Innovating for the Future: The Technology Shaping the Next Chapter of Real Estate Success

Editor’s note: The following is the cover story from the December 2025 issue of RISMedia’s Real Estate magazine. As the door closes on 2025, real estate professionals in every market across the country are setting their sights on the promise of better days ahead. But succeeding in the new year will take more than determination… …more

Harvard Study Tracks Nonprofit Developers’ Embrace of Factory-Built Homes

As housing remains unaffordable for many across the United States—and new construction hit a recent low on the back of consumer reticence—one solution that’s been floated are manufactured and modular homes. A new academic paper from Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) has tracked how nonprofit housing developers, or community-based organizations (CBOs), have… …more

3 Cost-Effective Lead Generation Strategies for Agents

Above, Carrie Little, left and Justin Letheby share lead-gen strategies in the session, “Maximizing What You Already Have: Cost-Effective Lead Generation for Real Estate Professionals,” during the recent NAR NXT conference in Houston. HOUSTON—At the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) recent NAR NXT conference, real estate industry leaders Carrie Little and Justin Letheby delivered a… …more

Mortgage Originations Up Year-Over-Year as Rates Improve

Mortgage originations remain down quarterly due to elevated mortgage rates; however, annual growth has been rising due to bettering signs, according to the latest data from ATTOM. ATTOM’s Mortgage Origination Report for Q3 found that while mortgage originations were down 1.6% quarterly, originations have grown 1.9% year-over-year. The data found that 1.77 million mortgages secured… …more

Knowing Your Worth: How to Get Paid in a Commission-Wary Market

Above, top row from left, Kourosh Sharifi and Christian Stubbs; bottom row, from left Marisela Harper and Ambre Theroux From affordability issues to lawsuit fallout, today’s real estate consumers are more money-conscious than ever. In an upcoming panel, real estate execs and agents will share how they’re articulating and demonstrating their value in order to… …more

The December Issue of Real Estate Magazine Is Now Live

The December issue of RISMedia’s Real Estate magazine is now available, and not to be missed are several exclusive features, including an in-depth look at how three different leaders in real estate technology are growing and shaping brokerages and the industry now and for the future. In addition, we take a look at how to… …more

Elevating the Industry by Helping Others Thrive

Debra Beagle has been in and around real estate her whole life, even though her career actually began in chemistry, working as an environmental consultant in commercial transactions, doing Phase I and II due diligence alongside legal and financial teams.  About 20 years ago, she earned her real estate license and jumped in headfirst—and she… …more

Game-Changing AI Strategies That Will Help You Do More and Earn More

The experts agree—AI can help make you more efficient and effective. During this session, AI-savvy real estate pros will discuss how they’re utilizing AI to streamline tasks so that they can spend more time where it matters: building business with clients. The session will be part of RISMedia’s 6th Annual Real Estate’s Rocking in the… …more

Consumer Confidence Falls Sharply in November

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which measures American opinions of current economic conditions and their outlook for the next six months, declined by 6.8 points in November to 88.7 from 95.5 in October, as already negative consumer attitudes toward the economy appear to be souring further. The Present Situation Index—based on consumers’ assessment of… …more

New Homes Remain ‘Great Deal,’ but There Are Tradeoffs: Report

A lack of inventory and an affordability crunch since the pandemic have affected the housing market in many ways, few of them positive for buyers. But one interesting dynamic remains pricing between new builds and existing homes—with existing homes historically much cheaper. Despite a welcome surge in inventory overall, the price of a new build… …more

Year-End Tune-Up: Streamline Your Real Estate Toolbox for 2026

Editor’s Note: Social Skills is a bi-monthly feature in RISMedia’s Daily News focused on social media and digital marketing tips, trends and solutions for agents and brokers. Before the new year comes around, now is the time to step back and evaluate your tech stack, from your CRM and marketing automation tools to your showing… …more

MRED Fires Back at Zillow’s Chicago Private Listings Study, Cites Internal Strategy Documents

Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED), which claims almost 50,000 members in the Chicago region, has issued a forceful public rebuttal to Zillow’s recent study alleging that private listings in Chicago reinforce housing segregation, pointing to internal Zillow documents as it argues the portal giant’s criticism may be driven more by business strategy than consumer protection.… …more

Home Price Growth Continues to Weaken to Two-Year Lows

Annual gains in home prices have continued their weakened slope for another month, a trend that began back in the spring of this year, according to the latest data. The September S&P Cotality Case-Shiller Home Price Index saw home prices post a 1.3% annual gain, the “weakest performance since mid-2023,” which “represents a stark contrast… …more

Keller Williams Launches Operations in Uzbekistan

Keller Williams Realty, LLC (KW) has announced the company is expanding across Asia, opening a new franchise in Uzbekistan as international sales grow.  “This has been a truly historic year of international growth for Keller Williams, which is a direct result of entrepreneurs who think big, act boldly and stay committed to our models that… …more

Pending Sales Inch Up in October Despite Uncertainty

As we get closer to a new year, the real estate market shows new signs of incremental pick-up. According to the latest Pending Home Sales report from the National Association of Realtors® (NAR), pending home sales inched up 1.9% month-over-month in October.  As Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist of Bright MLS, noted in a statement: “The… …more

Boutique Approach Drives High Touch Northern Virginia Team

Above, Nicole McCullar Nicole McCullar is part of an exclusive cadre of agents who work the top 1.2% of the market nationally. A graduate of the University of Saint Thomas in Minnesota with a focus on marketing and art history, she left a 25-year career in luxury retail management to join her husband, Shane McCullar,… …more

Closing Arguments Put Exclamation on Compass-Zillow Hearing

NEW YORK CITY—U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas heard closing arguments Friday, Nov. 21, capping off a weeklong hearing between real estate giants Zillow and Compass. At the heart of the case is Compass’s Three-Phased Marketing (3-PM) Strategy, which allows homesellers to market properties privately before listing them publicly on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and… …more

Court Report: Compass-Zillow Hearing Lays Groundwork for Listing Battle; Brokers Seize on MLS Policy Changes

The COURT REPORT is RISMedia’s weekly look at current and upcoming lawsuits, investigations and other legal developments around real estate. Four days of testimony set battle lines in Zillow-Compass showdown With top executives, brokers and a mob of journalists packing a high-rise federal courtroom in Manhattan last week, the public got its first glimpse of… …more

Tech-Driven Growth, Human-Centered Culture

Above, Tanner Helm Tanner Helm Corporate Team Leader Helm Group Real Estate powered by Jason Mitchell Group Boise, Idaho https://thejasonmitchellgroup.com  Region served: Treasure Valley/Greater Boise Years in real estate: 8 Number of offices: 2 Number of agents: 7 Favorite way to decompress and recharge: I start every day with a workout to clear my head… …more

Compass Accused of Providing ‘False’ Info to Agents as Executives Testify on Zillow Rules Impact

With Compass and Zillow locked into a high-stakes fight over listing restrictions and market power, company executives testified in federal court for the third day yesterday as Compass leadership addressed the specifics of its private listing-focused strategy, from alleged harm to its business from the Zillow rules, to how it communicated with agents. The trial—officially… …more