Douglas Elliman of California and former escrow head settle lawsuits

The lawsuits alleging kickbacks by high profile brokers, which were launched in October, are now resolved. Founder and former CEO of Portfolio Escrow Bill Grasska said he is “committed to ensuring my name remains synonymous with integrity and excellence.” Continue reading

Alexander brothers kept in custody after Friday court appearance

Oren and Alon will be held in federal custody at least until their detention hearing on Dec. 30. Assistant U.S. Attorneys said in a new filing that Tal’s motion to reopen his detention hearing “should be denied in its entirety.” Continue reading

Sherry Chris steps down from advisory role at Anywhere

A year and a half after transitioning from her chief executive position to an advisory role, Chris announced that she’s “on to a new adventure.” Continue reading

Fifth Wall Ventures targets $500M for new real estate tech fund

Fifth Wall Ventures, a venture-capital firm, plans to raise an impressive $500 million for a new fund, the Fifth Wall REACT Fund, according to a new regulatory filing on Wednesday. Continue reading

Existing-home sales surge to highest level in more than 3 years

Existing-home sales rose 6.1 percent annually in November while three out of four U.S. regions saw increases from 2023, according to new data released Thursday by the National Association of Realtors. Continue reading

RentRedi landlords can now offer Thumbtack’s vendor network

Thumbtack’s mobile task scheduling and consumer-first real estate care solution overlaps well with RentRedi’s iOS and Android applications by offering landlords and tenants a consistent vertical user experience. Continue reading

LA property where actress Brittany Murphy died lists for $18M

The Los Angeles mansion where late actress Brittany Murphy and her husband Simon Monjack died has long been the source of fascination and speculation. Now, the property is back on the market for $18 million, according to a Realtor.com report. Continue reading

News Knockout: Final 4 stories of 2024 compete for your vote

Which two top stories of 2024 will advance to the finals? Inman readers cast their votes today to weigh in on the most consequential stories of the year. Continue reading

JOME’s new construction portal nails $9.8M Series A

What JOME offers is an artificial intelligence engine that spiders a market to collate data on its new homes and build out a searchable, up-to-date consumer experience. Continue reading

Stocking stuffer: Urban Nest Realty takes 400 agents to Real

Likely catching the collective eye of Real co-founder and CEO Tamir Poleg and president Sharran Srivatsaa was Urban Nest’s 2023 numbers, consisting of 2,500 deals valued at $1.5 billion. Continue reading