According to a recent Zillow survey, 18 per cent of Anywhere agents say they definitely will leave their brokerage if the acquisition proceeds, while another 35 per cent might consider leaving.
Nearly a quarter of agents surveyed believe the acquisition would negatively impact their business.
The survey, conducted in late October, highlights broader industry concerns about private listing networks, which Compass uses as a marketing strategy.
These networks keep property listings within closed, in-brokerage systems rather than sharing them widely.
An overwhelming 70 per cent of Anywhere agents believe it’s not in a seller’s best interest to list their home on a private network.
More than half indicated that brokerages or agents, not consumers, are the primary beneficiaries of such networks.
Private listing networks exist to benefit the brokerage through recruiting and added commissions, and not to help consumers, the survey results suggest, reflecting agents’ understanding of these closed systems.
Nearly all Anywhere agents surveyed (98 per cent) expressed concerns about potential negative impacts of private listing networks.
These concerns include reduced access for lower-income buyers, reinforcement of racial segregation, potential fair housing law violations, and competitive disadvantages for smaller brokerages.
Previous Zillow analyses have found that homes listed off Multiple Listing Services (MLS) typically sell for less than comparable publicly listed properties.
Sellers using private networks often express regret about missing broader exposure, and communities of colour are disproportionately affected by reduced listing visibility.
The survey also revealed declining optimism among real estate agents about the housing market throughout 2025.
During the first quarter, 54 per cent of agents expected increased home sales in coming months, compared to just 37 per cent in the third quarter.
Medium-term expectations have similarly softened, with only 53 per cent of agents expecting increased transactions in the next month, down from 66 per cent earlier in the year.
Despite cooling sentiment around sales activity, agents maintain cautious optimism about home prices.
In the short term, 35 per cent expect prices to rise in the next 30 days, while 47 per cent expect them to hold steady. Looking ahead one year, 51 per cent anticipate price increases.
The shifting dynamics appear to be creating a market that increasingly favours buyers over sellers, according to agent perceptions.
Zillow regularly publishes survey data on agent sentiment, transparency and other topics to empower the marketplace with information, the company noted, emphasising its commitment to providing market insights.
An overwhelming 98 per cent of Anywhere agents surveyed sent a clear message that they value openness and fairness in the market, the survey concluded, highlighting the industry’s concern about practices that might undermine transparency in real estate transactions.
