OPEN Shifts From Risk Aversion to Volume: The Right iBuying Playbook?

Core Insights - Opendoor Technologies Inc. is shifting its iBuying strategy from risk-averse practices to a higher-velocity, market-maker model focused on transaction flow and tighter margins [1][11] - The company acknowledged that excessive risk aversion negatively impacted its business, leading to a significant drop in home acquisitions in Q3 2025 [2][11] - The new strategy emphasizes rapid buying and selling of homes, leveraging AI for pricing and operations, which has already resulted in a doubled weekly acquisition pace [3][11] Financial Performance - In Q3 2025, Opendoor acquired only 1,169 homes, resulting in older inventory and weaker margins, despite revenues of $915 million exceeding guidance [2][11] - Operating expenses are structurally lower than the previous year, allowing for increased transaction volumes without a proportional rise in fixed costs [4][11] - The forward price-to-sales (P/S) multiple for Opendoor is 1.06, significantly below the industry average of 4.75 [13] Market Positioning - Opendoor's pivot contrasts with competitors like Zillow Group, which exited the iBuying space due to risks associated with home price forecasting [6][7] - Offerpad Solutions continues to operate an iBuying model but at a smaller scale, while Opendoor aims to create a market-making flywheel that smaller competitors may find difficult to replicate [8] Stock Performance and Estimates - Opendoor's stock has increased by 289% over the past year, compared to the industry's growth of 5.1% [9] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Opendoor's 2026 earnings indicates a year-over-year growth of 41.3%, with earnings per share estimates having increased in the past 60 days [14]