For buyers, especially first-time buyers, today’s housing affordability crisis (driven by a host of market challenges, from rising mortgage rates to low inventory and lingering inflation) creates many barriers to entry for homeownership. Is there anything agents can actually do at the local level to move the needle and help their clients achieve their homeownership…

The post Affordability: Real Solutions for a Real Problem appeared first on RISMedia.

(TNS)–Home prices are climbing across the nation and some markets are hotter than others. According to a new report from Finance Buzz, nine U.S. cities are likely to become unaffordable by 2027, due to an influx of out-of-town buyers and tight inventory. Here’s a look at the popular locales where housing costs are outpacing local…

The post Realtors Predict These Nine Cities Will Be Unaffordable by 2027 appeared first on RISMedia.

PropStream announced that reservations to its Connect to Close: Your 2027 Launch Plan webinar are now open. The three-day live webinar series—happening Nov. 17 to 19—is designed to help real estate investors, wholesalers and agents build a more consistent process for finding opportunities and moving deals forward. According to a release, across three hands-on sessions,…

The post PropStream’s Webinar Series ‘Connect to Close: Build Your 2027 Launch Plan’ Returns appeared first on RISMedia.

In another big move for the company, Compass International Holdings has announced a merger with fintech company Rate to unite the two companies’ mortgage ventures—Guaranteed Rate Affinity and OriginPoint—under the OriginPoint brand, becoming a top 10 national mortgage lender, according to a release from the two companies Guaranteed Rate Affinity was founded in partnership with…

The post Compass International Holdings Announces Merger With Rate to Combine Mortgage Ventures appeared first on RISMedia.

Editor’s note: The COURT REPORT is RISMedia’s weekly look at current and upcoming lawsuits, investigations and other legal developments around real estate. NAR defends Compass subpoena in private listing lawsuit The latest dust-up in the battle between now defunct PLS.com and the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) continues, as both parties await a judge’s decision…

The post Court Report: NAR Fires Back in Compass Subpoena Spat; Keller Williams Sued for ‘Junk Fees’ appeared first on RISMedia.

In a Q3 2026 earnings report Nov. 2, iBuyer Offerpad, known for giving homeowners cash offers within 24 hours, blamed the less-than-stout housing market for its less-than-stout numbers.  In a release and press conference, the company reported a net loss of $11.5 million, or $2.30 a share—with total closed real estate transactions numbering 324. Gross…

The post Offerpad CEO: Market Issues Main Cause of Glum Q3 Performance appeared first on RISMedia.

Lawmakers and advocates have made many attempts recently to address the affordability crisis that pervades the housing market—some more impactful than others. Legislative bodies have enacted laws addressing private listings, while President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order aimed at cutting costs for title and mortgage insurance and manufactured housing. In tomorrow’s general election,…

The post California Voters Could Approve ‘Secondary Mortgages.’ Can the Golden State Solve the Housing Crisis? appeared first on RISMedia.

Open Real Estate, the national initiative launched by big brokerage leaders last week that has promised to create a shared “infrastructure” for property listing data, today announced it has received 826 letters of support from real estate brokerage leaders. Behind the strength—and size—of its four founding brokerages (HomeServices of America, AGNT, Keller Williams and Real…

The post Open Real Estate Claims Early Broker, MLS Support as Initiative Touts ‘Significant Interest’ appeared first on RISMedia.

Mortgage rates are giving homebuyers another reason to hesitate.  The average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage reached well over 7% in October, its highest level in 13 months, according to Freddie Mac. That followed a climb from 5.98% in late February to 6.65% by Aug. 20, figures cited in a recent U.S. Bank housing-market…

The post Why Waiting for Rates to Fall Can Create Other Affordability Problems appeared first on RISMedia.

United Real Estate has announced the launch of VPR | United, serving residents along the Gulf Coast—from Mobile, Alabama to iconic destinations, such as Orange Beach, Gulf Shores and Destin, Florida. United stated that the expansion is being led by Virtual Properties Realty, an affiliated company and Atlanta’s largest residential brokerage by homes sold in…

The post United Real Estate Expands Along the Gulf Coast appeared first on RISMedia.