Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
The information in this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and the related notes set forth in Item 1 of Part I of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, our MD&A set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, and our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K. See Part II, Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” below, and “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information,” above, and the information referenced therein, for a description of risks that we face and important factors that we believe could cause actual results to differ materially from those in our Forward-Looking Statements. All statements herein regarding the likely impact of COVID-19 and other potential risks constitute Forward-Looking Statements. When we cross-reference to a “Note,” we are referring to our “Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements,” unless the context indicates otherwise. All amounts noted within the tables are in thousands except per share amounts or where otherwise noted and percentages are approximate due to rounding.
Overview
Fathom is a national, technology-driven, end to end real estate services company integrating residential brokerage, mortgage, title, insurance and SaaS offerings for brokers and agents. Our primary operation, Fathom Realty (as defined below), operates as a real estate brokerage company, working with real estate agents to help individuals purchase and sell residential and commercial properties, primarily in the South, Atlantic, Southwest, and Western parts of the United States, with the intention of expanding into all states.
Fathom Realty Holdings, LLC, a Texas limited liability company (“Fathom Realty”), is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fathom Holdings Inc. that was formed on April 11, 2011 and is headquartered in Cary, North Carolina. Fathom Realty owns 100% of 34 subsidiaries, each an LLC representing the state in which the entity operates (e.g., Fathom Realty NJ, LLC).
In March 2021, the Company completed its acquisitions of Red Barn Real Estate, LLC (“Red Barn”) and Naberly Inc. (“Naberly”). The acquisition of Red Barn, a real estate brokerage business, will help us to expand our reach in the Atlanta region real estate market. We believe the acquisition of Naberly will help to expand and further develop our proprietary intelliAgent platform and improve operational efficiency.
In April 2021, the Company completed its acquisitions of E4:9 Holdings, Inc. (“E4:9) and LiveBy, Inc. (“LiveBy”). The acquisition of E4:9 is part of our vision to build a vertically integrated, end-to-end real estate operation by offering mortgage and insurance services to our agents in serving our customers. We believe the acquisition of LiveBy and its hyperlocal data and technology platform builds credibility for our real estate agents in their respective geographic areas by showcasing their local expertise and helping customers discover the best locations in which to live.
In June 2021, the Company completed its acquisition of Epic Realty (“Epic”). The acquisition of Epic, a real estate brokerage business, will help us to expand our reach in the Idaho real estate market.
COVID-19
Our business is dependent on the economic conditions within the markets in which we operate. Changes in these conditions can have a positive or negative impact on our business. The economic conditions influencing the housing markets primarily include economic growth, interest rates, unemployment, consumer confidence, mortgage availability, and supply and demand.
In periods of economic growth, demand typically increases resulting in increasing home sales transactions and home sales prices. Similarly, a decline in economic growth, increasing interest rates and declining consumer confidence generally decreases demand. Additionally, regulations imposed by local, state, and federal government agencies, and geopolitical instability, can also negatively impact the housing markets in which we operate.
In December 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19, was identified in Wuhan, China. This new coronavirus has caused a global health emergency and was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020 (“COVID-19’’ or the “Pandemic”). In an effort to contain and slow the spread of COVID-19, governments implemented various measures, such as, ordering non-essential businesses to close, issuing travel advisories, cancelling large scale public events, ordering residents to shelter in place, and requiring the public to practice social distancing. In most states, real estate has been considered an essential business.