Pulte pledges Fannie, Freddie's help in curbing home purchases by institutional investors
Trump's promise to "ban" big investors from buying more single-family homes renews the debate over whether such a move would be legal — or make much of a dent on affordability
by Matt Carter Jan 8
Homebuyer demand sags as mortgage rates stay range bound
Applications for purchase mortgages drops for a 5th consecutive week to the lowest level since October as mortgage rates continue to hover above 6%, MBA lender surveys show
by Matt Carter Jan 7
A Texas couple promised a 'Chip and Joanna Gaines vibe.' Instead they stole nearly $5M
Chris and Raquelle Judge earned $4.8M from renovation projects they didn't complete — leaving some clients out of more than 6 figures in costs
by Marian McPherson Jan 7
Generational wealth, foreign buyers, rising prices: Sotheby's Luxury Outlook for 2026
The luxury market is poised for steady growth this year, with multiple factors driving the market toward a fruitful and lucrative 2026
First-time buyers get creative with financing in 2026
Easing interest rates, down payment assistance and builder incentives are helping 1st-time homebuyers compete, according to the latest from the National Association of Realtors
by Marian McPherson Jan 6
running lean as an agent
Running a leaner real estate business isn’t about cutting corners, but rather, reducing friction, Kevelyn Guzman writes. Here are 6 ways to streamline in 2026
by Kevelyn Guzman Jan 6
Boost in buyers closes 2025 on high note: Client Pipeline Tracker
Real estate agents shook off a late-year scare and raised their expectations for a 2026 recovery, according to fresh results from Intel's December survey
by Daniel Houston Jan 5
2026 forecast
Everybody's looking ahead to 2026, so this week's Download rounds up the forecasts and advice you need to hit the ground running
by Christy Murdock Jan 5
NAR's final report of 2025 showed growing homebuyer momentum
In November, pending home sales made their best showing yet of 2025, in a sign of growing homebuyer confidence in response to factors like increased affordability and higher inventory
More AI? A big recovery? Real estate heavyweights predict 2026
Leaders including eXp's Leo Pareja, REMAX's Erik Carlson and top-selling agent Ben Caballero envision more tech, more change and perhaps a mixed recovery next year
by Jim Dalrymple II Dec 31
He's been at the MBA and Fannie Mae. Here's who he thinks has the better 2026 mortgage forecast
Economist Doug Duncan weighs in on the challenges facing economic forecasters today, cutbacks in economic reports produced by Fannie and Freddie, Fed independence, and more
by Matt Carter Dec 31
updated stories of 2025
From crimes and misdemeanors to mergers and acquisitions, clients weren’t the only ones making moves this year. Here are the most-read Download columns of 2025
by Christy Murdock Dec 30
real estate market expert
Your future clients want an agent who can make this complicated market simple. Be that agent
by Darryl Davis Dec 30
luxury real estate outlook
After a turbulent 2025, luxury real estate expert Michael Valdes writes that the market has entered a golden era. Here’s why 2026 marks a turning point
by Michael Valdes Dec 29
words of the year
Prices, mortgages, inventory and more. While we wrote about a lot this year, from social media to murder mysteries, these are the 10 words that came up again and again
by Christy Murdock Dec 26
real estate news
Go past the mega-mergers and lawsuits, and dig deep into the stats and trends that will inform your real estate business in 2026
by Christy Murdock Dec 26