Agent Shakeups: What Century 21’s New CEO Means for Sellers and Buyers

Agent Shakeups: What Century 21’s New CEO Means for Sellers and Buyers

Leadership changes at big brokerages spike a familiar fear: will my agent still have the same priorities, tools and incentives after the dust settles? If you’re preparing to sell or actively shopping for a home in 2026, the appointment of Kim Harris Campbell as CEO of Century 21 New Millennium matters — not just at the corporate level, but in how local agents market homes, allocate time, and negotiate on your behalf.

Top-line: what changed — fast

Effective immediately in late 2025, Kim Harris Campbell — a former Compass executive — stepped into the CEO role at Century 21 New Millennium and NM Real Estate Services. Founder Todd Hetherington moved to a newly created chairman role and remains on a strategic board alongside Mary Lynn Stone and leaders backed by Peerage Realty Partners.

“I’ve been incredibly fortunate to build this company alongside exceptional agents and leaders. While my role is changing, my commitment to NM and its people is not.” — Todd Hetherington (company release)

That press release line is comforting — but it’s the operational moves that change day-to-day outcomes for sellers and buyers. Below I break down real effects, how to spot them locally, and — most importantly — what to ask your agent now so your transaction stays on track.

Why a CEO swap ripples into neighbourhood-level outcomes

Brokerage leaders drive strategy: they set technology priorities, commission models, marketing budgets, training programs, and partnerships (mortgage, title, iBuyer, data vendor security). When a brokerage brings in an executive with strong tech and scaling experience — as Century 21 New Millennium did by hiring a former Compass executive — expect shifts in three immediate areas that matter to clients:

1. Agent behavior and incentives: New performance KPIs, lead routing and lead-capture and team structures can change which agents get the most corporate support and leads.
2. Marketing and listing strategy: A new CEO focused on digital growth usually reallocates budget toward targeted digital ads, video production, and AI-driven valuation tools.
3. Seller and buyer experience: Technology changes (client portals, CRM upgrades, exclusive buyer lists) alter timelines, communication cadence and expectations at open houses and showings.

Agent behavior: what shifts look like locally

At the agent level, leadership changes often trigger one or more of the following:

• Training refreshes: New playbooks and scripts — sellers should expect to see new listing presentations or marketing one-pagers.
• Lead reallocation: Centralized lead systems may favor agents who adopt new real-time ingestion tools or sales behaviors. That can help productive agents and disadvantage slower adopters.
• Team consolidation: Brokerages may encourage small teams to merge or standardize commission splits to scale service models efficiently.
• Recruiting and turnover: New leadership often recruits top producers or prompts others to leave — watch open houses for new faces or sudden agent changes on long-running listings.

Marketing strategy: what you’ll actually see on listings

Expect a stronger push toward personalized, measurable marketing:

• AI-enhanced valuation and targeting: Listings may come with AI-driven “competitive market snapshots” and targeted social ads to verified buyer segments.
• Video-first content: Short-form video tours, agent-hosted livestreams and more professionally produced walkthroughs become standard for higher-tier listings — paired with portable capture tools and field workflows like the NovaStream Clip used by many boutique shops.
• Data dashboards: Sellers gain access to portal metrics (views, ad spend, buyer demographics) as brokerages lean into transparent ROI reporting and edge-assisted collaboration for cross-market teams.
• Paid distribution: Budgets shift from print and local MLS blasts to paid search, programmatic ads and sponsored social campaigns tied to conversion tracking.

Seller experience and selling process: faster, more metrics-driven — but not always better

A tech-forward CEO can shorten time-to-offer through better targeting. But there’s a tradeoff: human touch and local market nuance risk being deprioritized if agents are measured primarily on lead conversion numbers.

For sellers, that means:

• A sharper emphasis on staging and photography to maximize ad performance.
• More conditional pricing strategies — e.g., test-price periods with mid-campaign price adjustments informed by early analytics.
• A possible increase in co-marketing fees or add-on services (video, 3D tours) that you’ll be pitched as “recommended” rather than optional.

Buyers: what to expect when brokerages reorganize

Buyers may see more off-market inventory and curated buyer lists as brokerages provide agents with centralized buyer matching tools. But beware:

• Access inequality: Agents with top-tier brokerage support or in-house buyer programs may receive priority access to exclusive lists.
• Pressure tactics: With conversion-focused KPIs, some agents may push offers quickly to hit metrics rather than managing negotiation strategy tailored to your goals.
• New financing pathways: Partnerships with lenders or title companies can streamline closings — but they can also create referral incentives that affect loan recommendations.

2026 trends shaping brokerage decisions (context for clients)

To understand why Century 21’s leadership choice matters, read it alongside 2026 industry trends. In late 2025 and early 2026 we’ve seen:

• Consolidation continues — regional brokerages and private equity-backed groups doubled down on scale to negotiate technology and marketing discounts.
• AI moves from pilot to production — automated valuation models, ad targeting and personalization are widely used, not just tested. Still, remember why AI shouldn’t own your strategy entirely.
• iBuyer and hybrid models stabilize — partnerships or referral pipelines between brokerages and iBuyers are common in select markets.
• Disclosure and compliance pressure — increased scrutiny around climate risk and property condition disclosures means brokerages invest more in legal and training resources. Prepare for stronger operational controls and audit trails.
• Fee transparency expectations rise — sellers demand clear ROI for add-on marketing spend; brokerages respond with performance reporting.

How to tell if leadership change is meaningful — indicators to watch

Not every executive swap drives dramatic operational change. Watch for these concrete indicators that real shifts are underway:

• Publicized tech rollouts — agent portal upgrades, new CRM tools, or AI valuations announced and adopted across markets.
• Policy changes — new standard listing agreements, cancellation clauses, or revised commission splits.
• New recruiting waves — multiple high-profile hires or mass agent onboarding events.
• Marketing overhaul — a clear brand refresh or change in listing presentation templates and digital ad creative.
• Agent training blitz — scheduled webinars, certifications or new scripts required to access leads.

Action plan: what sellers and buyers should ask their agent now

Whether your agent works with Century 21 New Millennium or another franchise, these questions will reveal whether changes at the top affect your transaction — and how to protect your interests.

Questions every seller should ask

• What has changed (or will change) in your brokerage’s marketing and pricing playbook since the leadership update? Look for specifics: ad budget, channels, timeline, and KPIs the agent will track.
• Can I see a written marketing plan and sample reporting? Ask for campaign timelines, ad spend estimates and weekly metrics (views, leads, cost-per-lead).
• Who will manage the listing day-to-day? Confirm whether the agent, an assistant, or team members will handle showings, negotiations and vendor coordination.
• Are there new fees or mandatory add-ons? Clarify costs for video, 3D tours, paid ads, or premium MLS placements and whether they’re negotiable.
• What happens if I’m unsatisfied? Request a short termination or performance clause in the listing agreement (e.g., 30-day exit with defined notice).
• How will pricing be set and adjusted? Ask about data sources (local comps, AI models, buyer demand signals) and how quickly they adapt pricing.

Questions every buyer should ask

• How do you receive and prioritize leads from your brokerage? This reveals whether your agent gets the same access to leads or is deprioritized.
• Do you have access to exclusive or off-market inventory through the brokerage? And what are the rules around sharing those opportunities with clients?
• Can I see your recent buyer-side deals? Ask for case studies showing negotiation results and closing timelines.
• Are there any referral or lender incentives from the brokerage? Confirm how those relationships might affect recommendations and whether disclosures are provided.
• How will you communicate changes that come from corporate policy? Expect a clear weekly update schedule and transparency about how policy changes impact your offer strategy.

FSBO and limited-service seller questions

• If I use a limited-service option, what are the exact deliverables? Get a written list of what’s included: MLS placement, contract support, open house hosting, negotiation assistance.
• How will pricing and offers be handled? Understand who answers buyer questions and who negotiates — and whether you’ll have a neutral closing coordinator.
• What legal protections do you provide? Ensure compliance with local disclosure requirements and ask if you’ll have access to a transaction attorney or escrow partner. Also check whether the brokerage has an incident response plan for document compromise and cloud outages that could affect your contract documents.

Red flags that mean it may be time to consider a different agent

• Vague answers about what changed — if an agent can’t describe how new tools or policies affect you, that’s a warning sign.
• Resistance to including performance metrics in writing — transparency is a hallmark of professional brokerages in 2026.
• Unexplained fees or mandatory marketing add-ons without ROI estimates.
• Rapid agent turnover on your listing — frequent changes in the agent of record often signal internal disruption.

Example scenario: a seller working with Century 21 New Millennium

Marissa, a seller in a mid-sized Sunbelt market, signed a listing with a long-time Century 21 agent just before the CEO change. After leadership shifted, the agent received new marketing templates and an offer to join a team that gets first access to the brokerage’s paid ad budget.

What Marissa did right:

• She requested a written marketing plan with a clear weekly reporting cadence.
• She negotiated a 45-day performance clause allowing a listing cancellation with notice if metrics didn’t meet minimum thresholds.
• She asked the agent to disclose whether the agent would still lead showings or whether a team member would step in.

Result: Marissa’s listing received higher-quality ad spend and a clear performance dashboard within two weeks — and she retained the option to split marketing decisions if results lagged.

Advanced strategies sellers can use to benefit from brokerage shifts

If a brokerage is doubling down on marketing investment and data tools, sellers can negotiate to capture upside:

• Request a performance-based marketing guarantee — a capped ad spend with agreed KPIs and an option to transfer unused budget to another agent if targets aren’t met.
• Ask for A/B testing — run two listing creatives or price points for a limited test period and commit to the better-performing strategy.
• Insist on data access — get direct access to the campaign dashboard or weekly screenshots so you see metrics without interpretation bias.
• Lock in team commitments — if your agent moves to a team, add a clause requiring the original agent to remain involved or for you to approve the replacement.

Final takeaways: how to protect your sale or purchase in 2026

• Leadership changes are business opportunities and risks — they often bring better tools but also short-term churn.
• Demand transparency — written marketing plans, reporting cadence and clear fee disclosures should be non-negotiable.
• Ask practical, specific questions — about lead routing, marketing budgets, agent support and performance clauses.
• Use the shift to negotiate — request guarantees, A/B testing or transfer clauses to hold the brokerage accountable.
• Watch local signals — agent turnover, new listing creatives and sudden training programs show where the brokerage is investing.

What to do next

If you’re preparing to sell or buy in 2026 and your agent is with Century 21 New Millennium or any brokerage that’s recently reorganized, don’t wait. Book a 30-minute call with your agent this week and use the checklist above. Get the new marketing plan in writing and ask for the specific metrics that will determine success.

Call to action: If you want a ready-made, printable checklist tailored to sellers or buyers that includes the exact questions above and sample contract language for performance clauses, request our free guide. Protect your timeline and price — and make leadership changes work for you, not against you.

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