Consumer sentiment showed minor improvements as the first month of 2026 nears its close, with expectations toward the future looking mostly positive, according to the latest data. The University of Michigan’s latest Survey of Consumers found that the Index of Consumer Sentiment grew to 56.4 in January, up 3.5 points or 6.6% from December. The…
People across the country look forward to retirement—not just as a break from the daily routine of work, but as a chance to embrace a new lifestyle. For many, that means moving to a new place for a change of pace. United Van Lines’ study of movers in 2025 found that 13.86% of people who…
Zillow has been named in another antitrust lawsuit alleging steering in regards to the portal’s Premier agent programs and its Home Loans business. Filed Jan. 16 in the Western District of Washington by Stephanie Dupuis, the owner of the Dupuis Team in Kitsap County, the complaint alleges that Zillow “abuses its monopoly” and puts pressure…
As mortgage rates have hit their lowest level in over three years, expectations of reaching a more affordable market in 2026 have grown dramatically. On this optimistic track, a new Zillow analysis states that mortgage payments should be affordable by year’s end for several major markets, the most since 2022. In the case of the…
The housing market hasn’t exactly settled down in the handful of years since the pandemic—and those looking to purchase a home have had to keep a close eye on the markets they can turn to, and the ones they should avoid. ATTOM’s Q3 2025 U.S. Housing Risk Report examines which markets have been most volatile…
Despite a hopeful moment of decline in November, inflation looks to be stagnant in December, remaining paused from hitting the Federal Reserve’s 2% goal, according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for December saw a slight increase of 0.3% for the all items index, landing at 2.7% annual…
Editor’s note: The COURT REPORT is RISMedia’s weekly look at current and upcoming lawsuits, investigations and other legal developments around real estate. Compass closes Anywhere acquisition In a regulatory filing on Jan. 9, Compass announced that its merger with Anywhere Real Estate was officially closed. The deal has faced much scrutiny from the real estate…
Despite affordability remaining a market challenge, there are still refuge markets first-time homebuyers can access across the nation. A new Realtor.com® report took a crack at identifying these refuge markets, and made a list of the top markets for first-time homebuyers (age 25-34) in 2026. The rankings are based on the forecasted share of first-time…
A recent academic study analyzing Zillow Home Loans (ZHL)—funded by the portal’s rival, CoStar—offers a new analysis of how Zillow’s policies and practices allegedly affect consumers, on the heels of a class-action lawsuit claiming the company is violating antitrust laws through mortgage referrals. The aforementioned lawsuit put Zillow in the hot seat by alleging the…
Home-price growth remained weak in October, with experts pointing to continued inflation and elevated mortgage rates as the cause, according to the latest data. The October S&P Cotality Case-Shiller Home Price Index found that home-price growth posted a 1.4% annual gain, slightly up from a 1.3% rise in the previous month. Nicholas Godec, head of…
With fewer affordable single-family homes available, more buyers are looking for homes that can accommodate multiple generations. Read more.
