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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 Joe Jackson, Clintonville and Central Ohio Real Estate Expert
(Keller Williams Capital Partners Realty)
First impressions matter when selling your home! Buyers notice more than beautiful décor—they pay attention to odors, lighting, maintenance, storage, and overall comfort. Small details sellers overlook can influence big decisions. Discover what catches buyers’ attention and how simple improvements can make your home more appealing and memorable! When sellers prepare their home for the market, they often focus on the obvious. They repaint the walls. They clean the floors. They organize the kitchen. They may even update furniture or add fresh décor. But buyers don't see a home the same way the seller does. Sellers have lived in the property long enough to stop noticing certain details. What feels completely normal to them can stand out immediately to someone walking through the front door...
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By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Team at Xcellence Realty)
Pricing a home strategically from the start can make all the difference. Setting expectations with sellers early and backing up the recommended price with market data helps build trust and avoid costly adjustments later. 🏡 MYTH-BUSTING TUESDAY—Price High So There’s Room to Negotiate? Welcome to Myth-Busting Tuesday, where we’ll take on commonly repeated real estate advice and separate fact from fiction.Between online advice, national headlines and the ever-popular “Well, my neighbor said…”, we certainly won’t run out of material! THE MYTH “You should price your home high so there’s room to negotiate.” It sounds reasonable: Start higher than the home is worth, leave yourself a cushion and allow buyers to negotiate you down to the price you wanted. Unfortunately, buyers don’t always respo...
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By Linda Edelwich, Serving Glastonbury & Beyond | 218 New London Trnk
(William Raveis Real Estate)
The privacy versus neighborhood living comparison in East Hampton comes up consistently in buyer conversations, and the buyers who arrive at the most confident decisions are the ones who tested both settings in person before narrowing their search. Here is how the comparison plays out in practice and what is useful to surface early.What private settings actually deliverHomes set back from the road in East Hampton with natural buffers offer genuine separation from neighboring activity and traffic. For buyers who spend significant time at home, who value outdoor space as a private retreat, and who came to East Hampton specifically for a quieter daily experience, that separation is the primary feature rather than a secondary one.The trade-offs worth discussing early: longer driveways requi...
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By Carla Goddard, Founder & CEO, Vicinity
(vicinity)
 There’s a conversation happening around new construction right now that I think deserves more attention.We talk a lot about affordability. Interest rates, incentives, price points, monthly payments. Builders are working to keep homes attainable, buyers are stretching budgets, and agents are trying to help people make the numbers work.But I keep coming back to a different question.When buyers can no longer afford the home they originally wanted, what are they actually giving up to get into one?A report published by Homes.com on October 7, drawing on Zonda data, offers a glimpse into how much the market has changed. In master-planned communities, homes priced below $400,000 accounted for 64% of sales in early 2018. By the second quarter of 2026, that share had fallen to 29%. Meanwhile, h...
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By Gwen Fowler SC Lakes & Mountains 864-710-4518, Gwen Fowler Real Estate, Inc.
(Gwen Fowler Real Estate, Inc)
Two Small Homes, Two Very Different QuestionsI have noticed more interest in smaller homes, backyard cottages, and additional living spaces on family property. Some people want a place for aging parents. Others want a separate home for adult children, a guest cottage, or something smaller to enjoy in retirement.Two terms that often come up are ADU and tiny home.They may look similar, but they aren't necessarily the same.  If you own acreage in Upstate South Carolina, understanding the difference matters before you spend money.What Is an ADU?ADU stands for Accessory Dwelling Unit. It is a secondary living space located on the same property as a primary residence. An ADU generally provides independent living facilities, including a place to sleep, a bathroom, and cooking facilities.Exampl...
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By Coral Amelia, Professional Real Estate Services You Can Trust
(https://keenanhowardrealty.com/)
A robot vacuum can move across most flat floors with ease. However, a raised doorway threshold can bring its cleaning route to a stop. A narrow strip of wood, stone, or metal may look insignificant, but even a small step can challenge a robot's wheels, chassis clearance, and traction.When comparing models, consider threshold height alongside the shape, surface, and approach angle. A lower threshold with a sharp edge may be harder to cross than a slightly taller one with a gradual slope. Measuring the doorway and understanding these factors can help you choose a robot vacuum that moves reliably between rooms.How to Measure Robot Vacuum Threshold HeightBefore comparing a robot vacuum's climbing capability, measure the doorway it needs to cross. Threshold height is the vertical distance fr...
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By Gwen Fowler SC Lakes & Mountains 864-710-4518, Gwen Fowler Real Estate, Inc.
(Gwen Fowler Real Estate, Inc)
Driving down an old country road makes me want to slow down. Maybe it is the old barn sitting in a pasture, the little country church with a cemetery beside it, or the farmhouse surrounded by trees that were planted generations ago.Sometimes it is a country store that has served the same community for years, where people still stop to visit as much as they stop to buy something. These are what make our mountain communities special.And you may never discover them by looking at real estate listings on a computer.Every Country Road Has a StoryGrowing up in Oconee County, I remember when many of our roads were lined with family farms. People knew their neighbors, and you could often identify a property by the family that had lived there for generations.Some of those farms are still here. Ot...
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By Gwen Fowler SC Lakes & Mountains 864-710-4518, Gwen Fowler Real Estate, Inc.
(Gwen Fowler Real Estate, Inc)
Putting a property on the market is different from being ready to sell it.  I have learned that signing a listing agreement doesn't always mean someone is prepared for what comes next.Selling Is Sometimes an Emotional DecisionA house can hold 40 years of memories. Children grew up there. Holidays were celebrated. Trees were planted. Grandchildren learned to ride bicycles in the driveway. To a buyer, it is a property they are evaluating. To the seller, it may represent an entire chapter of life. That difference can make negotiations difficult.What Happens When an Offer Arrives?I have seen sellers become uncomfortable when an offer comes sooner than expected. Suddenly, the discussion changes from what the house might sell for to where they will live, how quickly they must move, and what p...
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By Linda Edelwich, Serving Glastonbury & Beyond | 218 New London Trnk
(William Raveis Real Estate)
The assumptions sellers bring into listing conversations in Hebron tend to cluster around a few consistent themes, and the ones that are inaccurate are often the ones that cost the most when sellers act on them. Here is how those myths play out in practice and what the market data actually shows.Myth one: limited inventory automatically supports higher pricingThe reasoning is intuitive. Fewer homes available should mean buyers pay more for what exists. What actually happens in Hebron is that buyers compare every active listing against recent closed comparable sales regardless of how many alternatives are available. A home priced above what comparable properties have recently sold for in similar parts of town does not benefit from limited inventory. It accumulates days on market while bu...
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By Linda Edelwich, Serving Glastonbury & Beyond | 218 New London Trnk
(William Raveis Real Estate)
Move-up transactions in East Hampton carry a specific dynamic that agents working in this market encounter regularly. The inventory of larger and more desirable properties is limited enough that buyers who are not prepared to act when the right property appears often discover they are too late. Here is how the planning conversation should be structured.Start with the current home’s market positionEvery move-up plan begins with a clear and honest read on where the current home sits in the market. Realistic pricing range, probable days on market, and accurate net proceeds after transaction costs determine which purchase options are financially available and what timing the plan can actually support.Buyers who begin the purchase search without that grounded picture are making commitments b...
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By Avery Jules, Brand and logo designer for real estate brands
(Avery's Design)
Why Your Real Estate Brand Deserves More Than a Quick LogoReal estate is one of the few industries where people make life‑changing decisions based on trust. Before they ever meet you, before they shake your hand, before they walk into a showing — they meet your brand. Your logo is the first signal of who you are, what you stand for, and whether you’re someone they can rely on.And yet, most real estate professionals treat their brand like an afterthought. A quick template. A trendy icon. A generic house outline. Something “good enough.”But “good enough” doesn’t win listings. “Good enough” doesn’t attract investors. “Good enough” doesn’t build a reputation that lasts.A real estate brand needs intention, strategy, and clarity — not decoration. The Problem With Most Real Estate LogosScroll ...
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By Nathan Fitts, The Leading Name in Real Estate in North Georgia
(Nathan Fitts & Team )
Are Vacation Rentals a Good Investment in Mineral Bluff? What Buyers Should KnowMineral Bluff has become an appealing destination for buyers looking beyond traditional residential real estate. Surrounded by the North Georgia mountains, wooded landscapes, scenic mountain views, cabins, and the nearby Toccoa River, the community offers the type of setting that attracts both second-home buyers and travelers seeking a mountain getaway.For buyers exploring Mineral Bluff GA real estate, vacation rental ownership can be an interesting opportunity. But the right property is about more than finding a beautiful cabin. Location, property characteristics, regulations, operating expenses, accessibility, and long-term goals should all be considered before making a purchase.Why Mineral Bluff Attracts ...
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By Jacob Maslow, Your Brooklyn Connection
(Torsx)
A few years ago, an agent's role in a renovation usually ended at the referral. You handed the seller a contractor's number, maybe walked through the house with them, and hoped the work wrapped up before the listing date.That's changing. More agents, teams, and brokerages are getting directly involved in renovations, whether that means coordinating pre-listing improvements, managing their own flips, or creating a separate remodeling business alongside the brokerage.The appeal is easy to understand. Agents already see properties before many other buyers do. They know which improvements tend to matter in their local market and which ones probably won't earn their money back. When an inherited or distressed property needs work before it can sell, the agent is often one of the first people ...
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By Linda Edelwich, Serving Glastonbury & Beyond | 218 New London Trnk
(William Raveis Real Estate)
The Hebron downsizing conversation has a specific dynamic that agents working in this market encounter regularly. The desire to stay local is genuine and common. The inventory that supports it is more limited than homeowners often expect going in. Here is how to frame the planning conversation and what makes the transition work.Why inventory shapes the Hebron downsizing timeline differentlyHebron is a rural town with a limited supply of smaller homes and one-level living options. Unlike more densely developed communities where downsizers have a reasonably deep pool of condominiums and smaller single-family homes to choose from, Hebron homeowners targeting a smaller local property are working with a narrower set of options that changes slowly.That limitation is not a barrier to staying l...
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By Linda Edelwich, Serving Glastonbury & Beyond | 218 New London Trnk
(William Raveis Real Estate)
East Hampton's seasonal patterns add a layer to the timing conversation that most Connecticut towns do not have to the same degree. The lake lifestyle dimension creates a specific buyer motivation cycle that sellers benefit from understanding before they set a listing date. Here is how that plays out in practice.The lake lifestyle buyer and when they are most activeBuyers drawn to East Hampton for proximity to Lake Pocotopaug tend to accelerate their search in late winter and early spring, motivated by the goal of being settled and enjoying the property before summer. That concentrated motivation creates a window of heightened buyer engagement for lake-oriented and lake-adjacent homes from roughly late February through early May.A home that is positioned, prepared, and on the market whe...
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By Katerina Gasset, Amplify Your Real Estate & Life Dreams!
(The Gasset Group & Get It Done For Me Virtual Services )
Dreaming of country living with a little more room to breathe? 🏡🌳Located in Berryville, VA, 1238 Shepherds Mill Rd. offers 6.93 acres of open and wooded land, a 3-bedroom, 3-bath home, and existing features for horses and chickens, including a paddock, ride-in shed, and chicken coop.Offered at $723,900, this Clarke County property also features a fully finished walkout lower level, outdoor living spaces, and a separate building with additional possibilities. Take a closer look at what nearly seven acres of country living has to offer in the original article below! If your idea of home includes more land, more privacy, and maybe a few four-legged feathered residents, take a look at 1238 Shepherds Mill Rd., Berryville, VA 22611. Offered at $723,900, this unique Berryville VA home sits on ...
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By Steve Keighery, Louisiana real estate investor & problem solver
(Home Buyer Louisiana)
Back in 2021, I bought a rental property in Mid-City New Orleans from a landlord who was simply done with it.The property had deferred maintenance. He was tired of dealing with it and ready to move on.At the time, I was happy to buy it.Five years later, I understand him a lot better.I recently stopped by the property after dealing with a tenant who wasn't paying rent and ultimately had to be evicted. Fortunately, the condition after they left wasn't as bad as it could have been, and we'll get the property turned around.But standing there looking at it, I had to laugh a little.I bought this house from a tired landlord.Now I'm the tired landlord.If I Could Go Back, I Probably Wouldn't Buy This OneI'm still a very active real estate investor. I own rental properties, I continue buying, and...
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By Kerry L Klun - Palm Realty, 321-626-5868
(Palm Realty)
This Stunning Beachside home is now PENDING FOR RENT!!!  at $5000/month. This beachside home is in the new Vue development in Satellite Beach and was absolutely beautiful! It is close to shopping, dining, and most importantly to my client, in the Satellite Beach High School district. This home featured the following...4 bedroom       3 bath 1 Story 2182 square feet2 car garageBuilt in 2023Open concept floorplanGourmet kitchen with stainless steel appliancesMaster bedroom with en suite 5 piece bathWalk in closetprivate in ground poolOutdoor kitchenClose to the beachCall me at 321-626-5868, I would be more than happy to discuss with you your real estate needs when you are looking to purchase your new home or sell the one that you have or even rent! Let my 35+ years of experience as a full...
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By Charles Stallions, 850-476-4494 - Pensacola, Pace or Gulf Breeze, Fl.
(Charles Stallions Real Estate Services Inc )
What Repairs Should You Ask a Seller to Make?A Stallions‑Style Guide for Pensacola, Pace & Gulf Breeze BuyersAfter the home inspection, the real decisions begin — who fixes what, what’s negotiable, and what’s a deal breaker. In our Gulf Coast market, smart repair requests can save you money, protect your investment, and keep your contract moving smoothly.Below is your branded, bullet‑point breakdown of what buyers should ask for, what to avoid, and how to negotiate repairs strategically. Reasonable Repairs to Ask a Seller to MakeHealth, Safety & Structural Issues (Always Priority)These are standard requests in Pensacola, Pace, and Gulf Breeze — and often required for financing or insurance: Mold or moisture intrusion Electrical hazards or outdated panels Foundation cracks or structural ...
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By Kerry L Klun - Palm Realty, 321-626-5868
(Palm Realty)
This Stunning Beachside condo is now RENTED!!!  at $7000/month. This beachside condo is in Indialantic and was in absolutely perfect condition! It is close to shopping, dining, and that view!!! This condo featured the following...3 bedroom       4 bath 1 Story 2820 square feet2 car garageExcellent floorplan that lives BIG!Stunning views of the beachGourmet kitchenPrivate elevator accessAmenities included: pool, fitness center, spa/hot tub, Cable TV, Internet, water and sewerCall me at 321-626-5868, I would be more than happy to discuss with you your real estate needs when you are looking to purchase your new home or sell the one that you have, or rent. Let my 35+ years of experience as a full time real estate broker  work for you! Call me at 321-626-5868, I would be honored to help you ...
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