A major real estate shake-up is about to land Industry news suggests the Compass–Anywhere merger could close as soon as Friday, creating a combined company with an outsized footprint in several major metro areas—reportedly topping 50% market share in some markets. For everyday people, “brokerage consolidation” can sound like inside-baseball, but it can quickly influence … Read more
A leadership change at a major luxury builder Toll Brothers, one of the country’s best-known luxury homebuilders, just announced a CEO transition: Karl Mistry will step into the CEO role, while longtime leader Doug Yearley will become Executive Chairman. On its face, executive news can feel far removed from the day-to-day decisions buyers and homeowners … Read more
Housing payments are easing—but buyers aren’t rushing back (yet) Recent data shows the median U.S. monthly housing payment fell to $2,365 in the four weeks ending January 4—down 4.7% from a year earlier and the lowest level in about two years. The primary reason: mortgage rates have declined compared with last year’s highs, reducing the … Read more
What a “fix-and-flip breakout” could mean for your neighborhood in 2026 Fix-and-flip activity tends to rise when investors can buy homes that need work, renovate efficiently, and resell into steady demand. According to recent industry reporting, the sector is positioned for a stronger 2026 as three key forces line up: capital is becoming more available, … Read more
A watershed year: 2025 changed the feel of the housing market After years of a seller-friendly environment, 2025 brought a noticeable reset in many U.S. markets. Redfin’s “2025 Year in Review” points to a broad theme: power shifted closer to the buyer. That doesn’t mean every neighborhood suddenly became a bargain, but it does mean … Read more
What the Latest Price Uptick Really Means New data from Redfin shows U.S. home prices inched up 0.2% in November (seasonally adjusted). That’s a small month-to-month gain, but the bigger headline is the pace of growth over the last year: prices were up 2.6% year over year, down from 2.9% the month prior and the … Read more
A Rare Shift: More Sellers Than Buyers New data shows the U.S. housing market now has 37% more sellers than buyers—a gap that’s more than double what we saw last year. In fact, according to Redfin, only summer 2025 had a larger seller-over-buyer imbalance in records dating back to 2013. That’s a meaningful signal for … Read more
The “golden handcuffs” of 2–3% mortgage rates If you bought or refinanced in 2020–2021, there’s a good chance you’re sitting on a mortgage rate in the 2–3% range—a once-in-a-generation deal. Since then, rates have more than doubled, hovering in the low-to-mid 6% range through late 2025. That gap created a powerful “lock-in” effect: many homeowners … Read more
A big bet on building materials — and why it matters to your home plans If you’re shopping for a home, planning a renovation, or thinking about refinancing to fund upgrades, you’ve probably noticed how often construction costs and timelines come up in the conversation. That’s why a recent move in the building supply world … Read more
Why the First “Normal” Jobs Report of 2026 Matters for Mortgage Rates Every month, the U.S. jobs report acts like a heartbeat check for the economy—and for mortgage rates. According to Redfin’s latest weekly take, the first jobs report of 2026 will be released this Friday, and it’s also the first report considered “normal” after … Read more
