Fathom Holdings Partners with Leadership Consultant J’aime Nowak
Consumer NewsAbove J’Aime Nowak Fathom Holdings Inc. has announced a partnership with J’aime Nowak, a leadership consultant, keynote speaker and business strategist. In her role, the company says Nowak will guide the evolution of Fathom Elevate’s coaching and training initiatives while helping support Fathom Realty’s agents nationwide. Nowak brings over three decades of experience across entrepreneurship,… …more
Xunami Joins LeadingRE’s Solutions Group
Consumer NewsLeading Real Estate Companies of the World® (LeadingRE) has announced the addition of Xunami to its Solutions Group of preferred business resources for its global network of 550 real estate firms. Xunami is a company that creates video content that showcases properties, agents and communities using creativity, strategy and advanced tools like AI, CGI and… …more
Builder Confidence Remains Steady Ahead of Fed Decision
Consumer NewsThe monthly Housing Market Index (HMI), released by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo this week, came in at 32 this past August. The index measures builder sentiment on current and future single-family home sales along with buyer traffic on a scale ranging between 0 and 100. The HMI has been consistently dropping… …more
The MLS Landscape: ‘Cooperation as Competition’ Amid Industry Upheaval
Consumer NewsAbove, from left, Brad Bjelke, Dionna Hall, Michael Wurzer, Merri Jo Cowen and Brian Donnellan. Photo by AJ Canaria. The MLS industry has faced some major shifts over the last couple of years, changing the landscape significantly and pushing for a lot of changes in how an MLS does business. The panel “Upheaval and Progress on… …more
Fed Likely to Cut Rates by 25 Basis Points, Says Redfin Chief Economist
Consumer NewsAbove, Daryl Fairweather NEW HAVEN, CT—With the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting this week to vote on a rate decision, RISMedia spoke with Redfin Chief Economist Daryl Fairweather to gain some insight into how a potential cut may impact the housing market. The Fed is likely to cut rates by 25 basis points, and… …more
National Association of Realtors® Reveals 2026 Leadership Academy Class
Consumer NewsThe National Association of Realtors® has announced its 2026 Leadership Academy class. The Leadership Academy is a 10-month program that helps to prepare emerging state and local volunteers for future leadership positions at NAR. The 2026 class consists of 20 agents who are REALTORS® across the country. “The Leadership Academy reflects NAR’s commitment to empowering… …more
Appeals Court Blocks Firing of Fed Governor, Securing Lineup Ahead of Interest Rate Vote
Consumer NewsThe Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), where Federal Reserve members meet to determine interest rate adjustments, begins today—and the voting committee will have a full 12-member panel during the vote. On Sept. 15, the Senate confirmed President Donald Trump’s nominee, Dr. Stephen Miran, to the Fed board in a 48 – 47 vote, to replace… …more
Rent Drops for 25th Month in a Row, Spurring Renter Mobility Despite High Prices
Consumer NewsRising inflation in almost all areas of the economy could make housing affordability more and more difficult. Many opt to rent before buying a home, or find renting more affordable than homeownership. Headline inflation according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) hit 2.9% in August, continuously increasing and moving further away from the Federal Reserve’s… …more
Howard Hanna Rebrand Signals Future Growth
Consumer NewsHoward Hanna Real Estate Services, the No. 1 family-owned and -operated brokerage in the United States, according to RISMedia’s 2025 Power Broker Report, has unveiled a new brand identity in an effort to reflect the company’s commitment to innovation, growth and the communities it serves—as well as to signal that Howard Hanna is ready to… …more
Redfin Chief Economist Warns of Historic Homeownership Decline
Consumer NewsAbove, Daryl Fairweather at the YIMBYtown conference in New Haven, Connecticut on Sept. 14. NEW HAVEN, CT — Kicking off YIMBYtown 2025, Redfin Chief Economist Daryl Fairweather delivered a keynote speech to attendees Sunday morning at the “Yes In My Backyard” (YIMBY) pro-homes conference for advocates, organizers and policymakers. Drilling down on housing affordability, Fairweather… …more
Brokers Can’t Control the Market, but They Can Control Their Spend
Consumer NewsAfter years of hoping for a market rebound, brokers are settling in for another year of uncertainty. Inventory is climbing, but so are days on market. Price growth is cooling, and mortgage rates remain stubborn. As 2026 approaches, one thing is certain: brokers can’t control the market, but they can control how they prepare for… …more
The Vince Boyle Team Joins CENTURY 21 Ryon Real Estate
Consumer NewsAbove, Vince Boyle, fourth from left, with his team with CENTURY 21 Ryon Real Estate. CENTURY 21 Ryon Real Estate has announced the addition of the Vince Boyle Team to the brokerage, bringing deep-community ties and a client-first approach to homebuyers and sellers across the greater Lehigh Valley and Anthracite Coal regions of Pennsylvania. Led… …more
Chris Kelly Talks AI, Consolidation and the Future of Real Estate
Consumer NewsAbove: John Featherston, left, and Chris Kelly. Photo by AJ Canaria. After spending 18 years at HomeServices of America in a variety of leadership roles, Chris Kelly ascended to the CEO spot in April when Gino Blefari stepped down after a storied career. During a one-on-one conversation with RISMedia Founder & CEO John Featherston during… …more
COURT REPORT: New Evidence Rejected in Burnett Appeals
Consumer NewsEditor’s note: The COURT REPORT is RISMedia’s weekly look at current and upcoming lawsuits, investigations and other legal developments around real estate. New Sitzer/Burnett evidence rejected The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit court has rejected any new evidence introduced in the appeal process of the National Association of Realtors®’ (NAR) settlement. Throughout… …more
Florida’s Zimmerman Team Joins REMAX Advantage
Consumer NewsFrom left, Debra Beagle, Gary Ashton and Rebecca Zimmerman Nashville’s REMAX Advantage has announced its official partnership with Team Zimmerman, a Florida-based real estate team. This move marks the newest addition to the “Don’t Sell Without Intel” movement, powered by The Ashton Real Estate Group of REMAX Advantage. Led by Rebecca and Eric Zimmerman, Team… …more
Why Most Team Leaders Burn Out, and How to Create Work-Life Balance
Consumer NewsThe real estate industry is fast-paced, competitive and often unforgiving. Many team leaders find themselves working long hours, managing high-stress transactions and juggling numerous responsibilities. While leadership roles can be rewarding, they also carry a heavy burden that, if not managed properly, can lead to burnout. Why team leaders burn out Endless work hours. Most… …more
Incoming Opendoor Chairman: ‘85% of Employees Should Be Outgoing’
Consumer NewsJust days after Opendoor named a new CEO, it was in the news again on Sept. 12 when during an appearance on CNBC co-founder Keith Rabois, returning to the board of directors, slammed the current operation, saying the company is “bloated” and needs to slash its workforce by as much as 85% to fix its… …more
The Search Is On: Looking for the Next Tech Superstar
Consumer NewsRISMedia has announced the launch of its first annual Tech Showdown, a new competition designed to discover and elevate the next wave of innovation in real estate technology. RISMedia’s Tech Showdown invites companies launched within the past one to three years to submit their most innovative solutions designed to empower brokers and agents—and ultimately, consumers—and… …more
Maximizing Production Without Sacrificing Support
Consumer NewsAbove: Greg Pernus and Marianne Drenik. Marianne Drenik, Broker/Owner Greg Pernus, Broker/Owner HomeSmart Real Estate Momentum Mentor, Ohio https://homesmart.com/real-estate-office/ohio/mentor/113-homesmart-real-estate-momentum Region served: Northern Ohio Years in real estate: Marianne: 23; Greg: 30 Number of offices: 6 Number of agents: 260 Most effective recruiting pitch: “If you’re looking for a real estate brokerage that helps you make… …more
4 Reasons Top Agents Are Turning to Flipper Leads for Consistent Closings
Consumer NewsIn real estate, consistency separates top-producing agents from the rest. The ability to count on steady closings month after month keeps pipelines full, commissions predictable and reputations strong. Yet, traditional leads can be unpredictable, as many buyers or sellers may only transact once every several years. That’s why more and more experienced agents are tapping… …more