The head of Compass, Robert Reffkin — pictured here as the hare — and Douglas Elliman CEO Howard Lorber — pictured as the tortoise — have taken divergent approaches to establishing themselves in the L.A. market. (Composite illustration by Lexi Pilgrim)
New York brokerages Douglas Elliman and Compass strutted into the Los Angeles market a few years back and vexed local firms with their deep pockets and aggressive poaching tactics. Their fans said they’d shaken up the brokerage world for the better, while their critics said they’d driven down the whole industry’s margins with unsustainable business practices.