Home insurance rates are cooling — but they’ve jumped 45% since 2022

After several years of sharp hikes in premiums and coverage challenges, the U.S. home insurance market is showing early signs of stabilization, according to a new report from digital insurance agency Matic. Affordability remains a top concern, with climate events, deductibles and aging roofs all pla

Adriana D. Kugler, who helps set interest rates, resigns as Fed governor

The Federal Reserve Board announced on Friday that Adriana D. Kugler will step down from her position as governor. Kugler, whose term was set to expire at the end of January 2026, joined the board of governors in September 2023 after being nominated by former President Joe Biden. She submitted her l

Trump meets with big bank CEOs to talk about taking the GSEs public: Bloomberg

President Donald Trump appears to be taking another step to bring Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac out of conservatorship, according to reporting by Bloomberg on Thursday. The president has invited the leaders of some of the country’s biggest banks, including JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, Goldman Sachs

Rocket returns to profitability in Q2, yields early benefits from Redfin deal

Rocket Companies, the parent of Rocket Mortgage, has returned to profitability despite a challenging second quarter for the mortgage industry, marked by economic uncertainties in the U.S. The company is now focusing on integrating the recently acquired real estate brokerage firm Redfin, which has al

Agent count a bright spot for eXp in Q2 2025

The second quarter of 2025 may not have shaken out exactly as the leaders of eXp World Holdings would have liked, but one bright spot was agent count at eXp Realty.  Although agent count was down 5% annually to 82,704 agents, Q2 2025 marked the first time in a year that eXp recorded sequential quart

Connecticut firms merge under Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate brand

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gaetano Marra Homes and Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Bannon & Hebert have merged operations — expanding their presence across Connecticut and consolidating under the Gaetano Marra Homes name. The merger brings together approximately 150 affiliated sales a

Redfin integrates CubiCasa interactive floor plans

Redfin has partnered with CubiCasa to integrate interactive floor plans and virtual tours into its real estate listings. Redfin is the first major home search platform to adopt CubiCasa’s interactive media directly into listings, supporting a growing demand among buyers for visual tools that help to

John L. Scott CEO unpacks AI strategies and MLS consolidation

On this week’s RealTrending podcast, host Tracey Velt welcomes Lennox Scott, CEO of John L. Scott Real Estate, a company with nearly a century of legacy and leadership. With close to five decades of industry experience, Scott brings deep insights into both the past and future of real estate. Their c

LeadingRE adds Smartify Media for digital display technology

Smartify Media has been named an exclusive provider of digital display technology for Leading Real Estate Companies of the World (LeadingRE) and its global network of more than 550 real estate firms. Smartify, which was recently recognized as the 2025 Startup of the Year by the Advertising Club of N

Mortgage application payments declined in June, indicating improved affordability

Homebuyer affordability improved in June, as evidenced by the national median payment for purchase mortgage applicants decreasing to $2,172 — down from $2,211 in May. That’s according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA)’s Purchase Applications Payment Index (PAPI), which measures how new month

LPT Realty expands in southern California

Premier Property Partners founders Rich Johnson and Shirin Alipanah are joining LPT Realty — expanding its operations in San Diego and Palm Desert. Johnson, former owner and broker of San Diego Homes and Estates, and Alipanah, a former tech executive at Meta, bring decades of experience and a combin

Real estate brokerage profit margins show signs of stabilization

Real estate brokerages may no longer be at the profitability peak they hit during the height of the pandemic housing market, but their margins are showing signs of stabilization after the market rapidly shifted in 2022 due to the interest rate hikes, according to data published by real estate broker

Compass CFO Kalani Reelitz announces departure

Compass Real Estate Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Kalani Reelitz will leave his position at the end of this month, the company announced during its second-quarter earnings call. Chief Accounting Officer Scott Wahlers will be promoted to Compass CFO — with the move becoming effective at the end of Au

Compass posts record performance in Q2

Compass Real Estate reported its strongest quarterly performance in company history during the second quarter — delivering record revenue and profitability despite challenging housing market conditions. The company reported a 21.1% year-over-year revenue increase to $2.06 billion in the second quart

Trump signs VA foreclosure prevention bill into law

President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed Rep. Derrick Van Orden’s bill, the VA Home Loan Program Reform Act, into law after it received approval last week from the Senate. The VA Home Loan Program Reform Act will reform the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) mortgage program by adding a part

Realty Executives International unifies Arizona operations

Realty Executives International will consolidate its Arizona operations under a single ownership structure, effective Aug. 1. The consolidation combines the company’s Phoenix and Yuma brokerages with existing offices in Tucson, northern Arizona and the White Mountains under the Realty Executives Ari

Arizona homebuilders challenge groundwater restrictions

As Arizona grapples with rapid growth and a changing climate, long-standing groundwater regulations are being tested in courtrooms, boardrooms and booming desert suburbs. Developers and regulators are locked in a deepening dispute over how to manage the state’s finite water supplies — with the futur

RE/MAX adds high-performing Hawaii brokerage

RE/MAX is expanding its presence in Hawaii with the addition of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Advantage Realty, a top-performing brokerage led by veteran real estate executive Myron Kiriu. The firm will officially join the RE/MAX network on Friday under the name RE/MAX Hawaii. The move brings

Southern California luxury brokerage joins eXp Realty

The nation’s top brokerage by transaction side count, eXp Realty, is continuing to add agents. On Wednesday, eXp announced that Southern California-based independent brokerage Palm Realty Boutique was joining the firm.  Founded by Brett Zebrowski, Palm Realty Boutique serves clients in the South Bay

Compass, Zillow iron out lawsuit discovery terms

Compass and Zillow might disagree on many things, but when it comes to the proposed parameters of their expedited discovery, the two adversaries managed to agree on a few items.  In a joint letter filed on Monday addressed to Judge Jeanette A. Vargas, the parties outlined their proposals for the exp