United’s Dan Duffy on the ‘perfect storm’: Why positioning, not productivity, will define the next brokerage cycle

February 18, 2026 - 00:07

Dan Duffy, CEO of United Real Estate, describes the current market as a "perfect storm" for residential brokerages. However, he argues that navigating it successfully will depend less on agent productivity and more on the strategic positioning of the firm itself.

Duffy emphasizes that while individual agent output remains important, the overarching focus must be on the company's structural advantages. He points to United's renewed push for acquisitions and its concerted effort to leverage its growing scale as the primary tools for margin recovery and future growth. The goal is to build a more efficient and resilient platform that can thrive across market cycles.

"In this environment, scale matters more than ever," Duffy notes. "It's about creating operational efficiencies, providing superior support tools, and having the financial stability to invest in our agents and our brand, regardless of whether the market is hot or cold." This strategic shift, he suggests, will define the winners in the coming years as the industry adjusts to sustained higher interest rates and evolving consumer expectations. The firms that can offer a compelling value proposition to both agents and clients through smart positioning will emerge strongest from the current storm.