Brands like One Home and Rocket Homes are designed to help buyers find houses directly instead of working through a traditional realtor.
That approach appealed to many buyers over the past two years, including those who were relocating to cheaper, more remote areas of the US as remote work became more common, Shah said. Those smaller areas provided lots of growth for the brands, some of which had previously focused on more populated areas.
"A lot of it is trying to make the home-buying process easier, to cut out the middleman, and make it more direct," she said. There could be a second act for these companies, Shah said, if workers find themselves needing to relocate again for more in-person work. "It'll be interesting to see in 2022 what happens to those markets, especially if a hybrid model or full return to work happens," she said.