Company: HOUS
Filing Date: 2025-02-25
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0001398987-25-000020
Chunk: 102

Company: Anywhere Real Estate Inc.
Filing Date: 2025-02-25
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1A
Chunk 102
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 the Sotheby's International Realty® and Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate brands are terminable by the respective licensor prior to the end of the license term if certain conditions occur and the loss of either of these licenses could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

Other Business Risks

Our goodwill and other long-lived assets are subject to potential impairment which could negatively impact our earnings.

A significant portion of our assets consists of goodwill and other long-lived assets, the carrying value of which may be reduced if we determine that those assets are impaired. If actual results differ from the assumptions and estimates used in the goodwill and long-lived asset valuation calculations (due to the risks reflected in this Annual Report or otherwise), we could incur impairment charges in the past (including as related to management's estimates with respect to the potential impact of the ongoing housing market downturn on our business), which would negatively impact our earnings. We have recognized significant non-cash impairment charges and we may be required to take additional such charges in the future, which may be material.

We could be subject to significant losses if banks do not honor our escrow and trust deposits.

Our company owned brokerage business and our title, escrow and settlement services business act as escrow agents for numerous customers. As an escrow agent, we receive money from customers to hold until certain conditions are satisfied. Upon the satisfaction of those conditions, we release the money to the appropriate party. We deposit this money with various banks and while these deposits are not assets of the Company (and therefore excluded from our consolidated balance sheet), we remain contingently liable for the disposition of these deposits. These escrow and trust deposits totaled $518 million at December 31, 2024. The banks may hold a significant amount of these deposits in excess of the federal deposit insurance limit. If any of our depository banks were to become unable to honor any portion of our deposits, customers could seek to hold us responsible for such amounts and, if the customers prevailed in their claims, we could be subject to significant losses.

Changes in accounting standards, subjective assumptions and estimates used by management related to complex accounting matters could have an adverse effect on results of operations.

Generally accepted accounting principles in the United States and related accounting pronouncements, implementation guidance and interpretations with regard to a wide range of matters, such as revenue recognition, lease accounting, stock-based compensation, asset impairments, valuation reserves, income taxes and fair value accounting, are highly complex and involve many subjective assumptions, estimates and judgments made by management.