From guiding brokerages through market shifts to influencing the future of the profession, real estate leaders and brokerage executives play a central role in shaping the housing market. Each year, the real estate consulting firm T3 Sixty highlights the individuals making the biggest impacts. This year’s ranking features a mix of familiar names and new faces, with five of the top 10 leaders—including the CEO of the National Association of REALTORS®—appearing in the highest tier for the first time.
“For decades, power in this industry was closely tied to tenure and legacy,” says Jack Miller, president and CEO of T3 Sixty. “What the 2026 Swanepoel Power 200 clearly uncovers is that power and influence is now also secured through strategic clarity, operational execution and the ability to build platforms, the flow of capital and listings access.”
On Wednesday, T3 Sixty released its annual Swanepoel Power 200, known as the SP 200, which ranks the most influential residential real estate brokerage leaders and executives based on performance, scale and industry impact. The report calls out how “consolidation, capital and platform scale” are increasingly shaping the power flows within the industry.
“Leaders who took clear, public positions on listing access, transparency and policy saw measurable gains in influence,” the report says.
Real Estate’s Power Players in 2026
For the second year in a row, Robert Reffkin, founder and CEO of Compass, landed in the top spot on the SP 200, recognized as the industry’s most powerful and influential figure. Reffkin was called out for expanding Compass’ “scale, access to capital and outsized influence on industry structure and listings strategy.” He solidified his influence within industry last year with Compass’s acquisition of Anywhere Real Estate. The merger, finalized late last week, creates the world’s largest residential brokerage.
Debuting in the top 10 this year was Jeremy Wacksman, CEO of the Zillow Group. Wacksman, who just finished his first full year leading Zillow, debuted at No. 2 on the list. Also new to the SP 200 top 10 this year are Varun Krishna, CEO of Rocket Companies; Chris Kelly, CEO of HomeServices America; Nykia Wright, CEO of the National Association of REALTORS®; and Leo Pareja, CEO of eXp Realty.
In order, the top 10 leaders on the SP 200 list are:
- Robert Reffkin, founder and CEO, Compass
- Jeremy Wacksman, CEO, Zillow Group
- Varun Krishna, CEO, Rocket Companies
- Glenn Sanford, founder and CEO, eXp World Holdings
- Ryan Schneider, president and CEO, Anywhere Real Estate
- Andrew “Andy” Florance, founder and CEO, CoStar Group
- Chris Kelly, president and CEO, HomeServices of America
- Howard “Hoby” Hanna, CEO, Hanna Holdings
- Nykia Wright, CEO, National Association of REALTORS®
- Leo Pareja, CEO, eXp Realty
Wright—who became NAR’s interim CEO in November 2023 and permanent CEO in August 2024—was cited for “capturing the attention of industry leaders” with her extensive outreach and passage of a new three-year Strategic Plan. “She has leveraged her fresh, outsider’s perspective to remake the nation’s largest trade association into a more focused organization—marked by achieving its first balanced budget in at least a decade—and clarify the association’s role in advocacy and its relationship with MLSs.”
In addition to Wright, several NAR executives and leaders earned recognition in the SP 200:
- Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy Officer Shannon McGahn (No. 38)
- 2026 President Kevin Brown (No. 51)
- Senior Vice President of Industry Relations Jarrod Grasso (watchlist)
- 2026 President-elect Christine Hansen (watchlist)
- REALTOR® Party Community Engagement Liaison Tommy Choi (watchlist)
View the full SP 200 rankings at realestatealmanac.com/executives.