The Federal Reserve chose to hold interest rates unchanged at the June Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. The past few months, which have seen both higher inflation and a relatively soft labor market, have also created a sense of deadlock and a wait-and-see attitude among the Fed. While the June vote was ultimately unanimous,…

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United Real Estate Group has been named the No. 2 largest residential real estate firm in the Kansas City metro by sales volume and transaction sides, according to the Kansas City Business Journal’s 2026 ranking of the area’s top brokerages. The annual list reported more than $21.9 billion in combined local transactions among leading companies…

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Jim Pitts Qualifying Broker | CEO Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New Mexico Properties, Santa Fe Real Estate, Taos Real Estate, Angel Fire Real Estate Albuquerque, New Mexico https://www.bhhsnmproperties.com  Region served: The state of New Mexico Years in real estate: 37 Number of offices: 7 Number of agents: 260 Favorite part of your job: Working and interacting…

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From razor-thin margins to part-time agents, there is good reason for the consolidation currently underway in residential real estate. The question is, will the players left standing be the right ones? As private-equity and Wall Street money extend their tendrils further into the real estate landscape, concerns regarding their intention, integrity and capability to properly…

The post When the Big Guns Come to Town: How Independent Firms Are Confronting Consolidation appeared first on RISMedia.

Sotheby’s International Realty (SIR) has announced the acquisition of Majestic Realty Collective (MRC), one of the most productive luxury real estate organizations in North America, according to the company, which included eight Sotheby’s affiliates. The acquisition expands SIR’s footprint across premier luxury and resort markets in the American West and aims to strengthen its presence…

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This year has gone in a direction few could have predicted. A year of expected normalization and stabilization for the housing market ran into new headwinds in the form of a conflict in the Middle East, pushing some economists to shift their outlooks moving forward.  Expectations now are still pointing toward some normalization, as seen…

The post Realtor.com Cuts Sales Projections Significantly, Expects Affordability Relief appeared first on RISMedia.

In the ever-fluctuating mortgage environment of late, mortgage applications saw a decrease but were overall “little changed” this week as rates saw a slight uptick, according to the latest data from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA).  MBA’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending July 3, 2026 (with an adjustment for the Fourth of…

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Julie Gamble Broker/Owner JPAR® – Aspire New Albany, Indiana https://juliegamble.jpar.com  Region served: Southern Indiana, Louisville and surrounding counties Years in real estate: 25 Number of offices: 1 Number of agents: 30 Favorite part of your job: Coaching and mentoring agents, helping them gain confidence, refine their skills and reach milestones they didn’t think were possible. …

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As housing affordability challenges remain, the square footage of new homes is shrinking as buyers are learning to prioritize.  Per findings from the economics team of data platform Zonda Home (published by New Home Source), the average new home is about 2,175 square feet as of December 2025. This is about 125 feet smaller than…

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Kelley Blue Book Homes has announced the launch of its residential real estate platform, bringing the Kelley Blue Book brand into the home valuation market. The website delivers homeowners home valuations for when they sell. Agents can secure exclusive access to those sellers on a zip-code basis through marketing agreements with Kelley Blue Book Homes.…

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