Last week, BAM published an article breaking down the viral LinkedIn post from Caitlin O. Bigelow. In her post, Bigelow detailed how Compass’s Private Exclusive program almost cost her $100K. A canceled first offer gave her and her husband the chance to list publicly, and walk away with way more money.
Byron Lazine and Tom Toole revisited Bigelow’s story on Friday’s Knowledge Brokers Podcast, and unpacked how deals like this can go sideways and what agents (at any brokerage) should be watching for.
The clip went up on Instagram. The comments rolled in. And things got loud.
The Comments Section Took Over
When BAM posted the Knowledge Brokers clip to Instagram, reactions quickly poured in, and not all of them were positive.
Some asked why BAM even covered the story.
Others worried it put Compass agents in the hot seat.
Bigelow, the author of the original LinkedIn post, weighed in.
A few agents came in hot with defense mode. A few clapped back. But most are watching, reading, and weighing in, because this is a real conversation happening in the field right now.
And that’s the point.
When six figures is on the line, these aren’t just hypotheticals. They’re the kinds of lessons that make every agent better—if you’re willing to listen.
Here’s the post:
And a broad sampling of comments:
Why even talk about this?
Let’s be crystal clear about BAM’s intentions:
- This is not about bashing Compass, its CEO, or its agents.
- It’s about telling a real story from a seller’s perspective, one that offers important takeaways for all agents, regardless of brokerage.
The fact is, in a competitive market, exposing a home to as many buyers as possible remains the surest path to maximizing a seller’s final price. While Compass’s 3-Phase Marketing System is designed with flexibility in mind, this particular case shows how an early offer, especially without competing interest, can feel like a win. Until it suddenly doesn’t.
As Byron pointed out, “Compass agents will need to be very careful” about how they walk their sellers through this process, making sure they fully understand both the upside and the risks of starting with a Private Exclusive before rushing into an early offer.
The sellers’ perspective matters. And when a process nearly costs them six figures, it’s a story worth covering.
BAM’s comment section is where the industry conversation is happening.
