Zillow removes photos at center of CoStar suit from site

Zillow has begun removing the images at the center of CoStar’s copyright infringement lawsuit from its site this week.  A Zillow spokesperson confirmed that the listing portal giant is only removing images that are of issue in the lawsuit and that it is notifying partners of the removals. Additional

Florida House committee to discuss eliminating property taxes

A Florida House select committee will meet later this month to discuss cutting or eliminating property taxes as Gov. Ron DeSantis continues pressing for action. A Thursday post from Florida Realtors said the House Select Committee on Property Taxes is tentatively scheduled to convene the afternoon o

Modular construction advancements could help address the housing shortage

Although modular construction has been a long-time construction option, advancements in technology, data and automation are making it more viable at scale, according to recent research from McKinsey & Co., which analyzed more than 700 companies in 50 countries. The data draws on interviews conducted

Compass’s exclusive inventory is on the rise

Despite the threat of having their listings banned from Zillow, it appears that more and more Compass home seller clients are choosing to use at least some parts of Compass’s three-phase marketing plan and listing their property as a Compass exclusive.  Since bottoming out in mid-July, the number of

IMBs urge Treasury, FHFA to preserve G-fee parity and cash window

A coalition of 46 independent mortgage banks (IMBs) is calling for guarantee-fee parity and a competitive cash window in a letter sent Friday to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte.  The push comes as the Trump administration signals pl

Kuper Sotheby’s International Realty adds veteran agents in Austin, San Antonio

Kuper Sotheby’s International Realty has added two established real estate agents to its team in central and south Texas, the company announced Tuesday. Eric Copper joins the Austin office with more than 20 years of experience in luxury real estate. He previously served as a broker for Keller Willia

Premier Sotheby’s International Realty restructures North Carolina marketing team

Premier Sotheby’s International Realty has reorganized its North Carolina marketing support team — naming two specialists who will provide regional services to its agents. Hunter Parrish was appointed senior advisor marketing specialist for the firm’s Asheville and western North Carolina offices, in

HomeAdvantage forms advisory board with credit union leaders

HomeAdvantage has established an advisory board made up of executives from credit unions across the country, the company announced. The board aims to provide guidance, share industry insights and help shape product development as HomeAdvantage works to expand its programs and strengthen partnerships

Crittora launches secure real estate document delivery tool

Crittora has introduced Qripton Verify — a platform designed to protect title companies, closing attorneys and real estate professionals from fraud attempts that have become increasingly common in property transactions. The American Land Title Association (ALTA) estimates that one in three real esta

Moody’s economist warns of recession, housing market risk

The U.S. economy may be closer to recession than the Trump administration acknowledges, with housing and construction poised to feel the pinch first, according to Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics. In an interview with Newsweek, Zandi said his biggest fear, one he has warned about for

Final Offer launches in Texas with Keller Williams brokerages

Final Offer — a digital platform for home listings and offer negotiations — has expanded into the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area through partnerships with several Keller Williams brokerages, the company announced Tuesday. Participating offices include GO Network — Keller Williams’ largest franchise ne

Taxing health care benefits could reduce the Social Security gap by 25%

A new report suggests that counting the value of employer-sponsored health insurance (ESI) toward taxable wages could generate about $400 more in annual payroll taxes per worker, shrinking Social Security’s long-term funding gap by roughly 25% in 75 years.   The report published Tuesday by the Cente

K2 Omni Group joins eXp Realty

The top brokerage in the country by transaction side count is welcoming another top-producing team. K2 Omni Group is joining eXp Realty, according to an announcement on Tuesday.  The team was founded by Kiki and Kristina Salcido, along with their business partners Nathan Armstrong and Berenice Holde

Top NYC broker joins Brown Harris Stevens

New York City brokerage Brown Harris Stevens is welcoming a top broker to its ranks. On Tuesday, the firm announced that Shawnalei Tamayose was making the move to Brown Harris Stevens.  “Brown Harris Stevens is the best-kept secret in real estate when it comes to agent support, marketing prowess, an

Introducing the 2025 Vanguards

HousingWire today announced the winners of the annual Vanguards award, celebrating its 11th year of recognizing the housing industry’s most influential executives. This year, 100 leaders across mortgage, real estate, and tech have been named to the prestigious list, underscoring their exceptional le

Advalis CEO speaks on expanded FinCEN compliance platform

Compliance software provider Advalis has launched a new version of its platform designed specifically for title companies, escrow officers and settlement agents facing the upcoming Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule. The rule, which takes effect Dec.

Lower mortgage rates pushed inventory lower in August

Have lower mortgage rates altered the dynamics of the housing market based on our data? Now that August has come to an end, it’s clear that they have — and the results have surprised me. In recent years, it has typically taken sustained mortgage rates of around 6% to impact housing data. However, I

Trump’s ‘liberation day’ tariffs ruled illegal, but stay in place for now

The sweeping tariffs President Trump implemented on April 2 have been ruled illegal by a federal appeals court that said Trump did not have the power under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to levy tariffs. However, the court is allowing the tariffs to stay in place until a lower court

Tech Pulse: Smart home tools for seniors; AI marketing for agents

Welcome back to Tech Pulse — HousingWire‘s weekly series rounding up the latest in technology news, including tools, integrations and trends that impact mortgage and real estate. Here’s what happened this week: The new smart home technology that’s helping seniors age in place With seniors now outnum

Does the trigger leads bill opt-in provision wave goodbye to competition?

A long-awaited crackdown on trigger leads is on its way to President Donald Trump’s desk, but not everyone in the mortgage world is celebrating. Nestled in the bill is a provision that’s leading professionals to raise doubts about whether the measure is a consumer safeguard or a competition killer.