‘Family-friendly’ neighborhood? Expect to pay 42% more

New data shows that homes in family-friendly neighborhoods cost 42 percent more on average, highlighting how demand for top schools, safety and amenities is reshaping affordability across U.S. housing markets. Continue reading

Opendoor acquires part of Doma to cut refinance closing costs

The deal pairs Opendoor’s closing infrastructure with Doma’s AI title automation, including a Fannie Mae pilot program, extended through 2027, that has eliminated title insurance requirements for about 80 percent of eligible refinance transactions. Continue reading

Over 460K documents and counting: Catch up on the FTC’s legal battle with Zillow and Redfin

The FTC sued Zillow and Redfin last September over a major rental syndication deal. A new filing shows the portals have provided hundreds of thousands of documents for the case. Continue reading

Douglas Elliman taps Areeje Akhtar Oriol as chief of staff to CEO

Oriol brings more than 15 years of experience in luxury brand strategy and brokerage platform development to the role. Continue reading

Quit Googling ‘housing crash,’ economist says. It’s a correction

Economist Lisa Sturtevant says the U.S. housing market isn’t heading for a crash but a gradual correction as affordability pressures and economic uncertainty reshape buyer and seller behavior. Continue reading

How to find the freedom your team was supposed to provide

You built the team for freedom, but without the right financial architecture underneath it, a real estate team doesn’t reduce your risk, Amanda Neely writes. It multiplies it. Continue reading

What you should know about Zillow Pro: ‘If you’re already married, I’m going to stop offering you dates’

In this episode of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered, Jun Choo breaks down Zillow Pro, how it works, and why it could completely change how agents manage relationships inside the Zillow ecosystem. Continue reading

ChatGPT isn’t sabotaging real estate deals. It’s exposing how they’re made

The agents who will remain effective amid the rise of AI are the ones who help clients understand how to make decisions before the answer ever matters, broker Deb Siefkin writes.  Continue reading

The 2026 luxury playbook: What real estate agents need to know

When shopping at $5 million and above, today’s luxury homebuyers are operating at a level where precision and preparation make all the difference, CEO Daniel Ickowicz writes. Continue reading

Behind the scenes: Operational insights from scaling The Agency

The Agency President Rainy Hake Austin shares lessons learned from expanding into 150 offices across 14 countries. Continue reading