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

2025 NAR President Kevin Sears Testifies Before Congress

Real estate professionals are well aware that housing affordability and supply are in short order, but are lawmakers taking appropriate action? On Wednesday, December 3, 2025, the House Financial Services Committee held a hearing focused on policies to boost housing supply. In attendance to testify before the committee was National Association of Realtors® (NAR) Immediate… …more

COURT REPORT: Compass and Zillow File Final Hearing Docs, Await Judge Ruling

Editor’s note: The COURT REPORT is RISMedia’s weekly look at current and upcoming lawsuits, investigations and other legal developments around real estate. Compass and Zillow file final hearing documents, await judge’s ruling Compass and Zillow have both filed their final court documents related to the recent hearing in the two companies’ lawsuit over Zillow’s private… …more

Breaking: NWMLS Signals Intention to Countersue Compass

Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) has indicated its intent to assert counterclaims against Compass, according to a stipulated motion filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. The development comes as both parties jointly requested an extension to the case schedule, pushing the jury trial date from June 8, 2026… …more

Mortgage Mix: Credit Reporting Fees Spark Pushback; MBA Urges Reverse Mortgage ‘Improvements’

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. -Mortgage industry advocates are warning that fee hikes on credit reporting services could be a significant blow to an already struggling housing market. Mortgage lenders are reporting price increases of up to 50% for… …more

The Life, Times, Triumphs and Tribulations of a Residential Real Estate Economist

Above, Brad Case After past positions at the Federal Reserve, Nareit and Fannie Mae, Brad Case brings a breadth of experience to his newly appointed role as chief residential economist at portal giant Homes.com. With more than 35 years of industry expertise, in his new role he will serve as the company’s leading voice on… …more

PCE Report: Inflation Rate Slightly Lower Than Expected

The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Index, which is the Federal Reserve’s preferred gauge of inflation, rose to 2.8% in September on an annual basis. According to data from the Commerce Department released Dec. 5, core PCE rose 0.2% over the previous month. The report, delayed by the government shutdown, seemingly gives a further green light… …more

Mortgage Industry Calls Foul on Latest Fee Hikes From FICO

American homebuyers are about to see their borrowing costs rise as credit scoring company FICO hikes the fees it charges to pull credit scores and reports for home loan applications. Mortgage lenders are reporting price increases of up to 50% for 2026 for credit score pulls, the fourth consecutive year of price jumps for the… …more

Consumer Sentiment Lifts Slightly in Early December

Throughout 2025, consumer sentiment toward the economy has declined noticeably—does the end of the year bring any turnaround?  According to a preliminary report on consumer sentiment from the University of Michigan (scheduled ahead of the final December report two weeks out), consumer sentiment improved slightly month-over-month. The closely watched index of consumer sentiment came in… …more

Congressional Watchdog to Investigate FHFA Director Over Alleged Abuse of Power

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has launched an investigation into Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte over concerns he may have abused his position and government resources to target political opponents of President Donald Trump with criminal accusations. The probe, confirmed this week by the GAO—Congress’s independent investigative arm—and reported by Reuters follows… …more

The 5 Top Issues Affecting Real Estate, According to NAR Speaker

HOUSTON—At the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) recent NAR NXT conference, real estate industry leader John Hentschel—global chair of The Counselors of Real Estate, a global organization of real property advisors—presented the top issues facing the real estate industry today. What was initially meant to be a “2026 Top Ten Issues Affecting Real Estate” was… …more

The Untold Story: How a Major Real Estate Professional Association Built Tech Used by Hundreds of Thousands of Pros

Who would guess that one of real estate’s most relied-upon tech ecosystems used by hundreds of thousands of agents and brokers was quietly built by the largest state real estate association in the U.S.? That’s the surprising story behind Florida Realtors®. While many technology platforms come with investor pitches and VC funding rounds, Florida Realtors®… …more

Forbes Global Properties Network Welcomes Harry Norman, REALTORS®

Forbes Global Properties announced it has welcomed Harry Norman, REALTORS® to its international network. Founded in 1930 as the first residential real estate firm in Atlanta, the brokerage will exclusively represent the Forbes Global Properties brand throughout the state of Georgia. From landmark residences to exclusive opportunities, Forbes stated that Harry Norman curates and represents… …more

How the Brokerage Playbook Has Changed

From left to right: Lennox Scott, Jennifer Branchini, Mark Woodroof, Kendall Bonner, Anthony Lamacchia and John Featherston Over the course of its 37 years, RISMedia’s Power Broker Forum has served as a vehicle for confronting the many issues and challenges facing the residential real estate brokerage business, offering insights and strategies from many of the… …more

Seller Negotiations and 3% Risk Premiums: What a ‘Mystery Shopper’ Study Reveals About Real Estate

The industry is two years post the historic outcome of the Burnett trial, and more than one year post-practice changes from the National Association of Realtors® (NAR), but the conversations surrounding commissions and compensation have yet to cease. Many could not agree a year ago how the changes in policy (i.e., the requirement of broker-buyer… …more

Realtor.com Projects ‘Turning Point’ for Market in 2026, Falling Short of Rebound

It has been hard to predict the housing market in recent years. From the fastest ever tightening of interest rates in 2022, which brought the pandemic boom market to a screeching halt, all the way through tariff panic that appeared to derail the 2025 spring buying season, experts have had a difficult time anticipating shifts… …more