Existing Home Prices Outpace New Homes for 4th Straight Quarter
For the fourth consecutive quarter, existing‑home prices have eclipsed new‑home prices, with the median existing home about $1,400 higher than the $403,200 median for a new home in early 2026. New‑home values slipped 4.7% over the past year, while existing‑home prices kept climbing, albeit at a slower pace. Builders are countering rising material costs by constructing smaller houses on tighter lots and offering buyer incentives. Regional dynamics, especially a surge in the West, amplified price swings and sales volumes.
Homebuyer ‘Malaise’ Evident as Sales, Applications Fall
New‑home sales slipped 6.2% from March and 11.3% year‑over‑year in April, while pending sales and mortgage applications also declined. The 30‑year fixed mortgage rate edged up to 6.53%, keeping affordability under pressure despite a modest improvement from a year ago....
Opt-In Deals Totaling $106M Approved in Tuccori
A federal judge preliminarily approved eleven opt‑in settlements totaling about $106 million in the Tuccori home‑buyer commission case. The deals involve major players such as the National Association of Realtors, HomeServices, Compass, eXp World Holdings and Hanna Holdings. Combined with earlier...
Housing Market Won’t Be Affordable for at Least 7 Years: Report
Oxford Economics’ latest Housing Affordability Index sits at 77.9 in Q1 2026, well below the 100 level that signals broadly affordable homes. The firm projects three scenarios: affordability could reach 100 by 2033 if home prices stay flat and mortgage rates...
There's More to M&A Success than a Good Purchase Price
Mark Lukes warns that focusing solely on the headline purchase price can mislead sellers in M&A deals. He introduces the concept of “guardrails”—contractual terms that allocate risk, set expectations, and control how value is transferred over time. The article stresses...
Down Payments Drop to 4-Year Low of $23K
Realtor.com reports the median U.S. home down payment slipped to $23,400 in Q1 2026, the lowest since 2021 and 19% lower than a year earlier. The decline marks the fourth straight quarterly drop as inventory rises and home‑price competition eases. Seller...
Google Home Listings Are Back in 8 Major Markets
Google has revived its home‑listing pilot, now live on mobile in eight major U.S. markets—including Chicago, Miami, Austin, and the San Francisco Bay Area—through a partnership with data provider HouseCanary. The program is designed to give consumers a simpler search experience...
Redfin Debuts ‘Early Access,’ Giving Homesellers ‘More Control’
Redfin introduced an "Early Access" listing tier on May 18, allowing homes to be shown to buyers without accruing days on market or displaying price‑drop history. The feature lets sellers test market interest before committing to full public exposure, and...
Former Zillow Execs Talk Startups, AI and a ‘Discouraging’ Trend
Former Zillow leaders discussed the challenges of transitioning to startups, the impact of AI on hiring, and industry distractions amid a housing‑affordability crisis. Greg Schwartz highlighted the need for speed and focus, while Luis Poggi emphasized AI‑driven productivity and disciplined...
B&W Appoints a New Baird to the Board, Promotes President
Baird & Warner, Chicago’s largest independent brokerage, announced that Lucy Baird, daughter of President‑CEO Steve Baird, has been appointed chief stewardship officer and vice‑chair of the board, marking the firm’s sixth‑generation family leadership. Long‑time executive Laura Ellis was promoted to...
Sellers Lose over $2K on Typical Dual Agency Transaction: Study
Zillow’s analysis of 15 million home sales from 2023‑2025 shows sellers forfeited nearly $1.5 billion in dual‑agency transactions and $1.36 billion when listings were kept off the MLS. On average, dual‑agency deals shaved $2,165 off each sale, while off‑MLS listings reduced prices by...
‘Bright Promote’ Launches; ATTOM Retools Data Framework
Bright MLS unveiled Bright Promote, an integrated advertising tool that lets agents launch Facebook and Instagram campaigns the moment a listing goes live, pulling data and photos automatically. ATTOM introduced ATTOM Intelligence, a new data‑element framework and digital experience designed...
Zillow Sues Compass, MRED over ‘Collusion’ to Hide Listings
Zillow has filed a federal antitrust lawsuit against Compass and the Chicago‑based MLS MRED, accusing them of colluding to conceal listings and pressure Zillow to reinstate Compass’s private listings. The complaint alleges that MLS Grid threatened to terminate Zillow’s feed...
Avanti Way’s Big Bet on Tech Takes a Conversational AI Turn
Avanti Way Realty, a Florida‑based indie brokerage with roughly 2,000 agents, unveiled a conversational AI tool that lets agents draft contracts, update transactions and pull market data via text, WhatsApp or voice. The AI sits atop a proprietary, fully integrated...
Douglas Elliman Eyes ‘Long-Term Strategy’ After Q1 Revenue Dip
Douglas Elliman reported Q1 2026 revenue of $214.3 million, a 15% decline from the same period last year, and posted a net loss of $16.3 million after a profitable Q4. The brokerage highlighted its international expansion into Canada, France, Monaco, the Caribbean...