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Real Estate Industry

“All the news that's fit to print,” or to click, as the case may be, can be found right here at your favorite real estate social networking site, ActiveRain. And here you thought it was merely a great place to chat with colleagues and slap up a blog post or two.


We know you're busy – whether it's trying to fill your pipeline or following up on what's already popped out of the bottom of it. Who has time to read? And, while real estate market news geared toward consumers is easy to round up on the Internet, news for brokers and Realtors is a bit harder to come by.


Your friends at ActiveRain understand how important each of those 168 hours in every week is so we've made it easy for you by consolidating everything you need to know to keep up-to-date with the real estate industry right here, in one place.


How are housing starts looking? Has the FHFA launched any new efforts? How's that Fannie and Freddie loan limit rollercoaster doing?


You've got the questions and your colleagues here at AR have the answers. It's at your fingertips – finally.

Recent blogs on Real Estate Industry
By William Piotrowski, Just Call William 630-881-8655
(Diamond Residential Mortgage Corporation )
🏡 THE 7% MORTGAGE PROBLEM IS REAL. BUT IT DOESN’T MEAN HOMEOWNERSHIP IS OVER.Rates are back above 7%.Buyers are feeling the pressure.Home prices, insurance, taxes, groceries, cars, and everything else seem to cost more.And the monthly payment?That’s where the rubber meets the road.But here’s what I want you to understand:A challenging market does not mean you should give up on your dream of owning a home.It means you need a PLAN.📈 WHY THE MARKET FEELS FROZENMillions of homeowners are sitting on mortgages with rates well below today’s levels.Moving could mean giving up that low payment and taking on a much higher one.So you have two things happening at the same time:🏡 Buyers are struggling with affordability.🏠 Existing homeowners are hesitant to give up their low mortgage rates.That crea...
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By Paddy Deighan MBA JD PhD, Paddy Deighan J.D. Ph.D
(http://www.medicalandspaconsulting.com)
The media loves claiming AI is taking jobs away from people who need the jobs.  This is true in some cases, but AI also creates jobs.  Also, the people that "lose" a job to AI are frequently trained in other areas to remain in the labor force. Frequently, they are re-hired at the same or better pay scale.  In this regard, most companies will find work for good employees.The Economist magazine recently performed a study and the result was that AI has already created over 1 million new jobs in the US economy. These are skilled jobs that almost anyone can train for and benefit from.   I also read today that lower level employees of Costco are millionaires from stock options, pensions and benefits.  A friend applied at Costco and they are paying $20/hr for entry level jobs...not to shabby!!...
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By Linda Edelwich, Serving Glastonbury & Beyond | 218 New London Trnk
(William Raveis Real Estate)
The dynamic between overpricing and buyer behavior plays out differently in Hebron than it does in higher-volume markets, and understanding why is useful for agents working with sellers in this part of eastern Hartford County. Here is what lower inventory actually does to the consequences of aggressive pricing.How limited inventory sharpens buyer analysisIn markets with abundant active listings, buyers move through options quickly and individual properties do not receive prolonged analytical attention. In Hebron, where active inventory is typically limited, each listing stands out. Buyers who are actively searching in town are tracking what comes on the market carefully and evaluating new listings almost immediately against recent comparable closed sales.That concentrated attention bene...
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By Nathan Fitts, The Leading Name in Real Estate in North Georgia
(Nathan Fitts & Team )
Ready to Sell Your Mountain Property in Blairsville? Start HereSelling a mountain property is about more than putting a home on the market. In Blairsville, buyers are often looking for something that goes beyond four walls—they are searching for mountain views, wooded surroundings, outdoor recreation, privacy, and a lifestyle that feels connected to North Georgia.Whether you own a mountain home, cabin, or parcel of land, preparing the property thoughtfully can help buyers recognize its potential and understand what makes it special.If you are considering selling in the Blairsville GA real estate market, taking the time to prepare before listing can be one of the most important steps in the process.Why Blairsville Attracts Mountain Property BuyersBlairsville offers a distinctive combinat...
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By William Piotrowski, Just Call William 630-881-8655
(Diamond Residential Mortgage Corporation )
SOLAR PANELS: GREAT FOR SOME HOMEOWNERS… A REAL CHALLENGE FOR RESALE. ☀️🏡I’m curious to hear everyone’s experience with solar panels.If you have them on your home, do you like having them? Why or why not?And for my real estate friends—what are you seeing when it comes to resale?From my experience, solar can be a real challenge when selling a home.I’ve CLOSED several homes with solar panels, and each time the buyer pool seemed smaller than it would have been without them.The biggest challenges usually involve:🔹 Buyers asking the seller to pay off or buy out the solar contract 🔹 Buyers not wanting to assume the existing financing or lease 🔹 Contract terms that can be confusing or unreasonable 🔹 Additional negotiations between the buyer, seller, lender, and solar company 🔹 Situations where...
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By Coral Amelia, Professional Real Estate Services You Can Trust
(https://keenanhowardrealty.com/)
For many Americans, buying property in Portugal starts with a lifestyle idea: more sunshine, a slower pace of life, access to Europe, or a home where retirement can eventually become a reality. But once that idea turns into a serious property search, practical questions quickly follow. Can Americans buy property in Portugal? How does the process work? What taxes will you pay? And how different is the Portuguese property market from what American buyers are accustomed to? Portugal places no general nationality restrictions on foreign property ownership. Americans can buy apartments, houses, land and investment properties whether or not they are Portuguese residents. The process, however, has some important differences from buying real estate in the United States. Americans Can Buy Proper...
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By Carla Goddard, Founder & CEO, Vicinity
(vicinity)
Tomorrow morning, I’m heading in for surgery.I’m not as worried about the procedure. I’m anxious about stepping away from my business.That realization hit me like a ton of bricks over the last 48 hours. When you’ve spent your past year building a platform for real estate agents, worrying about momentum becomes hardwired into how you function. But being forced to step out of the room exposes a brutal question that most agents and founders actively ignore:Have you actually built an asset, or have you just constructed a high-stress job that completely relies on your daily labor?In our industry, we love to wear indispensability as a badge of honor. We brag about taking calls from the hospital bed, answering emails on vacation, and being the only person who can solve a deal-breaking problem....
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By William Piotrowski, Just Call William 630-881-8655
(Diamond Residential Mortgage Corporation )
🏡 THE BUYER ROADMAP: From “I Think I’m Ready” to HOMEOWNERBuying a home can look pretty simple from the outside.Get pre-approved.Find a house.Make an offer.Get the keys.But there is a LOT happening between:“I think I’m ready to buy”and“Where should I put the couch?” 😂And that's where having the right mortgage professional matters.In Illinois, buying a home is a team effort. Your Realtor, lender, attorney, inspector, appraiser, title company, insurance agent, seller's agent and other professionals all have a role.As your mortgage banker, my job is to make sure you understand the financing side of the journey—not just the number on a pre-approval letter.STEP 1: LET'S TALK BEFORE WE TALK LOANBefore we start talking about houses, let's talk about you.What's your goal?What's a comfortable mo...
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By Debe Maxwell, CRS, The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!
(Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310)
Wednesday Wisdom — Summer Isn’t Finished Quite YetThe first day of fall arrives next Tuesday, September 22—which means summer still has a few good days left, despite the pumpkins already taking over every store in Charlotte!I’m planning to enjoy one more summer evening outside before officially welcoming cooler mornings. What’s one thing you want to squeeze into these final days of summer?One More Tip Before Fall Arrives!Take one slow walk around the outside of your home—with your phone’s camera ready. Look for loose shingles, damaged siding, cracked caulk, clogged gutters and branches touching the roof.Those little things are much easier to spot and address before falling leaves hide them and winter weather turns them into bigger problems. Of course, pumpkin-spice coffee is optional—bu...
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By Leanne Smith, The Grit and Gratitude Agent
(Dirt Road Real Estate)
Active Rain members Debe Maxwell, CRS  and Carol Williams  asked this September 2026 monthly challenge question:What topic would you like to hear during the monthly round table?Maybe it was fate or kismet, as I read this posting, the radio played the song, "To Dream the Impossible Dream,” from Man of La Mancha.Yes, there are many topics, however after being in sales now for over 5 decades, I still believe in honesty, integrity, doing the hard work and actively communicating. This means for me going the extra mile. Others might call it white glove service. Of course out here, white gloves get awfully dirty. Unfortunately, due to experiences by the general public, consumers and real estate clients, our profession, that being professional real estate agents, is still viewed negatively. The...
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By Coral Amelia, Professional Real Estate Services You Can Trust
(https://keenanhowardrealty.com/)
Palmilla Beach happens to be one of the prettier beach locations in proximity to Los Cabos, and it serves as the perfect place where you can purchase your own house or even spend your vacation time. The luxurious way of life, together with the relaxed atmosphere on account of its beautiful shorelines, can make other nearby villas, houses, and vacation spots more attractive.The beach is just one of the factors for property buyers, though. When selecting a home near Palmilla Beach, one must take into account its location, design of the property, amenities, requirements for maintenance and the property's future use.Why Palmilla Beach Is Attractive for Residential PropertiesThere are numerous reasons why Palmilla Beach is an appealing place to reside in a house.The beach location of a parti...
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By Joe Metzler, Sr Loan Officer
(Cambria Mortgage)
The brutal bad math of rentingMinneapolis, MN: People obsess over mortgage interest rates and market headlines, but they ignore the staggering wealth gap: a homeowner's net worth is 38 times higher than a renter's.The math is simple. Every month you pay rent, you are funding your landlord’s future instead of building your own. Stop renting, start building equity, and put your capital to work for your own family. Owning a home isn't just about having a place to live—it’s the single most effective way to change your long-term financial trajectory.Let’s run your numbers to see how much home you can buy.☎️ (651) 552-3681⌨️ iMortgageJoe.comThe Joe Metzler Team @ Cambria Mortgage. NMLS 274132, Equal Housing Lender serving AZ, CO, Fl, IA, MN, ND, SD, WI
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By Kerri Naslund-Monday, Savvy Bay Area CA Real Estate Team Leader
(Keller Williams/ The Monday Team)
I want to tell you about a buyer who almost talked herself out of the best decision she ever made.She was an architect ... mid-forties, deeply principled about the built environment in the way that architects tend to be, with a very specific and very considered set of values about what a home should be and do and represent. She wanted something that was ecologically thoughtful. Architecturally honest. In a neighborhood with genuine community. Close enough to walk to things that mattered. Not too precious. Not too perfect. Real.She had been looking for two years.Two years is a long time. Long enough to see a lot of the market. Long enough to know exactly what was out there and what wasn't. Long enough to have had the internal debate about idealism versus reality approximately four hundre...
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On September 10, 2026, On September 25, 2025, National Association of Realtors® (NAR) reported that nationwide existing home sales decreased 2.0% to annual rate of 3.98 million homes in August of 2026 from July of 2026, and declined 1.2% from 4.00 million homes from August of 2025.There were 1.62 million homes supplies of available inventory in August of 2026, rose 3.2% from July of 2026, and jumped 5.9% from August of 2025.There were 4.9 months available inventory in August of 2026 grew from to 4.6 months in July of 2026, and from 4.6 months in August of 2025.On average it took 31 days to sell a home in August of 2026, gained from 29 days in July of 2026, but unchanged from 31 days in August 2025.First time buyers acquired 30.0% of homes in August of 2026, increased from 29.0% in July ...
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By Charles Stallions, 850-476-4494 - Pensacola, Pace or Gulf Breeze, Fl.
(Charles Stallions Real Estate Services )
It feels like every week another “generous” company drops a letter in your mailbox promising to buy your home fast, for cash, and with no fees or commissions. Some even claim they can give you an offer right over the phone.That line alone should stop any seller in their tracks. If someone is willing to “value” your home without ever stepping inside it, you’re not getting a fair offer — you’re getting a shortcut designed to benefit them, not you. By Charles Stallions — Charles Stallions Real Estate Services Inc. PUT CHARLES IN CHARGE™Why These Cash Letters Are a Red FlagAutomated valuation models (AVMs) rely on public data — and that data is often wrong or incomplete. I’ve seen homes missing bedroom counts, incorrect square footage, outdated improvements, and refinances misclassified as ...
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By Coral Amelia, Professional Real Estate Services You Can Trust
(https://keenanhowardrealty.com/)
Everyone tells you real estate is a good investment, but not many people explain why — or what actually goes wrong when it doesn't work out. I've watched friends jump into their first rental property with nothing but excitement and a mortgage pre-approval, only to get blindsided by a leaking roof six months in. So let's talk about this properly.Property still beats a lot of other investments for one simple reason: it's tangible. You can drive past it. You can fix it up. And unlike a stock that might crash overnight on some earnings call, a house doesn't usually lose half its value in a week. That said, real estate isn't a guaranteed win either — it just fails in slower, more forgiving ways, which is part of why people trust it.Why People Keep Coming Back to Real EstateA few reasons come...
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On September 2, 2026, Realtor.com reported that Realtor.com reported the active listing inventory of homes in the Midwest rose 10.5% in August of 2026 from August of 2025. There were 84,944 new listing in  August of 2026 in the Midwest down 0.5% from August of 2025. The median list price of a home in the Midwest was $325,000 unchanged 0.0% in August of 2026 from August of 2025, Houses stayed 46 days in the market in August of 2026, 1 day longer from August of 2025 in the Midwest.The active listing inventory of homes in the Northeast increased 9.1% in August of 2026 from August of 2025. There were 52,612 new listing in  August of 2026 in the Northeast lower 0.5% from August of 2025. The median list price of a home in the Northeast was $516,000 declined 3.6% in August of 2026 from August ...
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By Christopher Webster, Columbia South Carolina Real Estate For Sale
(Epique Realty)
This is not to criticize anyone who does real estate part-time. We all have bills, families, and seasons of life. But I've learned this the hard way and I want to share it straight:You get out of real estate what you put into it. Part-time effort gets part-time results. Full-time effort gets full-time results. And extra effort building your systems is when things finally start feeling positive.You can't put real estate on the back burner and expect it to do its own thing. Even with AI, you have to train the AI to work the way YOU work.1. The Numbers Don't Lie About PipelineRight now the average agent is closing 10 transaction sides per year. That number has stayed flat because there are fewer agents splitting the same pie.The income gap is about experience and consistency: Median gross ...
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By Nathan Fitts, The Leading Name in Real Estate in North Georgia
(Nathan Fitts & Team )
More Than a Mountain View: The Outdoor Adventures That Make North Georgia Special For many people, buying a home in the North Georgia Mountains isn't just about the house. It's about what you can do once you step outside.Imagine starting the morning on a hiking trail, spending an afternoon on the water, or ending the day watching the mountains change colors from your own porch. That connection to the outdoors is one of the reasons North Georgia real estate continues to attract buyers looking for a different kind of lifestyle.From mountain communities and quiet forests to rivers, lakes, and waterfalls, there's always another place to explore.Key Takeaways North Georgia offers year-round outdoor recreation. Lakes and rivers provide opportunities for boating, fishing, and relaxing. Hiking ...
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By Nathan Fitts, The Leading Name in Real Estate in North Georgia
(Nathan Fitts & Team )
Why Hiawassee Cabins Are More Than a Weekend EscapeHiawassee offers something that is increasingly difficult to find: a place where mountain scenery, lake recreation, and a slower pace of life come together.For buyers exploring Hiawassee GA real estate, owning a cabin can mean more than having somewhere to visit on occasional weekends. It can create a personal retreat, a second-home opportunity, or a property that fits into a longer-term real estate plan.With the Blue Ridge Mountains surrounding the area and Lake Chatuge providing opportunities for boating, fishing, and enjoying the water, Hiawassee has a natural appeal for buyers who want their property to be part of their lifestyle.Key Takeaways Hiawassee combines mountain and lake living in one location. Cabins can serve as personal ...
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