National News

mortgage applications
MBA: Mortgage applications rise as housing inventory increases 

The most recent Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey shows homebuyer activity continued despite the economic uncertainty. 

NAR: GOP tax plan ‘very positive’ for real estate 

The first draft of the legislation contains provisions like an expanded SALT deduction that the association said were high on its list of priorities. 

HomeSmart upgrades yard signs with SmartSigns and SmartRiders

HomeSmart’s yard signs will now have QR codes and NFC (Near Field Communication) tags allowing home shoppers to access property details.

NAR: Staging a home can increase sale price by up to 10%

Homes that are professionally staged not only attract more attention from potential buyers — they also sell faster and for more money, according to data from the National Association of Realtors’® 2025 Profile of Home Staging.  

Keller Williams hires CFO, makes interim COO’s appointment official 

New CFO Tim Dieffenbecher previously served with CEO Chris Czarnecki at Broadstone Net Lease and Broadstone Real Estate. 

Cotality: Pace of home-price growth slows in March on economic concerns 

Despite the deceleration, the company, formerly known as CoreLogic, expects prices to rise another 4.9% over the next year.

Breaking into the luxury market starts with crafting a presence

Building a luxury real estate brand starts with a luxurious website, says Malte Kramer, founder and CEO of Luxury Presence.

March’s interest-rate slide prompts jump in pending home sales 

The National Association of REALTORS’® Pending Home Sales Index rose 6.9% in March, compared to economists’ expectations of a smaller 1% gain.

New-home sales climb in March in the face of high mortgage rates

The pace of sales rose 7.4% compared to February, topping analyst estimates by a large margin.

MBA: Mortgage applications fall almost 13% on interest rate surge 

The average 30-year mortgage saw its contract interest rate jump to 6.90% from 6.81% the week before, the Mortgage Bankers Association said. 

New-home construction drops more than expected in March 

The surprisingly large decline in the pace of housing starts comes as builder sentiment remains depressed by tariff worries and high prices. 

Redfin joins the Clear Cooperation fray; won’t publish listings until they’re on the MLS 

In a statement, Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman also asked MLSs to create a “coming-soon” designation that precludes search sites from showing listing history. 

Off-MLS listing leads to lower selling prices, especially in communities of color

By choosing to list their homes privately, homesellers in 2023 and 2024 forwent a collective $1 billion, according to new research from Zillow.

Rocket to acquire Mr. Cooper for $9.4 billion 

The acquisition of the mortgage servicer comes on the heels of Rocket’s $1.75 billion deal for Redfin. 

NAR announces 61 job cuts, additions to senior leadership team

NAR recently announced major staffing changes. These include the elimination of 41 current positions and 20 open roles as well as multiple additions to the senior leadership team.

Pending home sales post surprise gain in February but remain sluggish 

The National Association of REALTORS’® Pending Home Sales Index rose 2% month over month in February, topping an expected 0.9% gain. 

Oops! We could not locate your form.