Warren Buffett is likely selling his real estate empire – the latest warning sign that the property market is in dire straits.
The real estate market has been on the skids in recent years. Brokerage companies have attempted to consolidate as home sales remain very low.
Compass, the largest real estate brokerage in the country, is in advanced talks to acquire Berkshire Hathaway’s HomeServices of America, the fourth-biggest player in the industry, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Buffett, the 94-year-old investment icon known as the ‘Oracle of Omaha,’ appears to be stepping back from the real estate game.
The financial details of the potential acquisition haven’t been disclosed, but sources say an agreement is close, barring any last-minute snags.
If the deal goes through, it would mark another major consolidation in a housing market already struggling with sluggish sales.
Would-be homebuyers have been sidelined for years due to sky-high mortgage rates, tight housing inventory, and record-breaking home prices.
In a recent earnings call, Compass’ CEO, Robert Reffkin, touted the brokerage’s size as a competitive edge.