Zillow Group Updates Privacy Disclosures Following Review by BBB National Programs

BBB National Programs’ Digital Advertising Accountability Program (DAAP) has worked with Zillow Group to bring several of its digital platforms—Zillow, Trulia, HotPads and StreetEasy—into alignment with the Digital Advertising Alliance’s (DAA) Self-Regulatory Principles for interest-based advertising (IBA), according to a release issued Dec. 10. DAAP’s routine monitoring identifies third-party data collection for IBA on Zillow.com… …more

Fed Cuts Rates by Quarter Point in Final 2025 FOMC Meeting

Above, Fed Chair Jerome Powell The Federal Reserve has announced its third interest rate cut of the year—its third in a row—closing out its final Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting of 2025. The FOMC announced at its December meeting today that it has cut interest rates by a quarter-percentage point. This follows a 25-basis-point… …more

Real Expands SoCal Footprint as Freeman Wang Joins Brokerage

The Real Brokerage, the fast-growing tech-focused brokerage that has made waves in recent years, announced on Jan. 10 that Southern California real estate leader Freeman Wang and his 50-agent team have joined Real through Harvest Realty, which operates under Real’s Private Label program. Wang’s team closed 430 homes totaling $425 million in sales volume in… …more

A Value-Driven Approach to Building Business

Above, Ryan Jonke Ryan Jonke Managing Broker/Owner JPAR® – Modern Real Estate Arvada, Colorado  https://www.jparmodernre.com  Region served: Denver Front Range Years in real estate: 25 Number of offices: 1  Number of agents: 170 Favorite part of your job: Teaching agents—whether that’s informing them as to what’s going on in the market or teaching them about… …more

Michael Saunders & Company Opens New Downtown St. Petersburg, Florida Office

Michael Saunders & Company, a member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®, has opened a new office in downtown St. Petersburg, as part of its continued expansion across Florida’s Gulf Coast. The firm has added a group of experienced real estate professionals to support its operations in the St. Petersburg/Tampa Bay market. New… …more

Mortgage Applications Remain Ahead of Last Year as Market Shows Gradual Improvement

Home purchase application activity continues to fluctuate with an increase this past week but mortgage watchers say the bigger picture shows applications overall running ahead of a year ago as market conditions continue to mark gradual improvement.  According to the latest Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) report, the Market Composite Index—the measure of mortgage loan activity… …more

Redfin Users More Likely to Consider Climate Risks After Publicized Natural Disasters

Homeowners may be feeling the impact of climate disasters on their insurance premiums, but are buyers modifying their behavior and performing deep research into climate risks during their home searches? Not for very long, it appears, per data shared by Redfin. Redfin listings separate climate risks into five categories: floods, fire, wind, extreme heat and… …more

How to Guide, Educate and Do What’s Best for Every Seller

Top from left, Dennis Cestra, Jr. and Stephanie Younger; bottom from left, Brenda Maher and Billy Nash While every company has their position and policy on how to approach private listings, every good real estate agent knows that what really matters is what’s best for the seller. Top real estate professionals tackle the topic in… …more

Brokers Hoping ‘Good News’ in 2026 Sparks Buyer Breakthrough

Another year is almost in the books, and with it, a cavalcade of economists and experts seeking to peer into the future and predict the subsequent year’s housing market. As brokers and agents parse out their path forward, these big national trends are not always the most useful guidance—even when they are accurate. After many… …more

At NAR Forecast Summit, Economists See Rosier Times Ahead for Housing Market

Above, Lawrence Yun and Nadia Evangelou At the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) Real Estate Forecast Summit, held remotely Dec. 9, NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun predicted that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates Dec. 10, with two more cuts next year. But taking a longer view after multiple sluggish years for housing, Yun… …more

Fueling Brokerage Growth With AI Innovation

Above: Jimmy McNally Jimmy McNally, sales manager for CENTURY 21 Beggins Enterprises in Apollo Beach, Florida, is a leading driver of innovation—and a big part of his success has been using MoxiWorks to support agent productivity and growth goals.  Building on that momentum, McNally is driving the firm’s next phase of growth with RISE by… …more

Corcoran Sawyer Smith Acquires Liberty Realty in Hudson County Expansion

Corcoran Sawyer Smith has announced the acquisition of Liberty Realty, an independently owned brokerage operating in Hudson County since 1995. The agreement brings Liberty Realty’s agents and offices under the Corcoran Sawyer Smith umbrella.  Liberty Realty has maintained a significant presence in Hudson County for nearly three decades, the company said in a release, offering… …more

Legislative Round-Up: Housing Reform Removed From Defense Bill; Florida Governor Seeks End to Property Taxes

Editor’s Note: The RISMedia series Legislative Round-Up looks at pending and passed federal and state-level legislation that impacts real estate professionals. Road to Housing Act removed from defense bill  The Road to Housing Act, a bipartisan comprehensive housing reform bill passed by the U.S. Senate, has met a new roadblock. The bill, previously attached to… …more

Oregon Life Property Group Team Joins Jason Mitchell Group

The Jason Mitchell Group (JMG) has announced the inclusion of The Oregon Life Property Group to its rapidly expanding national network. This strategic partnership signifies an opportunity for Oregon Life to take advantage of JMG’s proven platform and referral pipeline promise to drive growth and elevate their entire platform. Led by Tony Apa, The Oregon… …more

Listen, Learn, Adapt: How to Lead Through Change

Founded in 1976, Seven Gables Real Estate has grown to become the leading independent brokerage in Orange County, California, composed of 11 offices responsible for more than $2.2B in business over the past 12 months. But the company’s influence extends well beyond its SoCal borders. A part of the firm virtually since its inception, CEO… …more

Howard Hanna COO to Lead Pennsylvania State Real Estate Commission

Above, Annie Hanna Cestra Howard Hanna Real Estate Services announces that COO Annie Hanna Cestra has been elected chairman of the Pennsylvania State Real Estate Commission. This commission serves as the state regulatory body, responsible for overseeing real estate licensure, consumer protection and professional standards within the commonwealth. As COO of Howard Hanna Real Estate… …more

Compass Adds North Carolina Team With $1.2B in Sales

Above, Mark and Ginger Gentry Compass, the tech-enabled national real estate services company, recently welcomed The Gentry Team. As a leader in sales in Moore County, North Carolina, for the past three decades, The Gentry Team brings over 75 years of experience and $1.2 billion in total sales volume. “The Gentry Team is a strong… …more

Why Real Estate Team Leaders Fail to Develop Their Agents

In the highly competitive world of real estate, team leaders play a crucial role in guiding and developing their agents. A well-trained, motivated team can lead to increased sales, better client relationships and overall business success. However, many real estate team leaders fail to properly develop their agents, resulting in stagnant growth, high turnover, and… …more

Culture of Caring Powers Westchester County, New York Team

Above, Kori Sassower, fourth from left with The Kori Sassower Team. Kori Sassower had no idea when she graduated from Syracuse University how well- suited her degree in consumer studies would be to the real estate industry. Her career path began in advertising sales, where she rose to become head of operations, pricing 30-second commercials… …more

Delistings Rise as Buyers Seek ‘Refuge Markets’

Delistings are rising as sellers are pulling back from the market in response to a lack of offers from buyers, primarily due to continued affordability challenges, according to the latest data from Realtor.com®. Realtor.com’s Monthly Housing Trends Report for November found that delisitings have risen 45.5% year to date and 37.9% year-over-year, which are the… …more