Newsmakers Spotlight: Ryan Davis at the Forefront of DEI Education, Ensuring Equity Across the Industry

Ryan Davis, vice president of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), has evolved into a leader that over 1.5 million members across over 1,000 state and local REALTOR® associations turn to for strategy and guidance. His drive and determination to shape an equally represented real estate industry is a… …more

Fargo Brokerage Joins Better Homes And Gardens Real Estate

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Advantage One, located in Fargo, North Dakota, is the latest firm to join the Better Homes and Gardens brand, the company has announced. First founded in 1989, an ownership group led by Drew Likness has operated the company since 2019, acquiring it from founders and long-time owners Neil Graf… …more

eXp Realty Hires Wendy Forsythe as Chief Marketing Officer

Above, Wendy Forsythe eXp Realty® has announced the appointment of Wendy Forsythe as chief marketing officer. She will be responsible for building eXp Realty’s marketing strategies and initiatives globally. Forsythe previously held executive real estate positions at Compass, Fathom and HomeSmart International. “Wendy’s extensive experience and passion for real estate marketing uniquely position her to… …more

The Impact of Liens on Real Estate Sales

A property lien is not just a term but a significant factor that can influence the outcome of home sales. Essentially, a lien is a legal claim or right against a property instituted by a creditor to secure debts or obligations owed by the homeowner. Its presence is a critical aspect that both buyers and… …more

Pending Home Sales Jump 3.4% in March, Expected to Continue Upward Trend

Despite rising mortgage rates, pending home sales jumped 3.4% in March, according to the latest housing report from the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). Transaction volumes in the Northeast, South and West bore witness to monthly increases, as the Midwest was the only region to have recorded a loss. Year-over-year however, only the Midwest and… …more

Buyer Agent Playbook: How a Successful Team Leader Is Facing Industry Change

Above, Scott Harris Editor’s Note: The Buyer-Agent Playbook is a new iteration of RISMedia’s biweekly Playbook segment, specifically centering on buyer agency and how agents are navigating the changes and trends in a post-NAR-settlement environment. The series will provide brokers and agents with insights and information to ensure they not only survive but thrive in… …more

Mortgage Rates Still Going Up

After exceeding 7% last week, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) continued to rise, this week averaging 7.17%, up from last week’s average of 7.10%, according to the latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®) released by Freddie Mac Thursday.  This week’s numbers:  The 30-year FRM averaged 7.17% as of April 25, 2024, up from last week… …more

Anywhere Q1 Results: Slide Continues With Net Loss of $101 Million

In a Q1 2024 earnings call Apr. 25, Anywhere Real Estate reported a $101 million loss for the quarter, continuing a downward, though not as deep, trend for the last few quarters. Generated revenue was $1.1 billion, which follows revenue of $1.250 billion in Q4 2023, down 6% from Q4 2022, when it was $1.323… …more

4 Money-Saving Non-Essentials for Buyer Clients Unnerved by Rising Mortgage Rates

The last thing you want as a buyer agent after signing a client who is excited to purchase a home is for them to get depressed by elevated mortgage rates and decide to put their search on hold. While nothing changes the numbers, what you can (and should) do is have ideas and recommendations for… …more

Thoughts on Leadership: Practical Tools for Transformational Leadership

In today’s rapidly changing business landscape, I feel compelled to share my insights on transformational leadership because, now more than ever, effective leadership is critical for inspiring teams and driving sustainable success. As leaders, we are continuously navigating through the ups and downs of organizational life, tackling challenges like unmet goals, legal issues and low… …more

Anywhere Celebrates Ninth Graduating Class of ASCEND Program for Future Leaders

Anywhere Real Estate Inc. has announced it has celebrated the ninth graduating class of ASCEND: The Executive Leadership Experience. The graduates included 37 real estate leaders, including broker/owners from across the company’s brands. Anywhere offers the ASCEND program to its brand-affiliated broker/owners and rising senior-level leaders of large, multi-office franchisees and distinguished individuals from its… …more

Texas @properties Christie’s International Real Estate Affiliate Expands

Above, Mike Hoover. Texas real estate brokerage @properties Lone Star Christie’s International Real Estate has announced it is expanding into Fort Worth, bringing on former Monument and Sotheby’s office leader Michael Hoover as regional vice president to run brokerage operations for the new office. This will mark the third office in the Metroplex for the… …more

Mortgage Applications Down in High-Rate Environment

After a couple of weeks of increases, mortgage applications fell 2.7% from last week’s increase of 3.3%, according to the latest Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) for the week ending April 19, 2024.  This week’s numbers: The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 2.7% on… …more

FTC Votes to Ban Employee Noncompete Clauses

On Tuesday, April 23, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted to ban noncompete clauses—language in employment contracts that prevents departed employees from working for competitors after a set period of time.  The ruling not only bans new noncompete clauses from being signed, but would void existing ones—however, there is an exception to noncompete clauses… …more

Power Brokers, One-on-One: Part 1

Editor’s Note: The Top 1,000 brokerage firms for the 2024 Power Broker Report ranked by sales volume and transactions are available to Premier members here. The Power Broker interviews interviews feature heads and leaders within some of the top brokerages of the list sharing their insights for success in real estate. Check back soon for… …more

Legacy Portals Will Be “Stressed” by NAR Settlement, CoStar CEO Claims

Pushing forward with his own unique take on portal monetization, CoStar CEO Andy Florance said on a recent earnings call he believes incumbents like Zillow, realtor.com® and Redfin are facing major headwinds from changes agreed to by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) as part of a recent lawsuit settlement. “With recent seismic legal settlements… …more

@properties and Realty ONE Group Settle Commission Lawsuits

The parent company of @properties and Christie’s International Real Estate today became the latest brokerage to settle seller commission lawsuits, according to court filings, and also the first independent to do so. At the same time, Realty ONE Group indicated it had reached an agreement to end litigation by sellers. The @properties and Christie’s International… …more

Percy.AI Appoints Lisa Larson as Chief Strategy Officer

Percy.ai—a leader in data intelligence and fintech marketing for the real estate and mortgage sectors—has announced the appointment of Lisa Larson as its new Chief Strategy Officer. With over two decades of expertise in real estate property technology across North America, Larson will spearhead the development of AI and Machine Learning strategies and manage the… …more

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Announces Renewal of Atlanta Brokerage

Above, Kevin Levent Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC announced today the 10-year renewal of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1979, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate stated that Metro Brokers has expanded to 27 locations and more than 2,400 real estate agents. In 2023, under the… …more

RE/MAX Predicts Healthy Homebuying Summer as Inventory Grows

  RE/MAX has published its latest housing report, offering key market insights on both a national level and among key metro areas. Key details: Home sales increased 21.6% month over month, from February to March 2024. However, this is a noticeably smaller increase in sales than in March 2023 (37.7%) and March 2022 (33.2%). The… …more