RIS Media Real Estate News

With a new year around the corner, the real estate industry is preparing for an influx of new homes entering the market, or rather reentering the market, perhaps a bit sooner than expected. According to a study conducted by Bright MLS, the homeowners most likely to sell in 2025 are those who purchased their home…

The post Pandemic Homebuyers May Be Largest Group of Sellers in 2025, Furthering the Wealth Gap in Young Adults appeared first on RISMedia.

ERA Real Estate has announced its latest affiliation with Imagine Realty ERA Powered, a family-owned multi-office brokerage operating out of Othello that serves the communities of the Columbia Basin in Central Washington.  Owners Jessie “Weno” Dominguez and Amy Dominguez stated they look forward to utilizing the brand’s business-building tools and help leverage the marketing programs…

The post Top Performing Washington Brokerage Joins ERA Real Estate Network appeared first on RISMedia.

With mortgage rates continuing their descent in recent weeks, borrowers who faced rates topping out at over 8% last year, drove a surge in refinance applications this past week; we may also see further refi activity ahead, as rates continued their decline this week.  The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 6.60%, down from last week’s…

The post Mortgage Rates Continue to Drop appeared first on RISMedia.

As I reflect on this week’s travels and conversations, I’m struck by how each interaction reinforced timeless leadership principles that we can all apply in our daily lives. Whether it was during the fireside chats, connecting with our incredible teams, or simply observing the dynamic energy in the rooms, several lessons stood out to me:…

The post Thoughts on Leadership: Lessons From the Road appeared first on RISMedia.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division appears committed to pushing forward with a long-running investigation into National Association of REALTORS®’ (NAR) policies, despite the looming transition to a new presidential administration, continuing to defend its inquiry all the way to the Supreme Court. After sending a lawyer to speak at the final court hearing…

The post DOJ Defends Investigation to Supreme Court, Says NAR Petition Lacks Merit appeared first on RISMedia.

When it comes to pets, there’s pleasure and then there’s business. The pleasure is 24/7…until you as an agent either represent a seller with pets or a buyer who’d prefer not to see, smell or hear them in a house they’re considering. “I’m an animal lover, and think every home is better off with pets,”…

The post Pet Peeves: How to Tame All Kinds of Animal Issues in Homes for Sale appeared first on RISMedia.

A recent Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) analysis found that insurance costs are heavily weighing on housing affordability, having risen 74% since the Great Recession, with more homeowners forced to buy government-backed plans. As a result of market conditions, private insurers have also faced a good deal of uncertainty in terms of unprofitability,…

The post As Homeowners Insurance Premiums Soar, ‘Last Resort’ Policies on the Rise appeared first on RISMedia.

Does the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) secretly support conservative causes unrelated to housing? That is the question put forth in a recent New York Times article, which highlighted a relatively obscure entity created by NAR that has paid grants (totalling almost $14 million) to various non-housing advocacy groups, including some that oppose abortion rights…

The post NAR, the Media and Republican Politics—What Is the APOA, and Why Is It Controversial? appeared first on RISMedia.

As an entrepreneur and CEO, I believe evolving isn’t optional; it’s essential. The most successful companies and leaders are ones who constantly strive for improvement and growth. Throughout my career, I haven’t shied away from challenging markets or complex circumstances. Instead, I lean in. This mindset brought me to MoxiWorks in June as its new…

The post The Business Case for Disrupting Yourself appeared first on RISMedia.

Amid the growing landscape of litigation in the industry, a real estate broker is claiming his livelihood has been put at risk, alleging that he is being retaliated against for suing the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). In his latest legal volley against the trade group, broker Maurice Muhammad (who is representing himself in the…

The post Broker Seeks Protective Order Against NAR for Alleged Lawsuit ‘Retaliation’ appeared first on RISMedia.

Realty ONE Group International has announced it is creating a program for real estate professionals in Phoenix who do not want to be affiliated with the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). In a recent press release, the brokerage stated it has established a new subsidiary—Realty ONE Group AZ—for those who choose to unaffiliate with NAR…

The post Realty ONE Group Offers Arizona Real Estate Professionals the Option to Disaffiliate With NAR appeared first on RISMedia.

With mortgage rates hitting six-week lows this past week, home-purchase applications saw their fifth-straight week of increases, driven primarily by a surge in refinance activity by borrowers with the higher rates of this time last year. Veterans Affairs loans in particular saw the highest refi activity with an 85% increase over the previous week.  Let’s…

The post Mortgage Applications Increase for Fifth Straight Week appeared first on RISMedia.

After a year of inflation coming down, the last stretch of 2024 has seen a reverse course, per the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI). The CPI, updated every month by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, measures changes to the costs consumers are facing and gauges inflation. From October to  November 2024, inflation increased month-over-month…

The post Inflation Up Again, According to December Consumer Price Index appeared first on RISMedia.

Don’t let Heather Stenson’s youthful persona fool you. What she may lack in years of experience she more than makes up for in dedication to her craft and commitment to her clients. And as RISMedia’s 2024 Real Estate Rookie of the Year winner, she now has the accolades to prove it. Designed to honor new-agent…

The post The Ingredients to an Award-Winning Rookie Year appeared first on RISMedia.

FBS has announced a new service designed to increase and improve marketing and communication functions within MLS organizations. MÁS (Marketing Add-on Services) is a custom marketing and communication solution run by professionals who deeply understand the real estate landscape and can help MLSs scale their marketing output without expanding their internal teams. Combining decades of…

The post FBS Provides New MLS Specific Marketing Service appeared first on RISMedia.

Above, Paul Breunich As we continue to adapt to the post-NAR settlement reality, transparency has become more important than ever before. Buyers and sellers are seeking direct insights into every stage of the transaction, from property details to real-time offer dynamics, and expect agents to deliver that information. Providing clients a transparent listing and offer…

The post Increasing Transparency and Maximizing Business appeared first on RISMedia.

United Real Estate has announced its strategic expansion in Greater Charlotte with a new franchise affiliation. United Real Estate | Queen City enters a new state with its second location, expanding its service footprint from Charlotte, North Carolina to Fort Mill, South Carolina. United stated that the move reinforces its eastern service areas stretching over…

The post United Real Estate Expands in South Carolina with New Brokerage appeared first on RISMedia.

As we look ahead to 2025, homebuyers are exploring a widening range of options in the housing market. Realtor®.com’s latest report—forecasting its top housing markets for 2025—highlights the South and West as the regions most likely to experience significant growth, with a combination of moderately affordable homes, expanding inventory and a younger, more diverse population.…

The post Realtor.com® Predicts 2025 Housing Boom in South and West appeared first on RISMedia.

While bidding a heartfelt good riddance to the 2024 residential real estate market, one which never really gained much positive traction, Brian Buffini and Lawrence Yun both cautiously predicted better times ahead, with the tone being more of a slow recovery than fast turnaround. Buffini, founder and chairman of Buffini & Company, and Yun, chief…

The post Buffini, Yun Cautiously Predict Better Times Ahead for Industry appeared first on RISMedia.

In the tight inventory market the real estate industry is experiencing—with the U.S. facing a deficit of millions of homes—building more housing is more critical than ever. The high price of existing housing on the market has also created a larger need for affordable housing. Beyond construction costs and supply chain issues, zoning is a…

The post Expanding and Reforming Zoning to Allow for More Affordable Housing appeared first on RISMedia.