Compass, Inc., a leading tech-enabled real estate brokerage, announced today that Launch Real Estate has joined the firm. Launch is an independent and agent-owned full-service brokerage based in Scottsdale, AZ, where it is #1 producing independent office in Scottsdale with just over 300 agents.
“We are excited to welcome Launch to the Compass family as we continue to grow the Compass footprint in the United States,” said Robert Reffkin, Compass Founder and CEO. “Launch is a premier luxury brokerage and a great fit for our brand and culture. We are adding an excellent agent-centric agency in a top U.S. market, creating significant synergies within our vast agent network.”
“At Launch, we have a proud culture of collaboration, and joining Compass allows us to build on that foundation throughout Arizona and nationally,” said John Vatistas, Launch Co-Founder and CEO. “We have the same values and commitment to innovation and are very impressed with the formidable reputation of the Compass brand. Honestly, I do not want to entertain the idea of competing with them, as they are simply in a league of their own.”
Founded in 2016 by John Vatistas and Sean Zimmerman, Launch’s regional leadership and support will remain in place, with full integration of Compass’ systems and digital tools happening over time.
“We’re keeping our traditions and people while benefiting from Compass’s national network of agents, many of them in markets with natural synergies with Greater Phoenix,” said Sean Zimmerman, Launch Co-Founder and President.
Since its founding in 2012, Compass has grown to 150+ markets across the U.S., including Denver, Seattle, the Bay Area, and Southern California. Last year, Compass became a Fortune 500 company and, for the second year in a row, was named the number one residential real estate brokerage in the U.S. by sales volume by RealTrends.
“What makes this transaction unique for Compass is that we are adding a top regional brokerage under a structure that aligns our interests long-term and funds the acquisition on a deferred basis with no upfront capital,” said Rory Golod, President of Growth and Communications. “Agents are excited to join us because of our industry’s only end-to-end transaction platform and collaborative culture that make our agents more successful.”
Compass, a Fortune 500 company, is the largest residential real estate brokerage in the United States. Founded in 2012 and based in New York City, the technology-enabled brokerage provides an end-to-end platform that empowers its residential real estate agents to deliver exceptional service to seller and buyer clients. The platform includes an integrated suite of cloud-based software for customer relationship management, marketing, client service, brokerage services and other critical functionality, all custom-built for the real estate industry. Compass agents utilize the platform to grow their business, save time and manage their business more effectively.