News / Features

What home buyers want in 2026

As the housing market continues to adjust, design and community strategy have become drivers of buyer preference, according to Jenni Nichols, vice president of design at John Burns Research and Consulting.

Rate named official mortgage lending partner of Alianza to expand bilingual homeownership education

Rate has entered a multi-year partnership with Alianza, a national grassroots soccer platform serving Latino communities, to expand access to bilingual homeownership education and financial resources. 

Neda Navab named president of Compass

The change comes as Robert Reffkin takes the role of chairman and CEO of the newly formed Compass International Holdings.

Judge denies Compass request for ‘Zillow ban’ injunction

“Today’s ruling is a clear victory not just for Zillow, but for consumers, agents, brokerages and the real estate industry at large,” a Zillow spokesperson told Agent Publishing.

Anywhere CEO Ryan Schneider departs as part of Compass merger

Ryan Schneider, former CEO of Anywhere Real Estate, has left the company following its acquisition by Compass, a representative from Anywhere confirmed. 

Keller Williams settles Batton class action for $20M

The brokerage is the first defendant in the lawsuit that alleges that it, RE/MAX, Anywhere Real Estate and the National Association of REALTORS® conspired to fix agent commissions and inflate home prices. 

Advocus National Title Insurance Co. expands leadership team to scale underwriting platform nationwide

Advocus National Title Insurance Company, a Rate-acquired company, has appointed Kelli Fogarty as executive vice president, business development and Stan Czaja as executive vice president and general manager as part of a strategic effort to scale its underwriting platform nationwide. 

Super Bowl LX: The ‘Big Game’ could mean big home-value boosts for Boston and Seattle

Zillow’s Home Value Index shows that in 13 of the past 20 years, home values in the metro area of the Super Bowl champion grew faster than the national average.

Fed holds interest rates steady

The Fed said that while economic activity has been expanding at a solid pace, job growth has remained low, and inflation is “somewhat elevated.”  

‘Bottle House’ made with 20,000 glass bottles

On the market for the first time in 70 years, this Detroit-area home was constructed using over 20,000 glass bottles.

NAR issues first Annual Report

The report covers the progress the organization has made toward its 2026-2028 Strategic Plan. 

The Agency partners with Rechat

Agents affiliated with The Agency will now have access to Rechat’s CRM, the People Center, as well as a range of tools including a marketing center and an AI agent assistant.

Colonial in the front, maze in the back

The seller’s agents are Kathryn Johnson and Michelle Bergkamp of William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty, who call the property “pure Alice in Wonderland magic.”

Robert Reffkin retains position as most powerful person in real estate

The publication cited acquisitions of Anywhere Real Estate and @properties Christie’s International Real Estate, as well as Compass’ improved profitability in 2025, as evidence of Reffkin’s power in the industry.

2026 opens with a dip in builder confidence, interest rates

Affordability challenges continue to bedevil homebuyers, despite mortgage rates falling to a three-year low, the National Association of Home Builders reported. 

Report: Immigrants drive housing production in top US homebuilding metros

Research showed a disproportionately high share of foreign-born workers active in the construction trades nationally in 2024.

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