Above, photo credit: Maximillian Conacher
While bringing a period of quiet uncertainty for much of the real estate industry, 2025 proved in stark contrast to be a year of monumental change for HomeSmart. After spending decades shaping real estate’s first and most successful 100%-model brokerage into an industry powerhouse, Founder and CEO Matt Widdows now finds himself in a new role: the orchestrator of the company’s future, of what comes next.
Hitting the ground running after a year that brought an ambitious brand overhaul, several prominent strides in new tech launches—including a comprehensive new AI-integrated marketing platform and new eDoc and eSign functionality built into transactions—and a major corporate acquisition, Widdows is having real, collaborative conversations about the company’s immense potential.
Over the last several years, the HomeSmart founder has assembled a team of power players—both old guard and new—with the right mix of experience, skill and drive to steer the enterprise forward into its next phase.
“The strongest companies aren’t built by one voice—they’re sustained by many,” Widdows explains. “HomeSmart has always been about the people behind the brand. We have an incredibly dedicated team of individuals who are equally passionate about service, growth and our mission to ultimately transform lives through real estate as we take this next step into our future.”
A bold new brand, showcasing the power of experience
Shortly after joining HomeSmart in the fall of 2024, Senior Vice President of Marketing Lauren Fox was faced with a tall task: leading the company through the very first rebrand in its 25-year history.
Drawing on lessons from prior experience, Fox knew there would be inherent obstacles and opportunities in the challenge. The key was thorough brand, competitor and industry research, paired with feedback from a variety of stakeholders: HomeSmart’s senior leadership, support teams, franchise partners and agents.
“Modernizing the brand while staying true to our founding principles of ‘service-first’ was our mandate, and our marketing team absolutely stepped up to the plate,” says Fox. “We wanted to give agents a new look and message that they will be instantly drawn to, one that helps them differentiate themselves from the competition and stand out in their local markets.”
One major goal of the rebrand was implementing a strong brand promise for both agents and the consumers they serve: the power of experience.
“HomeSmart and its agents lead with experience in every aspect of what we do,” Fox explains. “It’s the real power behind the brand. No other brokerage can replicate the decades of experience and trust we’ve built, the business methods, processes and tools we’ve refined and perfected over the years and the standard of service we bring to the table with every personal interaction.”
And all of that creates a powerful story that resonates not only with agents, but with buyers and sellers who place one of the most important investments of their lives in the hands of HomeSmart agents across the country.
Launched in October 2025 at Growth Summit, the company’s premier annual agent event, the new brand was an immediate success. Agents flocked to the onsite merchandise shop, buying up apparel and swag to proudly sport the fresh icon and logo. In the weeks and months that followed, agents and franchise partners alike attended branding workshops and started swapping out signage and other marketing items.
HomeSmart’s redesigned yard signs, available in both white and black, are the most recognizable consumer-facing shift of the new brand. The wordmark now climbs vertically along the sign’s edge while the new diamond icon repeats in a subtle and sophisticated background pattern, creating a modern and sleek layout that allows the agent’s name and personal brand to shine.
Fox couldn’t be more satisfied with the outcome.
“The new HomeSmart brand is now a true representation of who we are at our core. We’re modern, cutting-edge and bold; we’re forward-focused and streamlined in every way to maximize efficiency and success.”
Leading with an agent-first, service-minded approach
As HomeSmart’s president and newest leadership addition, industry vet Stacey Onnen found herself drawn to the brokerage’s promise of excellence through its unique model and standards of service.
“Through mindful, strategic design, HomeSmart is able to offer real estate entrepreneurs something truly unique: the flexibility to run their business the way they desire, powered by an integrated ecosystem of the right tools and tech—all backed by an essential, human-centered support system,” she explains.
Even as HomeSmart continues to improve its platform stack—RealSmart Agent, RealSmart Broker and the Marketing Design Center—to increase efficiency and reduce friction through additional automation and AI integrations, live human support remains the enterprise’s non-negotiable differentiator.
“At HomeSmart, we’ve had tech innovation in our DNA from day one,” says Onnen. “It’s absolutely integral to operational efficiency and scalability. But agents still want real people behind the software. People who listen to them, guide them and are in their corner to get a deal to close. That hasn’t changed—that will never change. No amount of AI will ever replace the human touch we’ve established at HomeSmart.”
Commanding decades of experience in successfully scaling enterprise growth, Onnen reflects on one essential factor in particular that gives their team the freedom to shape initiatives and investments as they see fit: HomeSmart remains privately owned to this day, a rarity among real estate giants.
“We answer to Main Street, not Wall Street; that sets the tone and strategic alignment for everything we do,” Onnen says. “Our priorities are our agents, our teams and our franchise partners—not stockholder earnings. That allows us to continue pursuing our people-first approach as we grow, and maintain that integral culture and sense of community that’s enabled us to reach this point.”
Providing trust and stability, in any market conditions
Coordinating operations across markets in every corner of the nation, not to mention in collaboration with over 250 franchise locations, is no easy feat. But after taking up the challenge mid-2023, Chief Operating Officer Katie Cooper has it down to an art.
The key to successfully operating a smooth, lean system? Good people, and good culture.
“Each support team at HomeSmart is made up of staff members who are passionate about what they do, dedicated to providing the best possible service every day, and form lasting relationships with the agents they serve,” she explains.
During the last few years, Cooper has successfully tackled navigating her teams through industry and regulatory changes, prioritizing clarity, transparency and stability. These focus areas were imperative for agents to retain trust in HomeSmart’s platform and operations to maintain compliance, financial stability and confidence to move forward.
“This has become increasingly important to agents seeking a brokerage to call home in this new era of real estate,” says Cooper. “Commission stability and transparency still matter more than ever—and those are fundamentals we’ve always delivered and will continue to deliver through our 100% commission model. But agents are also paying much closer attention to leadership: how brokerages are navigating industry shifts, who is truly showing up with meaningful support and who is providing training and programs that reflect the realities of today’s market. Agents want partners who are actively walking alongside them through transactions, not just offering tools from a distance.”
A major initiative for HomeSmart in 2026 is the creation of new programs specifically for agent teams, Cooper reveals. The enterprise has already incorporated several team features into its RealSmart Agent platform for team leads, giving them the transparency and operational efficiency to run their respective teams like a brokerage. These features include a productivity dashboard, team analytics and reports and a recruitment board.
“What this next phase brings is the opportunity to elevate how team leads and team members across all markets connect, collaborate, share best practices and even mentor one another—creating a stronger, more connected team culture within HomeSmart,” Cooper says.
Growing not just a footprint, but a culture
At some point in nearly every business conversation, Senior Vice President of Franchise Sales and M&A Bryan Brooks is asked the same question: What’s the catch?
“Everyone wants to know if it’s real,” says Brooks. “If it’s really possible to run a business based on 100% commission and still provide the support, technology and resources agents want—and need—to build a successful real estate career today.”
All he has to do is point to the results: thriving franchises and corporate-run brokerages running coast-to-coast. Teams that evolved into brokerages that exponentially grew to 200, 300, 500 agents and more.
Brooks is eyeing several key markets already in the pipeline for 2026. “Sooner or later, HomeSmart is coming to your city,” he tells his prospects. “That much is certain. The only question is, are YOU going to be the one in the driver’s seat?”
Often, these potential partnership opportunities materialize in regional and independent brokerages that have proven strength in leadership, but are seeking increased stability, transparency and long-term alignment with growth or transition goals.
The culture fit is a vital part of the process, explains Brooks. “Our franchise partners are buying into more than just a business—they’re buying into a community.”
HomeSmart’s broker/owners gather frequently to share ideas, voice local or regional challenges for group problem-solving opportunities and celebrate successes. It’s a culture that the company is determined to preserve and protect.
“Shared values are a big indicator of a lasting partnership,” explains Brooks. “We want to grow HomeSmart through community and industry leaders—partners that will only add to our strength and voice as we guide agents and consumers and set the standards for service.”
This is the foundation behind an intentional, strategic franchising and mergers and acquisitions blueprint for 2026, and beyond.
Working hand-in-hand with agents and franchise partners
With over 20 years of experience in real estate and marketing under his belt, Chief Industry Officer Todd Sumney is strategically positioned where he has the greatest impact: on the front lines. Whether in local offices or on the national stage, Sumney guides agents and brokers alike on best practices, business growth and tips on utilizing the robust lineup of HomeSmart’s tools and resources to exceed goals.
A recognizable name in the industry (and at HomeSmart) for decades, Sumney’s charismatic personality and high-energy presentations have the power to motivate and energize his audiences. Making himself personally available to HomeSmart’s diverse group of franchise partners, he often receives calls with invitations to fly state-to-state, hosting education and marketing seminars and workshops.
Sumney leans into real-world experiences from conversations and collaborations over the years, and deftly navigates the challenges posed by industry change by posing practical, agent-first strategies and solutions.
“It’s all about self-empowerment, in the end,” he explains. “The key to motivating agents to succeed is showing them that they have all the tools to accomplish their goals right now, in their own hands.
“Once they realize they have this power, you can see the transformation, feel the energy in the room completely shift. It’s a really awesome and fulfilling feeling.”
The next chapter
Reflecting on the last several years, Widdows says that with a model that has proven to be fortified to take on any market, and with key leadership and plans now in place, HomeSmart has never been in a more strategic position to take the industry by storm.
“I truly believe there’s never been a better time to be a part of this company,” he states.
“We set some wildly ambitious goals in 2025 and stuck the landing every time—all thanks to our incredibly dedicated team,” Widdows says. “It feels like the possibilities ahead of us now are endless. I can’t wait to see what HomeSmart’s next chapter brings.”
For more information, visit https://homesmart.com.
