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Real Estate Industry

“All the news that's fit to print,” or to click, as the case may be, can be found right here at your favorite real estate social networking site, ActiveRain. And here you thought it was merely a great place to chat with colleagues and slap up a blog post or two.


We know you're busy – whether it's trying to fill your pipeline or following up on what's already popped out of the bottom of it. Who has time to read? And, while real estate market news geared toward consumers is easy to round up on the Internet, news for brokers and Realtors is a bit harder to come by.


Your friends at ActiveRain understand how important each of those 168 hours in every week is so we've made it easy for you by consolidating everything you need to know to keep up-to-date with the real estate industry right here, in one place.


How are housing starts looking? Has the FHFA launched any new efforts? How's that Fannie and Freddie loan limit rollercoaster doing?


You've got the questions and your colleagues here at AR have the answers. It's at your fingertips – finally.

Recent blogs on Real Estate Industry
By William Piotrowski, Just Call William 630-881-8655
(Diamond Residential Mortgage Corporation )
🏦📈 MORTGAGE RATES HIT A 7-WEEK HIGH 📈🏦Mortgage rates moved higher again last week as inflation concerns and global economic uncertainty pushed bond yields upward.According to the MBA:📌 The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate climbed to 6.56%📌 Highest level in 7 weeks📌 Purchase applications fell 4%📌 Total mortgage applications dropped to a 5-week low💡 WHAT’S DRIVING RATES HIGHER?⚠️ Rising fuel and energy costs⚠️ Inflation concerns⚠️ Global debt worries⚠️ Geopolitical uncertainty impacting bond marketsRemember:Mortgage rates follow the bond market closely — especially the 10-Year Treasury.🏠 BUYERS ARE ADAPTINGOne major trend?👉 More borrowers are exploring adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs).📊 ARM applications jumped to 9.6% of all applications — the highest level since October 2025.Why?Becau...
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By Ralph Magin, Miami Homes For Sale
(Coldwell Banker Realty)
Most sellers come into the market with one number in mind. And it’s often the one that costs them the most. That’s their asking price. A survey from Realtor.com shows about 8 in 10 (80%) of sellers expect to sell at or above their asking price today. But here’s where things get interesting.In reality, only about 4 out of every 10 (roughly 40%) actually do.That’s a big gap. And it’s where sellers get caught off guard. So, why the disconnect? And how can you set yourself up to be one of the 4 in 10 that get top dollar? Let’s break it down.What Should You Really Expect To Get for Your House? That 40% may sound low at first, but it’s not.If you look back to the last typical year for the housing market (2019), what we’re really seeing is a return to what’s normal (see chart below). If anythi...
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By Peter Mohylsky, Broker, Call me at 850-517-7098
(Property Management Inc.-Destin)
For many people, home is more than just a place to live, it’s where life’s memories, routines, and comfort live too.  We have very specific ideas on where and how we live.  Lots of it is very emotionally based rather than economically based.  Why live in a 4 bedroom mansion when the kids have already left the house?  🏡As needs change over time, finding ways to make a home safer, more functional, and easier to maintain can make a big difference in supporting long-term independence.Whether that means downsizing, relocating, or modifying a current home, there are many paths to creating the right fit for the years ahead.If you or a loved one are starting to think about future housing needs, send me a message and let’s chat.#thehelpfulagent #houseexpert #a052026 #investment #dreamhome
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By Joe Jackson, Clintonville and Central Ohio Real Estate Expert
(Keller Williams Capital Partners Realty)
How does heavy rainfall affect home showers in the central Ohio and Columbus area?   Heavy rainfall in Central Ohio absolutely impacts home showings — and usually more than many agents want to admit. In markets like Columbus and the surrounding suburbs, rain changes both buyer psychology and actual logistics. Here’s the real-world breakdown: What Heavy Rain Usually Does to Showings 1. Casual buyers disappear When it’s pouring rain, the “just browsing” buyers tend to stay home. The people still out looking are often: More serious More motivated On tighter timelines Relocating Under contract already themselves So overall traffic drops, but the quality of the buyers sometimes improves. 2. Open houses get hit harder than private showings This is especially true in: suburban neighborhoods h...
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By Jose Segarra, When Experience Matters, Hire Real Estate Veteran
(Homevets Realty LLC)
A working broker’s honest take on where AI is actually helping us — and where it still falls flat.I have been watching two trend lines this year and they tell the same story from opposite ends.Eighty-two percent of real estate agents now use AI in their business, according to RPR’s February 2026 survey. Sixty-eight percent of us use it daily or several times a week. The Delta Media survey of brokerage leaders puts the number at 97 percent. Almost every brokerage in the country now reports their agents are using AI in some form.Here is the part most agents are missing. 82 percent of American consumers are also using AI for real estate insights. Realtor.com’s survey found ChatGPT (67 percent) and Gemini (54 percent) are the two platforms buyers are turning to before they ever land on a po...
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By Adam Scard, World traveler and lover of real estate trends
In the commercial real estate world, data is absolutely everything. Whether you are an experienced investor looking to scale up your portfolio or a commercial mortgage broker trying to hunt down the best possible terms for a client, you simply cannot rely on a gut feeling. Every single deal that actually closes is built on a foundation of cold, hard numbers. Understanding these metrics inside and out is what separates a highly profitable investment from a massive financial mistake that can completely drain your capital for years.When you make the jump from residential real estate to commercial property financing, the underwriting process changes entirely. Lenders care a lot less about an individual borrower's personal income and far more about the actual income-generating potential of t...
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By Adam Scard, World traveler and lover of real estate trends
More and more modern consumers are paying attention to certain buying features that make their lives easier and more convenient. Sure, there are always certain aspects that are vital in home selection, such as its size or proximity to work or other key locations. But people nowadays are willing to pay for those properties that can offer them a certain lifestyle rather than just an opportunity to live comfortably.Outdoors have been gaining popularity and necessity for the last several years, and homeowners are looking for backyards that are comfortable, relaxing, and at the same time not demanding.While swimming pools have been viewed by home buyers as luxury items, they have started seeing pools differently. The new generation looks for properties with smart pools that are easy to clean...
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By GilbertRealtor BillSalvatore, Realtor - 602-999-0952 / em: golfArizona@cox.net
(Arizona Elite Properties )
Bill Salvatore of Arizona Elite Properties featured a post toRe-Blog today on Active Rain. Good post by Sam today, andworthy of our daily Re-B. Gilbert AZ  GILBERT ARIZONA HOMES FOR SALE, Bill Salvatore, AZVHV / HelpingArizona Heroes, New-Construction Advantage, Realtor, sell my house, 2026Market, Chandler   #Sellmyhouse #whatsmyhomeworth #homevalues#2026market #ArizonaEliteProperties #ChandlerAZ#yourValleyProperty #GilbertRealtor #AZVHV#buyingaHome #LiveinSunnyAZ #BillSalvatore 🏡 WHO’S DRIVING THE REMODELING BOOM? Homeowners spent an incredible $670 BILLION on remodeling projects in 2024 — and the trends tell a powerful story about today’s housing market. With higher mortgage rates and limited inventory, more families are choosing to improve the home they already own instead of moving....
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By William Piotrowski, Just Call William 630-881-8655
(Diamond Residential Mortgage Corporation )
🏡 WHO’S DRIVING THE REMODELING BOOM?Homeowners spent an incredible $670 BILLION on remodeling projects in 2024 — and the trends tell a powerful story about today’s housing market.With higher mortgage rates and limited inventory, more families are choosing to improve the home they already own instead of moving.🔨 WHAT’S DRIVING THE SPENDING?✔️ Aging housing stock✔️ Growing families needing more space✔️ Remote work lifestyle changes✔️ Homeowners tapping equity for upgrades✔️ “Stay and renovate” replacing “sell and move”📊 WHO’S SPENDING THE MOST?👨‍👩‍👧 Married couples with children continue leading remodeling activity, especially families ages 35–44.💰 Higher-income households ($200k+) accounted for nearly 40% of all remodeling spending.👴 Baby Boomers spent the most overall — over $254 BILLIO...
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By William Piotrowski, Just Call William 630-881-8655
(Diamond Residential Mortgage Corporation )
🏡 PENDING HOME SALES RISE FOR THE THIRD STRAIGHT MONTH 📈The housing market continues showing signs of resilience as pending home sales climbed again in April, marking the third consecutive monthly increase.According to the National Association of Realtors, signed contracts on existing homes rose:✔️ 1.4% month-over-month✔️ 3.2% year-over-yearThat’s a strong signal that buyers are still actively entering the market despite elevated mortgage rates and ongoing affordability challenges.📊 REGIONAL SNAPSHOT:🔹 Northeast: +6.6%🔹 Midwest: +3.0%🔹 West: +0.4%🔹 South: -0.7% month-over-month (but still up 4.7% year-over-year)💡 WHAT’S DRIVING ACTIVITY?✔️ More inventory entering the market✔️ Buyers adjusting to today’s rates✔️ Pent-up demand from sidelined buyers✔️ Slight improvement in affordability e...
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By William Piotrowski, Just Call William 630-881-8655
(Diamond Residential Mortgage Corporation )
🏗️ NEW HOME PURCHASE APPLICATIONS DIP — WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE MARKET 📉New data from the Mortgage Bankers Association shows a slowdown in new home purchase activity as buyers continue reacting to higher rates and economic uncertainty.📊 KEY HIGHLIGHTS:🔻 Applications for new home purchases fell 2.4% year-over-year (first decline since Oct 2025)🔻 Down 10% month-over-month (unadjusted)🔻 Estimated annualized sales pace dropped to ~655,000 units🔻 Average loan size slipped to $378,384💡 WHAT’S DRIVING THE SLOWDOWN?• Mortgage rates holding around the mid-6% range• Ongoing inflation and geopolitical uncertainty• Buyers becoming more cautious on affordability• Builders relying more on incentives and rate buydowns🏠 LOAN MIX TREND:✔️ FHA: 35.7%✔️ VA: 13.7%✔️ USDA/RHS: 1.1%➡️ Over 50% of buyers using ...
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By Sam Thomas, When it's important; hire a professional.
(Providence Group Realty)
By Sam ThomasFor years, buyers mostly focused on things like: square footage updated kitchens open layouts large primary suites big backyards And those things still matter.But there’s another factor becoming much more important in today’s housing market.How a home feels.Not just how it photographs.Not just how impressive it looks online.Not just how it shows during an open house.Buyers are paying closer attention to how a home affects their mood, energy, stress levels, focus, and overall comfort.That shift is quietly changing what buyers prioritize when they walk through a home.What Is Wellness Design in Real Estate?One of the biggest emerging trends in housing right now is something called “wellness design.”In simple terms, wellness design means creating spaces that support how people ...
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By Kerri Naslund-Monday, Savvy Bay Area CA Real Estate Team Leader
(Keller Williams/ The Monday Team)
I want to talk about overpricing.Not in a vague, theoretical way. In a this-is-what-actually-happens-and-it-costs-real-money way.I've had this conversation more times than I can count. A seller comes in with a number in their head. Sometimes it came from Zillow. Sometimes it came from what their neighbor got three years ago in a completely different market. Sometimes it came from what they need to make the next purchase work financially ... which I understand, I genuinely do, but is not how market value works no matter how much we wish it were.And the agent ... who knows the number is too high ... has a choice.They can tell the seller what they want to hear, take the listing, and hope the market somehow agrees.Or they can have the honest conversation.I have watched agents take overprice...
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By Kerri Naslund-Monday, Savvy Bay Area CA Real Estate Team Leader
(Keller Williams/ The Monday Team)
Every year around this time I have some version of the same conversation with at least a handful of clients."Should we wait until after summer to list?"Or on the buyer side: "Is it even worth looking right now or does everything slow down?"And every year I give the same answer: it depends on what the holiday weekend is actually telling us ... which is different every single year and requires paying attention instead of defaulting to conventional wisdom.Here's the conventional wisdom: summer slows down. Families go on vacation. Buyers get distracted by barbecues and road trips and the general chaos of kids being home from school. The market takes a breath.And here's what's actually true: the Bay Area summer market is more nuanced than that and Memorial Day weekend is one of the best earl...
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By Linda Edelwich, Serving Glastonbury & Beyond | 218 New London Trnk
(William Raveis Real Estate)
If you're working with buyers who are considering Hebron, Connecticut, here are a few post-move realities that consistently come up in follow-up conversations. These insights can help you set accurate expectations early — and make for a smoother transition when buyers take possession.Lot Size and Rural Ownership RealitiesHebron's inventory skews toward larger lots — many properties include wooded buffers, long private driveways, and open acreage. Buyers often focus on square footage and list price, but the property's relationship to its land becomes a bigger lifestyle variable than most anticipate. Snow removal, ongoing lawn and tree maintenance, well and septic upkeep — these are meaningful ownership considerations that don't always get enough conversation during the transaction. Setti...
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By Adam Scard, World traveler and lover of real estate trends
Buying a home is exciting. For many people, it means more space, more freedom, and a place they can finally make their own. First-time buyers usually spend a lot of time looking at listings, comparing neighborhoods, saving for a down payment, and figuring out what kind of monthly mortgage payment they can handle.But there is another part of homeownership that does not always get enough attention: the expenses that show up after closing.A buyer may be ready for the down payment and closing costs, but that does not always mean they are ready for the full cost of owning a home. Once the keys are handed over, the homeowner becomes responsible for repairs, maintenance, utilities, insurance, taxes, and all the little surprises that come with taking care of a property.For real estate agents, t...
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By William Piotrowski, Just Call William 630-881-8655
(Diamond Residential Mortgage Corporation )
  🏗️🔥 CONSTRUCTION COSTS HEAT UP AGAIN 🔥🏗️ Building material prices used in residential construction are officially accelerating at the fastest pace in three years 👀 📊 KEY TAKEAWAYS (April data):• Building materials (ex-energy): +3.7% YoY• Fastest annual growth rate in 3 years• Prices rising 3%+ consistently since mid-2025 💥 Overall input costs:• Total residential construction inputs: +5.9% YoY• Goods: +6.1% YoY• Services: +3.7% YoY ⛽ ENERGY IS THE BIG DRIVER:• No. 2 diesel fuel: +74.4% YoY (!!)• Asphalt: +18% YoY• Lumber: +1.1% YoY• Some plywood & fiberboard still declining 💡 WHAT THIS MEANS FOR HOUSING: Higher input costs =🏡 More expensive new builds📉 Pressure on builder margins💰 Less pricing flexibility for buyers📊 Continued affordability strain in 2026 Even when demand cools… constr...
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By William Piotrowski, Just Call William 630-881-8655
(Diamond Residential Mortgage Corporation )
  📊🏡 NATIONAL MARKET UPDATE 🏡📊 The housing market continues to shift into a more balanced — and more competitive — phase heading into summer 👀 🏠 INVENTORY & LISTINGS: • New listings continue to outperform last year• Active inventory remains above 2025 levels• Buyers have more options heading into peak season 👉 Translation: supply is slowly building back into the market 💰 PRICING TRENDS: • Asking prices fell year-over-year for the 17th straight week• Sellers are becoming more flexible• Homes are still selling at a relatively steady pace 👉 Result: more realistic pricing is returning 📉 MARKET DYNAMICS: • Buyer demand = steady, but rate-sensitive• Seller activity = gradually increasing• Market = more balanced than the last few years 🏡 AFFORDABILITY UPDATE: There are early signs of improveme...
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By Adam Scard, World traveler and lover of real estate trends
When a house hits the market, first impressions don't just matter; they pretty much decide everything. And those first impressions almost always start outside. Before a buyer even reaches the front door, they've already started forming an opinion based on what they see. The curb. The lawn. The landscaping. The vibe.Curb appeal is one piece of it, sure, but the bigger picture is everything happening in the outdoor spaces overall. The yard. The patio. The features that make someone walk up and instantly start imagining their summer barbecues there. Buyers today aren't just looking for "a place to live." They're looking for a place to actually enjoy life. And the outdoor features of a home play a massive role in whether they feel that or not.Here are the outdoor details that really make a ...
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By William Piotrowski, Just Call William 630-881-8655
(Diamond Residential Mortgage Corporation )
🏗️🏡 SINGLE-FAMILY PERMITS CONTINUE TO WEAKEN IN EARLY 2026 🏡🏗️The housing market continues showing a split between single-family and multifamily construction activity in 2026.Higher financing costs, affordability challenges, and softer builder confidence are still slowing new single-family development — while multifamily construction remains more resilient.📊 THE NUMBERS🔻 Single-family permits:• 214,655 permits issued nationwide• Down 7.6% year-over-year🔺 Multifamily permits:• 121,404 permits issued• Up 7.1% year-over-year🏠 SINGLE-FAMILY CONSTRUCTION SLOWINGSingle-family permitting declined across ALL four regions:📉 Northeast: -17.1%📉 West: -9.3%📉 South: -7.4%📉 Midwest: nearly flatBuilders continue navigating:⚠️ higher interest rates⚠️ affordability pressures⚠️ elevated construction cost...
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