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
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
Google for real estate
In this week's Download: How will you shift your marketing if Google becomes the next dominant player in the online listings landscape?
by Christy Murdock Dec 22
Will the 'vibecession' end in 2026? Economist Jeff Tucker thinks so
Windermere's Jeff Tucker explains why 2025 was a 'remarkably stable' year and what can be done to improve consumer and agent sentiment going into 2026
by Marian McPherson Dec 18
This St. Louis suburb is the nation's most affordable, but with a caveat
Markets across the Midwest and South offer enviable affordability; however, lower housing prices can reflect deeper issues, such as economic disinvestment and discriminatory housing policies
by Marian McPherson Dec 17
Analyst: Portals like Zillow face 'long-term risk' from Google real estate experiment
Google is displaying real estate listings as search results in some markets — prompting questions about IDX violations and analyst speculation about risks to the portals
by Marian McPherson Dec 15
The CEO of this big-box brand is 'hopeful' about real estate in 2026
REMAX Holdings CEO Erik Carlson reflected on the franchisor's growth in 2025 and offered predictions about 2026, which is primed to offer better affordability and sales
by Marian McPherson Dec 9
Stock market gains push luxury homebuyers ahead in October
While non-luxury homebuyers are beholden to mortgage rate fluctuations, luxury buyers are using their stock market gains to boost their purchasing power
by Marian McPherson Nov 21
Fall has been 'sneaky good' for buyers, but the 'warm-up is not guaranteed to last'
Easing mortgage rates and flat home price growth led to a win for homebuyers in October, according to Zillow. However, future volatility may put buyers back on the sidelines
by Marian McPherson Nov 18
53% of US homes lost value from 2024 — but it's not a crash
More than half of US homes have dropped from their peak value, according to Zillow. However, the statistic isn't dire as it seems, with the majority of homes holding their value between sales
by Marian McPherson Nov 17
Realtor.com puts 'spotlight' on listing agents with new feature
Realtor.com has released Spotlight Listings, a new marketing tool that enables agents to drive additional traffic to their listings, and made a major update to lead-gen tool Local Expert
by Marian McPherson Nov 12
Veterans have been 'priced out,' left behind by the housing market
The share of home listings that veterans can afford has dropped from roughly 57% in 2015 to 21.8% in 2025, as rising costs and slowing wage growth put more of the market out of reach
by Marian McPherson Nov 11
Zillow expands tech stack to include collaborative search
Zillow's second product launch of the year includes collaborative search. Buyers can now invite family and friends to help them search and discuss listings through in-app messaging
by Marian McPherson Oct 29
KW's Jason Abrams on the 'paradox' of artificial intelligence
Keller Williams Head of Industry and Learning Jason Abrams talks about the balance between technology and touch amid the rise of artificial intelligence.
by Marian McPherson Oct 28
'Ralph Lauren Christmas' is going viral. Here's how real estate agents can nail it
Ralph Lauren Christmas has taken over TikTok, with the brand's former designers explaining how to recreate the magic of its retail decor. Here's how you can use it in your next listing
by Marian McPherson Oct 27