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ompass has hired Mike Simonsen, a veteran industry expert, as its first-ever chief economist. Simonsen founded Altos Research in 2006 and has provided data and research to major financial institutions and real estate professionals nationwide. He will focus on helping agents and clients understand housing market analytics in real-time and lead research efforts that enhance Compass' market reports and data-driven content.

    Simonsen's expertise has been featured in prominent media outlets, including The New York Times and Bloomberg. As chief economist, he aims to provide world-class market intelligence to agents, as well as help buyers and sellers navigate the current housing market landscape. He will also resume his weekly market update video series under the Compass brand.

    Simonsen was drawn to Compass after a "very compelling offer" from CEO Robert Reffkin, who admired Simonsen's work at Altos Research and its communication style. The opportunity to join Compass as chief economist was an exciting next step in Simonsen's career, allowing him to leverage his expertise to benefit the company's agents and clients.