As 2026 moves forward amid rising inflation and a fairly soft labor market, are leading indicators pointing to a better near-term economy? The nonprofit research firm The Conference Board’s latest monthly Leading Economic Indicators report found a slight decline as the Board’s Leading Economic Index hit 99.1 in June, a 0.2% downturn compared to the…
Editor’s Note: The RISMedia series Legislative Round-Up looks at pending and passed federal and state-level legislation that impacts real estate professionals. Seattle considering a ban on unwanted real estate solicitations Seattle City councilmember Dionne Foster has introduced legislation to create a “do not solicit” list for real estate solicitors. If passed, homeowners could have their…
In May, housing construction starts bottomed-out to a six year low, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, attributed to ongoing challenges such as construction costs and high mortgage rates triggered by rising inflation. The newest monthly update, however, shows a recovery—for at least one sector of the housing market. The latest monthly new residential construction…
Following consumer sentiment rising in June, the latest University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index improved further by 9.9% in July, reaching 54.4. However, the indicator declined by 11.8% on an annual basis. The Current Economic Conditions Index rose by 15.1% month-over-month, yet plummeted 19.3% year-over-year to stand at 54.9 in July. Meanwhile, the Index of…
As pending home sales reports suggest a slower summer market, foreclosures on homes are ticking up. Over 200,000 properties across the U.S. saw foreclosure filings in the first half of 2026, per the latest Mid-Year U.S. Foreclosure Market Report compiled by ATTOM Data. One in every 632 properties across the U.S. had a foreclosure filing—21%…
Short sales—frequently a rarity of the housing market, except for the duration of the Great Recession housing crisis—are making a bit of a comeback, according to a new report from Realtor.com®. The data, however, does not necessarily show cause for concern just yet. For those not familiar, a short sale is when a homeowner sells…
Economists say renewed doubt about a resolution to the war in Iran kept Treasury yields and thus mortgage rates elevated this past week with the average 30-year hitting its highest point since August of 2025. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate (FRM) rose 6 basis points to 6.55% from 6.49% last week, and the 15-year…
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Editor’s note: this is the first of a two-part series on AI recommendations for agents. Look for part two in the coming days. When a prospective buyer asks someone they trust who is the best real estate agent to help them transact, you want your name to be the first one mentioned. What happens when…
The post AI Recommended These Agents. We Asked Them Why—And Whether It Matters appeared first on RISMedia.
Despite positive news for the building sector with the recent passing of the 21st Century Road to Housing Act, this month’s homebuilder confidence report dropped again for the second month and has remained in negative territory for its longest stretch since 2012. According to this month’s National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market…
Existing home sales in July may not shape up to be as strong as the industry wants, looking at the latest pending sales data from the National Association of Realtors® (NAR). However, economists are not despairing just yet, as 2026 has proven to be more resilient than years past. NAR’s Pending Home Sales report saw…
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