Anywhere welcomes Barri Rafferty as chief communications officer

Anywhere Real Estate has appointed Barri Rafferty as its new chief communications officer and head of public affairs. In this role Rafferty will lead Anywhere’s public relations, communications, government relations, and events and productions functions.“I’m honored to take on a new challenge at Any

The juiciest details in Compass’s lawsuit against Zillow

Given the animosity between Compass and Zillow over the portal giant’s listing standards policy, it came as little surprise when the Robert Reffkin-helmed firm filed a lawsuit against Zillow Monday morning. While the complaint contains many of the anticipated claims, including that Zillow enacted th

The mortgage market hopes for rate cuts amid war moves

Global tensions between the United States and Iran have led many in the mortgage industry to wonder whether the bombing of Iran nuclear sites would move bond yields and lead to a drop in mortgage rates. On Monday, just as economists were factoring in the possibility of war with Iran, at least one me

Inventory is rising, but existing home sales remain in a major slump

The May existing-home sales report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows sales at just 4.03 million, a 0.7% decrease year over year and up 0.8% compared to April. It was the slowest May for existing home sales since 2009 and the fourth consecutive month with a year-over-year decline

FICO to add Buy Now, Pay Later data to credit scores

Fair Isaac Corp. (FICO) will incorporate Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) data into two of its credit scores set to launch in Fall 2025. The company, which owns the rights to the market’s most widely adopted consumer credit risk assessment methodology, announced the move on Monday.The change will provide m

Fed Vice Chair Michelle Bowman supports July interest rate cut

After the weekend’s global events, many expected that the bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities would influence bond yields, either up or down, today. However, the real surprise came from Michelle Bowman, Federal Reserve Vice Chair of Supervision, who talked about a potential rate cut in July.In a sp

The concerning math behind aging-in-place

Though more than half of Americans believe Medicare will cover long-term care expenses (58%), coverage is actually limited and short-term. Many families will need to adapt to rising healthcare costs, and it is a particular challenge as they seek to age-in-place in their home.That’s according to insu

No hacks, just hustle: The truth about real estate success

I’ve been in this business long enough to know the truth that most agents don’t want to hear: The road to real estate success isn’t paved with hacks or shortcuts. It’s built on consistency, accountability, and the willingness to do what’s hard, especially when you don’t feel like it.So let’s talk ab

How will mortgage rates react to US bombing of Iran?

On Saturday night, the U.S. bombed Iranian nuclear sites, sending shockwaves around the world and leading people to ask me what this means for mortgage rates. This type of global event can lead to significant market movements in oil prices, the U.S. dollar and the 10-year yield in the short term. Ho

New listings slowdown shows lack of home seller stress in 2025

The most notable housing trend for me in 2024 and 2025 has been inventory growth, particularly the increase in new listings during this time. I had set a minimal target of 80,000 new listings per week for 2025 and we’ve met that goal two times this year. However, the data for new listings is losing

Tech Pulse: Longbridge talks AI senior inclusivity, UWM details lending advancements

Welcome back to Tech Pulse — a new weekly series rounding up the latest in technology, including tools, integrations and trends that impact mortgage and real estate.Here’s what happened this week:Longbridge’s Bill Packer on crafting AI that’s inclusive of seniorsAs AI becomes more common in financia

Title tech firm Dono appoints revenue head

Dono, a company that offers artificial intelligence (AI)-based tools for title production, has appointed industry veteran Anthony Nalbone as its new head of revenue.Nalbone, who brings more than two decades of experience in the title insurance sector, joins Dono following a series of leadership role

Redfin, Thumbtack partner to connect homeowners with improvement pros

Redfin has launched a new feature in partnership with home services provider Thumbtack to help homeowners find and hire professionals for home improvement and maintenance projects.By claiming their property on Redfin and visiting the Owner Dashboard, homeowners can now access a range of services — i

ALTA promotes trio to bolster advocacy efforts

The American Land Title Association (ALTA) has announced three internal promotions as part of a broader effort to strengthen leadership and advocacy across the title insurance industry.Elizabeth BlosserElizabeth Blosser has been named as chief strategy, communications and innovation officer. She for

North Carolina real estate office reopens after Hurricane Helene devastation

Premier Sotheby’s International Realty has reopened its office in Asheville, North Carolina, marking a significant milestone in the region’s recovery from Hurricane Helene.The real estate agency, which was severely damaged in the storm, underwent extensive restoration over the past nine months. Its

The importance of meeting older customers where they are with AI technology

The expanding ubiquity of artificial intelligence (AI) across all facets of life is not showing any signs of a slowdown — and that includes its interactions with the reverse mortgage industry. Bill Packer, chief operating officer of Longbridge Financial, previously explained how senior-focused tailo

Without VASP, veterans don’t have a foreclosure safety net

There are about 80,000 veterans in the U.S. who are behind on their mortgages and heading toward foreclosure, according to data from ICE Mortgage Technology, a number that could have been alleviated with help from the Veteran Affairs Servicing Purchase (VASP) program.But just last month, the program

Netflix-featured real estate agent killed in hit-and-run

A New York real estate agent known for her appearance on Netflix’s “Million Dollar Beach House” was killed in a hit-and-run Thursday afternoon in the Hamptons, according to local reports.Sara Burack, 40, was found unconscious on a Hampton Bays road on Thursday afternoon. Authorities said she was pro

Top agents on how they built successful revenue share downlines

Real estate brokerages with revenue share models provide agents with a way to generate income beyond closing transactions with their own clients. But when it comes to creating a robust revenue-share downline, agents at two revenue share brokerages — eXp Realty and The Real Brokerage — say there is n

Redfin data reinforces boomers’ desires to remain in their homes

Adding fuel to what the baby boomer generation has been consistently saying for some time, a new Redfin survey shows that one-third of all boomer homeowners have no intention of selling their home. This further legitimizes claims that a “silver tsunami” of housing inventory is unlikely to materializ