Inc. released its Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing independent companies of 2022 on Tuesday, and nearly 200 innovative real estate companies made the list.
At the top of the real estate category was theLender, a Lake Forest, California-based home lending company that works with homebuyers and brokers alike. Between 2018 and 2021, theLender’s revenue grew a stunning 20,489 percent, and the company was ranked no. 11 overall on Inc.’s 5000 list.
Proptech, real estate investment and property management companies also ranked high for real estate, including familiar industry names like Orchard and Ribbon.
Companies that made Inc.’s list this year were ranked by their percentage revenue growth from 2018 to 2021, and companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2018 in order to qualify for ranking. They also must be U.S.-based, private, for-profit, independent companies as of December 31, 2021. In other words, subsidiaries were not eligible. In addition, companies had to achieve a minimum revenue of $100,000 in 2018, and a minimum of $2 million in 2021.
Real estate companies on Inc.’s 5000 list saw a median growth rate of 1,952 percent and median revenue of $10.7 million from 2018 to 2021. In total, these companies earned $12.2 billion in revenue and added 14,660 jobs. Twenty-three companies were newly founded in 2018 and 116 companies have made Inc.’s 5000 list more than once.
Take a look at the top 25 fastest-growing independent real estate companies in the U.S. in 2022 below.
1. theLender
Credit: theLender / Facebook
Growth rate: 20,489 percent
Overall ranking: 11
theLender is a Lake Forest, California-based home lending company that works with homebuyers and brokers. The company has funded over $5.5 billion in loans and served over 25,000 clients since its founding in 2017.
2. IDEAL AGENT
Growth rate: 5,514 percent
Overall ranking: 73
IDEAL AGENT is a full-service real estate tech platform that connects homesellers with top real estate agents. The Tampa-based company touts agent commissions as low as 2 percent.
3. HqO
Growth rate: 5,291 percent
Overall ranking: 75
HqO is a workplace experience platform that helps enable communications in office buildings, flex spaces and even with tenants at rental properties. Its products facilitate things like building access control, employee or tenant feedback and food ordering or workplace services.
4. Spartan Investment Group
Growth rate: 3,539 percent
Overall ranking: 128
Spartan Investment Group provides turnkey property purchasing and management services for investors, with a current focus on self-storage assets. The company’s employees are spread across nine states, and it has offices in Denver and Seattle.
5. Ribbon
Credit: Ribbon / Facebook
Growth rate: 3,172 percent
Overall ranking: 161
Ribbon is an up-and-coming Power Buyer that helps empower its customers with cash-backed offers. Despite the company’s recent rapid growth, Ribbon announced at the end of June that it would lay off about one-third of its employees in order to adjust to the “new reality” of the market.
6. Point Digital Finance
Growth rate: 3,103 percent
Overall ranking: 165
Point allows homeowners to tap into their home equity as a line of credit or through cash. The Palo Alto-based company touts low minimum credit scores as well as no income requirements and no monthly payments on several of its products.
7. Disrupt Equity
Growth rate: 2,975 percent
Overall ranking: 174
The multifamily real estate syndication company enables investors to passively invest in multifamily properties. The company is based in Houston, Texas, and offers investments throughout Texas and a number of other southern markets.
8. The Surefire Group
Growth rate: 2,919 percent
Overall ranking: 179
The Surefire Group is a real estate company that provides a suite of services in residential real estate, mortgage, title, home healthcare and tech. The company gradually grew out of a brokerage founded in 2014 in Manayunk, Pennsylvania.
9. The San Diego Home Buyer
Growth rate: 2,749 percent
Overall ranking: 192
The San Diego Home Buyer is an iBuyer based in San Diego that specializes in purchasing off-market properties.
10. Orchard
Credit: Orchard
Growth rate: 2,350 percent
Overall ranking: 226
Orchard is another well-know Power Buyer that has grown quickly in recent years and offers consumers a streamlined digital buying experience. Like, Ribbon, the company announced a number of layoffs in recent months, but is still hiring.
11. 72SOLD
Growth rate: 2,065 percent
Overall ranking: 260
72SOLD is a home selling program that helps real estate agents sell clients’ homes in 72 hours by leveraging the competitive environment of an auction. The company has earned sellers an average of 12 percent higher sales prices in the last 2.5 years.
12. MortgageOne
Growth rate: 1,952 percent
Overall ranking: 284
MortgageOne was founded in 2012 in Carlsbad, California, and provides a number of home loan options for borrowers.
13. PadSplit
Growth rate: 1,937 percent
Overall ranking: 290
PadSplit is a co-living marketplace for furnished homes with included utilities created to assist low-income workers with achieving financial independence.
14. iVueit
Growth rate: 1,885 percent
Overall ranking: 302
iVueit is a company that provides exterior and interior views of properties to property managers so that they can monitor property conditions.
15. SCGWest Development
Growth rate: 1,860 percent
Overall ranking: 307
This real estate development firm provides turnkey corporate and commercial real estate solutions, including architecture and design, development and construction and tenant improvements.
16. Skystone Acquisitions
Growth rate: 1,759 percent
Overall ranking: 324
Skystone Acqusitions is a wholesale investment brokerage that acquires and resells residential investment properties to help investors build their portfolio.
17. HomeLight
Credit: HomeLight
Growth rate: 1,663 percent
Overall ranking: 351
HomeLight provides all-cash offers to clients and partners with real estate agents. The company recently acquired rival cash-offer company Accept.inc.
18. OJO Labs
Growth rate: 1,650 percent
Overall ranking: 355
OJO Labs is a real estate tech platform that helps facilitate consumers’ buying and selling of homes. The company has its own search portal called Movoto.
19. Morty
Growth rate: 1,624 percent
Overall ranking: 363
Morty is an online mortgage comparison platform that allows consumers to compare between different mortgage offers and close them online.
20. Post Real Estate Group
Growth rate: 1,503 percent
Overall ranking: 402
Post Real Estate Group is a real estate investment company that provides investment, acquisition, development, and asset and property management services on residential and commercial properties.
21. DASH Carolina
Credit: DASH / Facebook
Growth rate: 1,422 percent
Overall ranking: 436
DASH Carolina is a residential brokerage based in Raleigh, North Carolina, that also provides title and insurance services.
22. Onicx Group
Growth rate: 1,414 percent
Overall ranking: 441
Onicx Group provides development, construction, acquisition, management and investment services to clients. The company is based in Tampa, Florida.
23. Kupperman Companies
Growth rate: 1,181 percent
Overall ranking: 527
Kupperman is a real estate development company that is based in New Orleans and specializes in redevelopment of residential and commercial properties along the Gulf Coast.
24. 5511 VENTURES
Growth rate: 1,125 percent
Overall ranking: 558
5511 VENTURES is a full-service brokerage based in Richmond, Texas, that provides both residential and commercial sales and consulting services.
25. Bluefield
Growth rate: 1,096 percent
Overall ranking: 580
This Greenville, South Carolina-based real estate firm provides brokerage, property management and insurance services throughout the state.
Correction: An earlier version of this story did not include IDEAL AGENT, which was the second-fastest growing real estate company.
Email Lillian Dickerson
As an expert in the real estate industry with a comprehensive understanding of the market dynamics and trends, I can provide valuable insights into the recent release of Inc.'s 5000 list of the fastest-growing independent companies of 2022, particularly focusing on the real estate sector.
Firstly, the evidence presented in the article highlights the remarkable growth of theLender, a Lake Forest, California-based home lending company. With a staggering revenue growth of 20,489 percent between 2018 and 2021, theLender secured the top spot in the real estate category and an impressive overall ranking of 11 on Inc.'s 5000 list. This exceptional growth is indicative of the company's strategic initiatives, market positioning, and effective business operations.
Proptech, real estate investment, and property management companies also featured prominently in the list, with notable names such as Orchard and Ribbon making significant strides. This underscores the diverse landscape within the real estate industry, encompassing technology-driven solutions, investment strategies, and property management innovations.
The ranking criteria set by Inc. adds credibility to the selection process, requiring companies to demonstrate substantial revenue growth from 2018 to 2021. Furthermore, the stipulation that companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2018, ensures that only established and thriving entities are included in the list. The focus on U.S.-based, private, for-profit, independent companies further refines the selection to showcase the growth and success of truly independent players in the real estate market.
The median growth rate of 1,952 percent and median revenue of $10.7 million for real estate companies on the list provide a benchmark for understanding the industry's overall performance. The cumulative revenue of $12.2 billion and the addition of 14,660 jobs by these companies underscore their economic impact and contribution to employment.
Examining the top 25 fastest-growing independent real estate companies, we see a diverse range of businesses, from home lending and real estate tech platforms to co-living marketplaces and real estate development firms. Notable companies include IDEAL AGENT, a full-service real estate tech platform, HqO, a workplace experience platform, and Spartan Investment Group, specializing in turnkey property purchasing and management services.
These companies showcase the dynamism and innovation within the real estate sector, adapting to market changes and leveraging opportunities for growth. Each entity in the top 25 has a unique value proposition, contributing to the overall vibrancy of the real estate industry landscape.
In conclusion, the Inc. 5000 list for 2022 provides a comprehensive snapshot of the fastest-growing independent companies, with a particular focus on the real estate sector. The evidence presented underscores the industry's diversity, innovation, and economic impact, making it a valuable resource for understanding the key players shaping the future of real estate.
