Real-time coverage and AI-synthesized updates on real estate stories.
The high-producing Hamptons real estate team led by Julie Pinkwater and Will Metzger has officially moved to SERHANT., bringing $160 million in career sales to the rapidly expanding brokerage.
The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to about 3.9%, pushing borrowing costs higher as average 30-year fixed mortgages hover above 7%.
Facing heavyweights like D.R. Horton and Lennar, 77-year-old private builder HistoryMaker Homes pivoted from low-cost competition to customer-obsessed technology and product differentiation.
The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate reached 7.07% on September 10, 2026, driven by rising bond yields, geopolitical pressures, and oil price surges.
Existing-home sales decreased in August 2026, falling 2.0% month-over-month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.98 million units, marking the first time sales dipped below 4 million since June 2025.
Demand for adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) has reached its highest share since June, as the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage climbs to its highest level since June 2025.
Two California Senate bills, SB 958 and SB 344, have passed the state Legislature and await Governor Gavin Newsom's signature, potentially streamlining housing development by reducing California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) challenges.
Mortgage company Rate has expanded its Midwest operations by hiring experienced mortgage producers Vito Roppo and Nick Ferrante and opening a new branch in Elmhurst, Illinois. This move strengthens Rate's presence in the Chicago western suburbs and is part of its broader profit-and-loss platform expansion.
Ginnie Mae President Joe Gormley outlined a renewed focus on improving loan-level data quality and standardized submissions for mortgage-backed securities, aiming to streamline operations and enhance market liquidity. This initiative is part of a multi-year modernization effort by the agency.
FSBO.com has rolled out PACT, a new digital platform designed to streamline the traditionally paper-heavy process of home purchase agreements and negotiations. This beta launch aims to reduce friction and costs associated with residential real estate transactions.
A new Redfin report reveals homes in highly rated school zones nationwide carry a 35% price premium, but this premium differs dramatically across U.S. metro areas. Families need significantly higher incomes to afford these desirable properties.
The U.S. housing market saw new listings reach a four-month high in August 2026, while buyer demand simultaneously slipped, according to Redfin.
Heightened U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity is severely impacting the residential construction sector, exacerbating a pre-existing labor shortage and leading to significant project delays and escalating costs nationwide.
U.S. new home listings have reached a four-year high, providing prospective buyers with more options and increasing negotiating power, according to a recent Redfin report. This increase comes as elevated mortgage rates continue to dampen buyer demand.
The Social Security Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund is projected to run out by the fourth quarter of 2032, triggering an automatic 22% cut to retirement and survivor benefits without congressional action. This accelerated timeline is intensifying calls for reform ahead of the midterm elections.
Fresno-based Tafoya Real Estate, a top-ranked California team, has joined eXp Realty with approximately 37 agents, marking a significant expansion for eXp in the Central Valley and a strategic blend of its cloud-first model with a physical hub.
Douglas Elliman has appointed Jamie Gagliano as Chief Operations Officer for brokerage, effective September 1, 2026, marking a strategic move to integrate its new AI platform, Elius, into national operations. Gagliano's return aims to streamline agent support and drive significant operational efficiencies across the firm.
Real estate brokerages are facing significant challenges in retaining experienced agents, with a median tenure of just six years. Industry experts point to systemic failures in agent development and follow-up as key drivers of agent churn.
Better Home & Finance (NASDAQ: BETR) adopted a 'poison pill' shareholder rights plan on August 20, 2026, to counter founder Vishal Garg's attempt to regain control and remove current directors. This defensive move could significantly dilute any investor acquiring 15% or more of the company's stock.
Nationwide, 14% of U.S. home-sale agreements fell through in July 2026, marking the highest rate since November 2023 and signaling a significant shift in buyer power. Elevated mortgage rates and high home prices are driving buyer caution, especially in previously hot southern markets.
CrossCountry Mortgage has secured final regulatory approval for its acquisition of Two Harbors Investment Corp. (TWO), ending a months-long bidding war. The all-cash transaction, valued at $12.00 per share, is set to close on August 25, 2026, significantly expanding CCM's mortgage servicing rights portfolio.
A federal judge has allowed critical kickback and fee-splitting claims against Veterans United Home Loans to proceed, despite dismissing other charges as time-barred. The lawsuit alleges an illegal steering operation and misleading branding impacting veteran borrowers.
The Real Brokerage Inc. has received final court approval from British Columbia for its $880 million acquisition of RE/MAX Holdings, Inc., paving the way for the creation of Real REMAX Group. This merger will form a global real estate powerhouse with over 180,000 agents worldwide.
loanDepot, Inc. received a deficiency notice from the NYSE because its Class A common stock traded below $1 for 30 consecutive days, signaling financial challenges for the nonbank lender. This notice triggers a plan to regain compliance but does not immediately affect trading.
