Editor’s note: The COURT REPORT is RISMedia’s weekly look at current and upcoming lawsuits, investigations and other legal developments around real estate. Chicago law firm gears up for Compass/MRED lawsuit A prolific class-action law firm, Hagens Berman, appears to be building a case against Compass and Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED) as they seek plaintiffs…
The early-fall housing market shows signs of muted behavior, as pending home sales increased slightly from last month, but are overall down on an annual basis, according to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR). NAR’s Pending Home Sales report for August shows that sales grew by 0.3% month-over-month, but they also decreased by 4.7% compared…
After their long-awaited meeting, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) unanimously voted to raise federal funds rates by a quarter of a percentage point, moving the target range for interest rates 25 basis points, from 3.5%-3.75%, to 3.75%-4%. During a press conference following the meeting, Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh cited the data from this past…
Aligning with recent data on faltering consumer sentiment and frustrations over elevated inflation, homebuilder sentiment fell in the latest National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) report on Sept. 16. “The HMI shows builder confidence at its lowest level since September 2025, as tight lending conditions and elevated land, labor and…
Libra homeshoppers may celebrate more than just their birthday this upcoming astrological season, as the housing market may have favorable conditions for prospective buyers in the coming weeks. In the 2026 edition of its report, Realtor.com® states that the best time for buyers to purchase a home is the week of Sept. 27-Oct. 3. The…
Agents and brokers are likely to continue encountering hesitant consumers, as the University of Michigan reports that preliminary sentiment dropped for the second month in a row on Sept. 11. The consumer sentiment index—which utilizes personal finances, business conditions and buying conditions to measure consumers’ attitudes toward the overall economy—now sits at 47.8 as a…
Existing-home sales fell at a faster rate in the latest report by the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) on Thursday. For August, existing-home sales decreased by 2% on a month-over-month basis and at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.98 million. This marks the third consecutive month of declining sales, as July reported a decrease…
After holding the top spot as the hottest housing market for two consecutive months, Hartford, Connecticut, has been dethroned by a midsize Midwest metro in Rockford, Illinois, in the August 2026 Hottest Housing Markets report by Realtor.com®. Previously, Rockford sat in 10th place for June’s report, while Hartford ranked in first place for June and…
Above, Fed Governor Christopher Waller As the Federal Open Market Committee’s (FOMC) next meeting quickly approaches, real estate professionals are closely monitoring Federal Reserve governors for any hints as to whether rates will remain the same or face increases. At Reuters NEXT Newsmaker Interview Thursday, Fed Governor Christopher Waller described his economic outlook and stated…
Surveys identifying the most trusted professionals have long ranked nurses, doctors and the military at the top while real estate professionals tend to be ranked lower. But with media coverage (stemming from lawsuits and policy changes) and a historically tough housing market, many industry leaders have worried that real estate professionals might take another hit…
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