Top brokerages see transaction drop

The top 25 residential real estate companies nationwide saw an almost across-the-board drop in the number of sales transactions in 2009 compared to 2008, according to Inman News, with ZipRealty, an online brokerage, emerging as the only company on the list compiled by Real Trends to see its activity increase. It came in fifth place, after last year’s ninth place showing. The top four companies retained their places on the list, with NRT, HomeServices of America, Long & Foster Companies and Prudential Douglas Elliman coming in at first, second, third and fourth places, respectively, although all four saw their transaction volume decline. Another report from RISMedia, which also ranked the top residential brokerages nationwide, had slightly more positive data, with the companies it ranked showing an overall 5.7 percent increase in transactions from 2008 to 2009. TRD