USA Real Estate News-RISMedia

Just days after completing its $880 million acquisition of REMAX, the newly coined Real REMAX Group has decided it will no longer sell new Motto Mortgage franchises, instead choosing to prioritize investment in a unified mortgage platform. Additionally, also following the deal closing, Vic Lombardo, who was named president of REMAX’s mortgage services last year,…

The post Real REMAX Group Ceases Sales of New Motto Mortgage Franchises appeared first on RISMedia.

Above, Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh Real estate professionals anxiously awaiting lower mortgage rates may not see a decrease anytime soon, as it remains uncertain what action the Federal Reserve will take at its September meeting. In his debut speech at the 2026 Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium Friday in Wyoming, Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh…

The post In First Jackson Hole Speech, Fed Chair Kevin Warsh Remains Guarded on Rate Changes appeared first on RISMedia.

Above, from left, Leo Pareja, James Dwiggins and John Featherston Compass and Anywhere, Real and REMAX, eXp Realty and NextHome: In a real estate landscape defined by rapid change, these landmark consolidations have become some of the industry’s most talked-about trends.  In May, when virtual-focused brokerage eXp announced it is buying NextHome, it brought together…

The post Consolidation Up Close: eXp Realty and NextHome Leaders to Discuss the Benefits and Challenges of Acquisition appeared first on RISMedia.

The latest University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index, released Aug. 28, came in at 51.7 in August 2026, falling from 55.2 in July due to persistent inflation worries and a worsening economic outlook. “Consumer sentiment confirmed its early month reading, falling about 6% from last month and landing about 11% below a year ago amid…

The post Consumer Sentiment Drops in August; Economic Instability Cited appeared first on RISMedia.

You’ve spent your career at the intersection of real estate and technology. Tell us about your role at Zillow and what you’re most focused on right now. My role at Zillow is about making sure the industry serves consumers. I help lead our industry relations and partner education efforts, and a big part of that…

The post Closing the Gap Between What Consumers Expect and What They Experience: A Q&A With Matt Hendricks appeared first on RISMedia.

The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) released the 2026 Community Aid and Real Estate (CARE) report, highlighting the monetary and volunteer contributions of NAR members, broker/owners, association and MLS staff. The report found that 64% of Realtors® volunteer in their communities every month, and 84% made charitable donations over the past year. “Realtors® and their…

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In last week’s Sunday Showcase, we offered The One-Week Kitchen Test to Take Before Renovating. A week earlier we spotlighted How Owners Can Make Kitchens Look Expensive Without Renovating. Here we present the third kitchen segment of the trilogy . Recent kitchen-based research from Virlo, a short-form video trend intelligence platform, featured smart trash cans…

The post Smart Kitchen Gadgets Worth Buying…and Ones to Avoid appeared first on RISMedia.

Buyers who are waiting for rates to come down before making their home purchase will likely have to wait until next year for that to happen, according to economists commenting on this week’s mortgage data.  Mortgage rates changed little from last week, with the latest Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey® showing the 30-year fixed-rate…

The post Mortgage Rates See Little Change; Inflation Sidelining Would-Be Buyers appeared first on RISMedia.

Editor’s note: AI Pulse is RISMedia’s ongoing roundup of AI happenings, providing hype-free trends and real-world use cases to help navigate the rapidly evolving AI landscape. ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini fail as originators, show “extreme” bias As the mortgage industry appears just as eager as the real estate agent and broker community to boost their…

The post AI Pulse: Leading LLMs Bomb Mortgage Test; Google Rolls Back AI Satellite Images appeared first on RISMedia.

REMAX, part of the Real REMAX Group family of brands, announced on Aug. 27 with deep sorrow the passing of REMAX co-founder Gail Liniger. She was 81. A business visionary and luminary whose leadership built one of real estate’s most recognized and respected brands, REMAX called Liniger “a force of nature whose courage, brilliance and…

The post REMAX Mourns Loss of Co-Founder Gail Liniger appeared first on RISMedia.

On Wednesday, Aug. 26, U.S. District Judge ‌Myong Joun in the federal district of Massachusetts ruled that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) failed to justify a significant restructuring of a landmark fair housing program, after HUD said it would not disburse monies to hundreds of nonprofits that are charged with combatting housing…

The post Judge Blocks HUD From Upending Fair Housing Program appeared first on RISMedia.

Inflation slowly ticked back up according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) in its latest report, coinciding with several economic challenges faced throughout July.  The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index rose 0.2% month-over-month in July, a minor increase after June’s index fell 0.1%, according to the report. On a yearly basis, inflation’s pace…

The post Inflation Ticks Back Up, Reaches Nearly Double Fed’s 2% Goal appeared first on RISMedia.

Accompanying buyers to tour homes can be a more slippery endeavor than most agents realize. Clients will always share the big things they like about a home, and often ones they don’t like. But many may not provide opinions about “minor” turnoffs, especially if they feel they could be insulting to the owners. So it’s…

The post Subtle Scent and Sight Signals That Can Swiftly Stymie Sales appeared first on RISMedia.

For the lucky (or prescient) people who stacked some Bitcoin back when the digital currency sold for a few dollars instead of tens of thousands, there aren’t a lot of direct benefits if you don’t cash out. Crypto doesn’t pay dividends, and not a lot of banks are excited to see your bitcoin as collateral…

The post AI-Lender Better Launches Crypto Down Payment Loan appeared first on RISMedia.

Economic uncertainty has once again put pressure on mortgage applications, taking a downturn in response to mortgage rates rising once again, according to the latest data. The Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey saw applications dip 1% for the week ending Aug. 21. On an unadjusted basis, applications dipped 2%.  MBA’s Vice President…

The post Refinance Activity ‘Dampened’ Due to Continued Economic Challenges appeared first on RISMedia.

Younger Americans often hear lectures from their older counterparts on what it means to be an adult, and the importance of eventually owning a home. A stereotypical baby boomer may admonish millennials and Gen Z for not yet owning a home, believing that these young adults are simply content to remain unemployed and dwell in…

The post Nests Remain Full as Unaffordability Keeps ‘Shadow Buyers’ at Home appeared first on RISMedia.

Above, from left, Becky Beyer and Stephanie Bowling  Pillar To Post Home Inspectors announced that two members of its marketing leadership team have been recognized by Franchise Assembly: Becky Beyer, vice president of Marketing, was named a 2026 Franchise Marketing Trailblazer and Stephanie Bowling, senior director of Marketing, was recognized as a 2026 Franchise Marketing…

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Lofty has announced Lofty Front—a new acquisition and conversion engine designed to establish agents as local market experts.  The concierge-built IDX website—engineered to rank on Google and AI search—is offered as a stand-alone product (compatible with any tech stack) or connected directly to Lofty AOS. Lofty said that Lofty Front will help transform an agent’s…

The post Lofty Unveils Lofty Front: Websites Engineered For SEO and AEO appeared first on RISMedia.

HomeServices of America has announced that Prosperity Home Mortgage, LLC, its wholly owned mortgage company, is adding mortgage servicing to the HomeServices portfolio of services. The company aims to extend the company’s relationship with consumers from the beginning of their home search through the life of their mortgage. According to the company, the additional service…

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Editor’s Note: Social Skills is a bi-monthly feature in RISMedia’s Daily News focused on social media and digital marketing tips, trends and solutions for agents and brokers. As an agent, you’re going to be presenting yourself as an expert in many facets of the business, but one of the strongest ways to attract clients has…

The post Get Local With It: Building Your Hyperlocal Brand on Instagram appeared first on RISMedia.