
Opendoor and Better may share the housing spotlight, but theyβre playing very different games. Opendoor is betting on speedβbuying and flipping homes at scaleβwhile Better is rebuilding the mortgage industry with AI. Hedge fund star Eric Jackson just shifted his spotlight from Opendoor to Better, and the market reacted instantly: $OPEN ( β² 6.9% ) plunged while $BETR ( β² 4.95% ) soared. This battle isnβt just about two companiesβitβs about the future of how homes are bought, sold, and financed. Investors who understand where the narrative goes next could capture the biggest rewards.

Letβs embark on this transformative journey together and position your portfolio for success in this evolving market landscape!
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ππThe Housing Disruption Playbook: Opendoorβs Reckoning and Betterβs Bold AI Bet
When the Market Changes Its Mind
Markets thrive on confidence, and confidence can turn faster than most realize.
Opendoor Technologies was the poster child of this yearβs meme-driven rallies. At one point, the stock had climbed over 2,000% in just three monthsβa gain so dramatic it drew comparisons to Carvanaβs legendary rebound after dodging bankruptcy. That rally wasnβt fueled by earnings beats or operational breakthroughs; it was powered by the belief that disruption in real estate could mirror disruption in used cars.
But rallies like that are fragile. Last week, the oxygen was pulled from the fire when Eric Jackson, head of EMJ Capital and the hedge fund manager widely credited with fueling Opendoorβs rise, shifted his spotlight. In a series of posts, he named Better Home & Finance (NASDAQ: BETR) as his βnext 100-bagger.β That simple pivot triggered an immediate rotation of capital.
Opendoor dropped nearly 11% in a single morning, while Betterβs stock surged more than 27% at the same time. That contrast matters: it wasnβt just a down day for Opendoorβit was proof that this market is still hypersensitive to narrative leadership. In cycles like this, where attention flows, capital follows.
Different Games, Same Market
At first glance, Opendoor and Better might look like competitors. Both sit in the housing sector. Both attract speculative money. But peel back the layers, and youβll see theyβre playing entirely different games.
Opendoorβs Playbook
Core model: instant homebuying and resellingβbringing liquidity to an illiquid market.
Expansion: recently scaled from 50 local markets to all 50 U.S. states, a milestone for reach.
Challenge: Profitability. Housing flipping at scale is capital-intensive, cyclical, and highly sensitive to interest rates and housing supply. Even falling mortgage ratesβnormally a tailwindβdonβt guarantee sustained margins.
Betterβs Playbook
Core model: mortgage lending, refinancing, and brokerage, with a focus on AI automation to streamline underwriting and approvals.
Market opportunity: mortgages are a $15 trillion industry with legacy inefficiencies.
Vision: become the βShopify of mortgagesββinfrastructure that powers both consumers (direct-to-consumer lending) and institutions (AI-driven solutions like βTinman AIβ).
Think about it this way: Opendoor is chasing transaction velocity, while Better is trying to rebuild the pipes of the mortgage industry. One monetizes individual deals; the other aims to monetize the infrastructure that enables those deals. In the long run, infrastructure often carries higher scalability.
The Jackson Catalyst
Eric Jackson is more than just a hedge fund manager in this storyβheβs the accelerant. His track record is why his words move markets. His bullish call on Carvana in 2023 turned into a case study of how a distressed company could become a generational trade. His push behind Opendoor this summer echoed that same energy.
Now with Better, Jackson isnβt being conservative. Heβs put out numbers that almost sound impossible until you remember his playbook:
Price target: $626 per share, an 1,100%+ upside from ~$50 levels.
Vision: a β350-baggerβ within two years.
Thesis: Better is undervalued compared to peers like Figure Technologies (FIGR), which IPOβd at 19Γ forward sales, versus Better at just 1Γ forward sales.
His analogy matters: βThey laughed at CVNA at $3.50 and OPEN at 51Β’. They laugh at BETR now at $34.β Heβs positioning BETR as the next misunderstood disruptor.
The market reaction validated him. In just two sessions after his call, BETR surged 120%, building on a 680% year-to-date run. For context, its market cap is still only $500 millionβtiny relative to its target industry. That small base gives believers a sense that the runway is massive.
For Opendoor, the effect was the opposite: heavy selling pressure, compounded by a filing showing that a major investor offloaded 11 million shares. When Jackson shifted, so did the crowd.
Beyond the Hype: Whatβs Real, Whatβs Risk
Itβs easy to get swept into the headlines. But the smart play is to ask: whatβs beneath the noise?
Opendoor β Whatβs Working
Expanded coverage to all U.S. states.
New CEO Kaz Nejatian is actively repositioning the company, using social media to signal speed and adaptability.
Lower mortgage rates provide some tailwinds for transaction volume.
Opendoor β Whatβs Not Working
Business model is still structurally unprofitable.
Rallies tied to meme-stock energy donβt fix balance sheets.
Without proof of consistent profitability, its long-term thesis is still in question.
Better β Whatβs Working
AI focus (Tinman AI) has disruptive potential in underwriting and mortgage approvals.
Direct-to-consumer lending revenue could rebound to $6B annually, even at lower rates, if it re-engages past customers.
Valuation looks deeply discounted relative to growth peers.
Better β Whatβs Not Working
Execution risk: translating AI into real, scalable revenue is unproven.
Still in early innings of mainstream awarenessβhasnβt yet captured the βmeme stockβ forum buzz Opendoor enjoyed.
Small-cap volatility: a $500M company can double or halve quickly.
And then thereβs the wild card: synergy. Jackson floated the idea that Opendoorβs sellers could be offered βone-click mortgage approvalsβ powered by Better. If that partnership were to happen, it would change the calculus entirely. Instead of choosing between them, investors could be looking at a housing-tech ecosystem play.
The Investorβs Dilemma
Hereβs what matters for you, the busy investor trying to cut through the noise:
Momentum vs. Fundamentals. Opendoorβs rally showed how quickly hype can drive gains. But when that hype shifts, losses can be just as brutal. Better is now in the hype spotlight, but fundamentals will eventually dictate staying power.
Disruption vs. Cyclicality. Opendoor lives and dies by housing market cycles. Betterβs AI infrastructure bet aims to transcend cycles by embedding itself in the process.
Risk vs. Reward. Both are speculative. Both can deliver multiples. But both can collapse if narratives break.
The deeper takeaway? The housing sector is undergoing a rare dual disruption: transaction liquidity (Opendoor) and mortgage infrastructure (Better). Both tap into trillion-dollar opportunities. Both ride the tailwind of falling mortgage rates. And both are being amplified by a narrative architect in Jackson who understands the psychology of markets as much as the fundamentals.
For you, this isnβt about chasing every spike. Itβs about recognizing how attention and capital flow together. The play isnβt just to ask which stock wins. Itβs to understand how the story drives the tradeβand to position yourself accordingly.
Because in markets like this, wealth doesnβt just come from holding the right asset. It comes from recognizing the story behind it, and knowing when that story changes.
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TOP MARKET NEWS
Top Market News - September 24, 2025
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24/7 Wall St. highlights three dividend ETFs ideal for generating a steady passive income stream in retirement, focusing on high-yield and stable funds to support long-term financial security.
Tip: Incorporate high-yield dividend ETFs into your retirement portfolio for consistent income, but assess their expense ratios and risk profiles.
Samsung Boosts Chip Market
The Chosun Ilbo reports Samsung Electronics expects a significant boost in the chip market, driven by AI demand and a recovering semiconductor industry, positioning it for growth in 2025.
Tip: Consider semiconductor stocks like Samsung for exposure to AI-driven growth, but monitor market cycles and geopolitical risks.
Micronβs AI-Driven Forecast
Yahoo Finance notes Micron Technologyβs strong forecast, fueled by robust demand for AI-related chips, signaling optimism for the semiconductor sectorβs growth in 2025.
Tip: Explore investments in AI-focused semiconductor companies like Micron, but diversify to mitigate sector-specific volatility.
Warren Buffettβs Crash Advice
Investopedia shares Warren Buffettβs guidance on navigating stock market crashes, emphasizing staying calm, avoiding panic selling, and focusing on long-term value investing.
Tip: During market downturns, stick to a disciplined investment strategy and focus on fundamentally strong companies to weather volatility.
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