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Robert Reffkin

Founder, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Compass, Inc.

Search every verified Robert Reffkin interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Robert Reffkin, founder, chairman, and CEO of Compass International Holdings, recently discussed the housing market on Fox Business, noting that the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate had risen to 7.08 percent, a 19-month high. He said that buyers should prepare for rates potentially reaching 8 percent and suggested that current conditions could be a good time to buy, while also recommending adjustable-rate mortgages as a way to protect against further increases. Reffkin also commented on regional housing market differences, citing examples of what buyers can get for $1.2 million in different cities, and he attributed limited inventory in part to homeowners holding onto pre-existing low mortgage rates, which he described as a financial asset. He proposed policy ideas such as making mortgages portable and reducing risks for home sellers to encourage more supply. Reffkin also appeared on the podcast “Smart Women Big Deals,” where he discussed the influence of his mother, Ruth Reffkin, on his career. He described her as a “superhero” who was a single mother, made sacrifices for him, and supported him through school applications and entrepreneurial ventures. During the conversation, he recounted an early business plan he developed as a teenager to buy DJ equipment using his bar mitzvah money, which his mother initially rejected before they reached a compromise. He also mentioned Vernon Jordan as one of his mentors, noting Jordan’s extensive corporate board service and work on Bill Clinton’s transition committee.

Recent appearances

Verified interview transcripts

Notable quotes

“The right thing putting America back actually isn't the mortgage rates of 7.2, it is the existing pre-existing mortgage they have walked in at two and a half or 3 percent. People consider that a financial asset, which they don't want to lose it. No many of us will come due after seven or ten year ARMs, and so we should see some inventory come to you because of that. Some of the things we see here, about 42 percent of”

“I think that you should prepare that it could get up to 8 percent, so if you are a buyer, for the means now could be a good time to buy, before potentially could get up to 8 percent, and also you get an ARM to protect yourself. But I believe that if you're going to make a move, it should not be solely based off of the mortgage rate, and also many different markets. Now we have a low-end, where you have homes between ”

“Zillow operates under the illusion that they are essential to the home selling process, but Zillow doesn't sell homes, they sell leads. If Zillow did not exist, the exact same amount of homes would sell in Chicago. And the only reason Zillow still exists is because of our listings.”

“I believe sellers should have the right to choose when, where, and how they market their homes. It's their home, it's not our home. I believe if I am a real estate agent, you're my seller. My fiduciary and statutory duty is to you, not to someone else's buyer. It's to you, not to Zillow.”

“Zillow operates under the illusion that they are essential to the home-selling process. But, Zillow doesn't sell homes. They sell leads. If Zillow did not exist, the exact same amount of homes would sell in Chicago. And the only reason Zillow exists is because of our listings.”

“I support mandatory submission for data purposes so that the MLS is a source of truth for comps. I support mandatory cooperation so that there's a publicly marketed listing it must be in the MLS for all agents across brokerage firms to be able to see for their buyers. What I don't support is being forced to give our data and our clients' data to third-party portals and AI companies.”

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