eXp Acquires NextHome in Major Industry Consolidation Move

Real Estate In-Depth • May 8, 2026

The real estate industry’s wave of consolidation continued this week as eXp World Holdings announced its acquisition of NextHome, a national real estate franchise with more than 500 offices across the United States. The deal signals a significant evolution for eXp as the company expands beyond its cloud-based brokerage roots into a broader, multi-model real estate platform.


As part of the announcement, eXp World Holdings also revealed it will begin trading under the Nasdaq ticker symbol “AGNT” beginning May 8, replacing its longtime “EXPI” ticker. Company leadership said the new identity reflects a stronger focus on agents and entrepreneurship within the real estate industry.



According to the companies, NextHome will continue operating independently under its existing leadership team, including Co-CEOs James Dwiggins and Keith Robinson. The acquisition brings a traditional franchise model into eXp’s ecosystem, giving agents and brokers access to both franchise ownership opportunities and cloud-based brokerage operations under one corporate umbrella. 

“The industry has reached a tipping point,” said eXp Realty CEO Leo Pareja in the company announcement. “A one-size-fits-all model no longer works for the visionary entrepreneur.”

NextHome has become one of the industry’s fastest-growing franchise brands in recent years and has earned recognition for franchise owner satisfaction, ranking No. 1 for five consecutive years by Franchise Business Review, according to the companies.


Industry observers say the move reflects broader changes happening across residential real estate as brokerages look to diversify business models, increase scale, and strengthen technology platforms amid market pressures and shifting consumer expectations. The acquisition also comes during a period of heightened merger and acquisition activity across the industry.


While financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed, executives from both companies emphasized growth opportunities for agents, brokers, and franchise owners moving forward.



Read more HERE.

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