Hobson Realtors

What Hobson Realtors does

Hobson Realtors is a family-owned residential real estate brokerage headquartered at 5384 Poplar Avenue, Suite 250, Memphis, Tennessee. Founded in 1972 by Jane and Joel Hobson Jr. and currently owned by Joel Hobson III and Jennifer Hobson, the firm operates as a single-office independent brokerage serving home buyers and sellers across the Memphis metropolitan area — specifically Downtown, Midtown, East Memphis, Germantown, Collierville, Bartlett, and Lakeland/Arlington. The firm employs roughly 25+ agents (11–50 total employees) with an average agent tenure of 16 years, and reports approximately $275 million in annual transaction (sales) volume, positioning it among the larger independent residential brokerages in the Memphis metro. Industry credentials include membership in the National Association of Realtors (NAR), Memphis Area Association of Realtors (MAAR), and local chambers, plus a LuxuryRealEstate.com network affiliation that extends exposure for higher-priced listings.

The brokerage's technology stack is conventional and non-proprietary: its public site runs on OrchardCore/CMS with listing search, agent profile pages, and standard CRM/portal integrations typical of small independent brokerages. There is no evidence of proprietary technology, AI/ML capability, or differentiated digital channels — the firm competes on local market knowledge and agent relationships rather than on platform IP. The business model is commission-based and purely transactional — revenue equals the brokerage's share of commissions earned on closed transactions (typically a small single-digit-percentage split of GCI), with no recurring, subscription, or contracted revenue. Pricing is set by the market (cooperative commission offers to buyer-side brokerages), go-to-market is local relationships, agent networks, and MLS/association referrals, and customer concentration is the long tail of individual home sellers and buyers transacting across the Memphis metro.

Name

Hobson Realtors

Legal name

Hobson Realtors

Website

https://hobsonrealtors.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Family-owned Memphis residential real estate brokerage founded in 1972, serving home buyers and sellers across the Memphis metro through approximately 25 agents in a single Poplar Avenue office and generating around $275M in annual sales volume.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Real Estate Brokerage

NAICS

Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (53121)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro primary industry

Seller Representation & Listing Services (BPAJAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Buyer Representation Services (BPAJAAAJ)

Keywords

• Residential real estate brokerage
• Home buying services
• Home selling services
• Luxury home representation
• Property listing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Memphis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Real Estate Commissions: The company earns revenue through traditional real estate commissions on residential property transactions. Agents represent buyers and sellers in the Memphis area, earning commission upon successful closings. The company operates a team atmosphere where agents support each other rather than compete.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Hobson Realtors is a family-owned residential real estate brokerage that represents buyers and sellers in property transactions across the Memphis, Tennessee metropolitan area. The company lists homes on its own website and MLS, and its agents provide pricing guidance, marketing, negotiations, and transaction management. Agents collectively sell over $275 million in residential real estate annually.

Product overview

Hobson Realtors is a residential real estate brokerage operating in the Memphis, Tennessee metropolitan area. The company offers traditional real estate services including residential property listings, buyer representation, and property sales across various Memphis neighborhoods and suburbs such as Downtown, Midtown, East Memphis, Germantown, Collierville, Bartlett, and Lakeland/Arlington. The firm was founded in 1972 and is owned/managed by Joel Hobson III. Hobson agents sell over $275 million annually and average over 16 years of residential real estate experience. The company facilitates property transactions through a network of individual agents rather than a technology product platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Buyer Representation Licensed agent representation for individuals and families purchasing residential properties across the Memphis metropolitan area, including property search, showings, pricing guidance, negotiations, and transaction support through closing.
• Residential Seller Representation Licensed agent representation for homeowners selling residential properties in the Memphis area, including pricing strategy, marketing, listing placement, negotiations, and transaction management through closing.
• Residential Property Listings Online property listing search across the Memphis metro area with advanced filters for beds, baths, price, square footage, year built, acreage, pool, neighborhood, days on market, and other property features.
• Open House Listings Curated open house schedule for residential properties in the Memphis area, viewable through the company website.
• Advanced Property Search Detailed online search tool allowing users to filter Memphis-area residential properties by neighborhood, price range, square footage, year built, acreage, pool type, days on market, parking, and property features.

Quantifiable outcome

• $275 million in annual sales volume

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• LuxuryRealEstate.comminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHobson Realtors listings appear on the LuxuryRealEstate.com platform, which is a marketplace for luxury real estate properties. This partnership provides exposure to high-net-worth buyers searching for premium properties in the Memphis area.
• National Association of REALTORS (NAR)coreOthersHobson agents are members of the National Association of REALTORS, adhering to the organization's code of ethics and access to MLS listing services.
• Memphis Area Association of REALTORS (MAAR)coreOthersLocal industry association providing MLS access, professional standards, and networking opportunities for Memphis-area real estate professionals.
• Greater Memphis Chamber (GMC)minorOthersLocal chamber of commerce membership providing networking and business community engagement.
• Germantown Area Chamber of Commerce (GACC)minorOthersLocal chamber of commerce membership serving the Germantown business community.
• Collierville Chamber of CommerceminorOthersLocal chamber of commerce membership serving the Collierville business community.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Broad incumbents

• Realty ONE Group: National residential brokerage franchise expanding aggressively in the Southeast, including Tennessee. Comparable in providing residential representation services, but positioned as a 100%-commission model franchise rather than a family-owned boutique, creating competitive pressure on agent recruitment.
• RE/MAX: Globally recognized residential real estate franchise with multiple Memphis-area offices. Directly overlapping with Hobsons in residential buyer/seller representation, but operates as a franchise network with national brand power rather than a single-family-owned local firm.
• Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices: National residential brokerage franchise with Memphis-area offices competing for mid-to-upper-tier residential transactions. Comparable in buyer/seller representation services but offers the backing of a globally recognized parent brand versus Hobsons' independent family-run identity.
• Coldwell Banker: National residential brokerage brand with Memphis-area affiliate offices serving the same buyer and seller segments. Comparable in service offering (residential representation) but materially larger in scale, brand recognition, and marketing infrastructure.
• Keller Williams Realty: The largest residential real estate franchise by agent count in the U.S., with significant Memphis-area presence. Comparable as a broad competitor offering similar agent-driven residential brokerage services, but operating at national scale with structured agent-centric models rather than a family-office boutique approach.

Emerging players

• Compass: Tech-forward national residential brokerage that has been actively recruiting agents and expanding into Memphis. Comparable in targeting upscale residential listings, but differentiates through proprietary technology, agent equity programs, and aggressive marketing spend that an indie firm like Hobsons cannot match.
• eXp Realty: Cloud-based residential brokerage operating on a revenue-share model with a growing Memphis-area agent roster. Comparable in providing traditional buyer/seller representation, but with a fundamentally different cost structure (no brick-and-mortar offices, agent-centric equity) that pressures traditional independents on agent recruitment and retention.

Direct peers

• Sotheby's International Realty: Luxury-focused residential brokerage network with affiliates in Memphis competing for the same high-end listings Hobsons targets. Closely comparable in client profile (luxury buyers and sellers), pricing tier, and emphasis on prestige branding — only differentiated by national vs. local family ownership.
• Marx-Bensdorf, REALTORS: Long-standing independent Memphis residential brokerage founded in 1912, comparable in being a family-rooted, locally owned competitor focused on the same prestigious Memphis neighborhoods (East Memphis, Midtown, Germantown). Direct head-to-head peer given shared heritage-style ownership model, luxury positioning, and Memphis-only footprint.
• Crye-Leike Real Estate Services: Memphis-headquartered residential brokerage that is the largest independent regional competitor in the Memphis MSA. Directly comparable because it operates the same commission-based model, services the same affluent Memphis submarkets, and competes head-to-head for listings and buyers at similar price points.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hobson Realtors