on January 9, 2026, provides notification of the removal of Anywhere Real Estate Inc.’s common stock from listing and registration under Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. An accompanying Form 8-K explains that the company requested suspension of trading and the filing of Form 25, and notes that the company intends to file a Form 15 to terminate registration and suspend reporting obligations. As a result, the HOUS ticker represents a former NYSE-listed security, and Anywhere Real Estate Inc. is now described as a wholly owned subsidiary of Compass rather than an independent public company.
Historical context and legacy
Historically, under the Realogy name and later as Anywhere Real Estate Inc., the company built a large global presence in residential real estate franchising and brokerage, with a portfolio of recognizable brands and service lines that included franchising, company-owned brokerages, relocation services, and title and settlement services. The subsequent rebranding to Anywhere Real Estate Inc. and the later merger with Compass illustrate an evolution from a stand-alone public company to a key component of a larger, tech-enabled real estate platform.
For investors and researchers reviewing the HOUS symbol, it is important to recognize that HOUS now serves as a historical reference to Anywhere Real Estate Inc. prior to its acquisition by Compass. Current operational activities of the business are conducted within Compass’s consolidated corporate structure, while the historical SEC filings and public disclosures under the HOUS ticker document Anywhere’s legacy as a global participant in residential real estate franchising, brokerage, relocation, title, settlement, and related mortgage joint venture services.