Tackling Homeownership Challenges: Strategies for Helping Buyers Get Into Homes

Above, top row from left, Athena Peterson and Koby Bishop; bottom row from left, Alisha Collins and Debra Beagle As housing demand and prices increase, financial obstacles can make homeownership feel out of reach for today’s homebuyers. But as a trusted real estate professional, there are several steps you can advise them on to help… …more

When Giants Move, Everyone Feels It

Around 7:14 a.m. on a random Thursday, someone in nearly every brokerage office, group chat, or Slack channel sends the same message: “Did you see the news?” Another merger. Another acquisition. Another domino in a consolidation cycle that’s starting to feel less like a phase and more like the industry’s new operating system. The headlines… …more

Consumer Confidence Dips Lower to Close out 2025

As a new year comes up around the corner, how are consumers feeling about the economy as this year ends? The latest monthly Consumer Confidence Index update, assembled by The Conference Board, found that confidence was down in December. The November Consumer Confidence Index, which was reported at the time as a sharp drop, saw… …more

How to Diversify Your Skill Set to Build a Market-Resistant Business

Above, top row from left, Corey McCloskey and Rei Mesa; bottom row from left, Sheena Saydam and Brooke Sines When times get tough, the tough get creative. As the real estate market and overall economy continue to evolve, honing your skills in areas like niche real estate, property management or investing are just a few… …more

Diane Keaton, House Flipper and Renovator

(Photo by Gilbert Flores/WWD via Getty Images) The late Diane Keaton’s Los Angeles, California, house has hit the market for $27 million. The storied superstar actress, who died in October, herself renovated the Sullivan Canyon property (found at 13215 Riviera Ranch Road in LA), and it was far from the only house she made over… …more

Compass, NWMLS Spar Over Discovery as Antitrust Case Intensifies

Compass and Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) are locked in a heated discovery dispute as the real estate giant’s antitrust lawsuit against the regional MLS moves forward, according to recent court filings.   The lawsuit, filed by Compass back in the spring, alleges that NWMLS leveraged its rules to undermine Compass’s private listing-focused strategy. NWMLS has… …more

CMLS Announces 2026 Board of Directors

The Council of Multiple Listing Services (CMLS) has announced its 2026 Board of Directors, which brings together experienced MLS leaders from across North America.  The 2026 Board will build on CMLS’ ongoing work in policy development, collaboration and governance, supporting MLSs as it navigates an evolving industry landscape and increasing demands for clarity, consistency and… …more

Team Achieving Major Success as New Construction Booms on Former Farmland Near Raleigh, N.C.

Above, Tammy Register Tammy Register was a medical billing manager in 2003, when a bilingual colleague of hers began a side job translating for a local real estate firm. Register, a native North Carolinian with a passion for helping people, caught her colleague’s excitement. Intrigued by the possibilities, she became licensed soon afterward and began… …more

Fueling Success by Empowering Others

For Ken Baris, real estate isn’t just a career; it’s a calling that began in childhood.  The CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Jordan Baris Realty literally grew up in the business. His father, Jordan Baris, founded the company in 1952—and as a child, the young Baris always had real estate on the mind.  “When I… …more

MARIS Launches Broker Rev-Share Program Tied to MLS Data Access

MARIS (Mid America Regional Information Systems) MLS has launched a broker revenue share program that returns revenue generated from MLS data access back to participating brokers who contribute listings to the marketplace.  According to the organization, the 2025 program generated a revenue share pool of more than $250,000. The initiative is structured to distribute income… …more

Global Spotlight: Villa Tannenberg Offers Style and Soul in Berlin

Above: Penthouse terrace.  Dirk Zieglschmid—managing director and CEO of CAI Group—explains the vision behind Villa Tannenberg, an extraordinary new development in Berlin, Germany, drawing attention from international buyers. A participant in Leading Real Estate Companies of the World’s (LeadingRE) new development marketing program, Destinations by LeadingRE, CAI Group develops exclusive and sustainable real estate projects… …more

RELIANCEai Partners with AREIA Synthetics to Deploy AI-Powered Digital Human Across Wide Range of Real Estate Platforms

Above, RELIANCEai™’s “Areia™,” which stands for Autonomous Real Estate Intelligence Assistant™, a first-of-its-kind real estate-focused, AI-powered digital human being released across a wide range of real estate platforms. RELIANCEai™, a provider of enterprise real estate technology, has announced a strategic partnership with AREIA Synthetics™ to introduce Areia™ (Autonomous Real Estate Intelligence Assistant™), a first-of-its-kind real… …more

2025’s Biggest Stories in Real Estate: Part Two

Editor’s note: this story is part two of a two-part series—read part one here. 2025 was another whirlwind year for real estate, with industry professionals facing ups, downs and everything in between. The industry saw a lot of major developments, and it can be hard to keep track of everything—from continued debates over Clear Cooperation… …more

Court Report: DOJ Intervenes in New Buyer Suit; eXp Plaintiffs Fire Back in Fraud Spat

Editor’s note: The COURT REPORT is RISMedia’s weekly look at current and upcoming lawsuits, investigations and other legal developments around real estate. Trump’s DOJ outlines stance in new intervention in buyer case After months of silence—and some indications that it was backing off its most aggressive positions—the Department of Justice (DOJ) under President Donald Trump… …more

Comings and Goings: The 5 States People Are Moving Into (and Out of) the Fastest

Migration patterns aren’t just for the birds. People, too, take wing when they’re dissatisfied with their locations for whatever reason or reasons. Conducted annually since 1993 by the Atlas Moving Company, the Migration Patterns Study measures Atlas customers’ moving trends interstate, interprovince and internationally.  This year’s study measures relocations from Nov. 1, 2024, to Oct.… …more

DOJ Intervenes in Commission Case, Focused on Associations and ‘Concerted Action’

After months of silence—and some indications that it was backing off its most aggressive positions—the Department of Justice (DOJ) under President Donald Trump is again addressing what it describes as “anticompetitive rules, policies and practices in the residential real-estate industry” as it intervened in yet another commission case last week. In a 23-page “statement of… …more

Market Momentum: November: A Month Defined by Balance

According to the Institute’s December 2025 Luxury Market Report the luxury real estate market in November offered a precise snapshot of a market operating with intention–resilient, measured, and increasingly predictable. For luxury professionals, this is not a sign of stagnation, but of maturation. Following October’s notable uptick in activity, November transitioned into a more moderated… …more

Mortgage Mix: CFPB Proposal Raises Fair Housing Concerns

Editor’s Note: The Mortgage Mix is RISMedia’s biweekly highlight reel of need-to-know mortgage-industry happenings. Watch for it every other Friday afternoon. – A new proposal from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) involving the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) has created questions surrounding women’s and minority borrowers’ ability to get a mortgage. The proposal would… …more

Improving Conversations With Real-Time Coaching

Above, Morgan Carey Real Estate Webmasters is excited to announce the release of AI Call Grading and Coaching in the REW Dialer this winter—a new feature that aligns with the company’s commitment to leveraging AI into its CRM to help agents boost their results. Real Estate Webmasters CEO Morgan Carey says the Dialer—an add-on tool… …more

Democratic Senators Center Consumer Issues in Letter Opposing Compass-Anywhere Deal

The proposed deal for Compass to acquire Anywhere was almost certain to draw regulatory scrutiny from the beginning, due to the size and nature of the deal—nearly doubling the size of the company and consolidating somewhere around 500,000 annual transactions and 100,000 agents under one roof. What that scrutiny might look like became more clear… …more