The first year of the Trump administration saw much back and forth as the President put in place various tariffs on U.S. imports, including goods imported from historical trading partners such as Canada and Mexico. Most of these tariffs have now been struck down—the Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision, ruled that Trump does not…
At the January 2026 Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, the voting body chose to leave interest rates unchanged. The Federal Reserve’s dual mandate of price stability and maximum employment have been at crossroads the past few months; inflation has trickled up, but the labor market shows signs of softness. At the January meeting, concerns…
At the end of 2025, the leading indicators of the economy suggested a slowing contraction, but enduring consumer cynicism. The latest Leading Economic Indicators (LEI) report from nonprofit business research organization The Conference Board found a 0.2% decline in December, compared to a 0.3% decline in November. The report’s baseline (measured against 2016, rated at…
Housing affordability is an issue to be tackled from many directions; which ways are on lawmakers’ radar? The House Financial Services committee (which covers the real estate sector) provided insight into that during a hearing Tuesday on rising housing costs, titled “Priced Out of the American Dream.” Those giving testimony at the hearing, where discussion…
State legislatures across the U.S. have been seeing new bills that would restrict private real estate listings, with mandates that such listings also be publicly marketed. Wisconsin enacted such legislation in December 2025 (to take effect in January 2027), while another bill of this nature is under consideration in Washington state. Now, the Illinois legislature…
January 2026 saw an enormous winter snowstorm sweep across the United States, one that surely left a few canceled open houses in its wake. While all of the snow likely hasn’t melted away just yet, you can’t delay your business for a whole season. If you handle it right, you can still host a perfect…
At the January Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, the Federal Reserve chose to keep interest rates unchanged. Both Fed Governor Michelle Bowman (who is a voting member of the committee) and retiring Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic (who is not) have characterized the current U.S. economy as “resilient,” where annual inflation has stayed static,…
At a moderated talk held by the Rotary Club of Atlanta, retiring Federal Reserve of Atlanta President and CEO Raphael Bostic argued that the economy is in a “resilient” place, with a feared recession that “just hasn’t happened.” That resilience from 2025 will carry through to 2026, Bostic forecasted. Noting his conversations with business leaders,…
At the January Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, the Federal Reserve chose to keep interest rates unchanged. Recent monetary policy decisions have been facing conflicting incentives; the Fed’s mandate is maximum employment and price stability, but the labor market has been showing signs of weakness as inflation has also been going up or staying…
Editor’s Note: The Mortgage Mix is RISMedia’s biweekly highlight reel of need-to-know mortgage-industry happenings. Watch for it every other Friday afternoon. – As the 2026 housing market gets underway, mortgage rates have been holding steady at around 6% during the latter half of January. Despite rates reaching near three-year lows, applications decreased during the week…
The winter months create some unique challenges for holding an open house, and preparation for these cold or snowy days is important for success. Read more.
