Sometimes markets don’t move because of speculation – they move because certainty replaces uncertainty.

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That’s exactly what happened today with Anywhere Real Estate Inc. (NYSE: HOUS).

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After months of waiting, watching, and wondering whether its industry-defining merger with Compass, Inc. (NYSE: COMP) would clear regulatory and shareholder hurdles, the clouds finally lifted, and buyers rushed in.

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Earlier today, shareholders of both Compass and Anywhere overwhelmingly approved the merger proposals at special meetings held on January 7, 2026. The approvals were decisive, with about 99% of Compass votes and 72.4% of Anywhere votes cast in favor of the merger terms. 

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With that box finally checked and the mandatory antitrust review period expiring without objection, the deal has a clear path to closing and is tentatively scheduled for January 9, 2026, subject to customary conditions.

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To be sure, investors have been sitting on a merger story that was big on promise but short on closure. But once those question marks were eliminated, the valuation story became obvious …

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The merged company will now be the largest residential brokerage by sales volume in the U.S. – combining platforms that together handled approximately $418 billion in sales in 2024, nearly three times the next closest competitor. 

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Of course, the merger still must satisfy customary closing conditions, and integration will be a multi-year process.

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There’s also been some shareholder litigation challenging disclosures in the proxy materials, though the companies are addressing that risk with supplemental financial and executive compensation disclosures in an effort to minimize delays. 

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But here’s the point: that risk isn’t driving the tape anymore.

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What’s driving the tape today is clarity.

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Investors didn’t buy HOUS because of hype.

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They bought it because a clear, well-defined outcome is suddenly within reach, and that outcome is a merger that creates an industry juggernaut.

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