Housing Wire

JUNE 12, 2025

Partner Real Estate is on the rise — and making its presence felt. The Los Angeles -based independent brokerage achieved its best-ever placement in the 2025 RealTrends rankings , coming in at No. 13 among mega teams by closed sales volume. For Rudy Kusuma, CEO of the team, the distinction represents more than just a number. “We leverage technology and have an app that allows us to generate multiple cash offers,” he said. “So when we go to listing appointments, we are able to ge

Technology 287

Technology Agents Brokerage Branding 287

Housing Wire

JUNE 12, 2025

EliseAI is finalizing a partnership with Zillow Rentals to embed its conversational artificial intelligence (AI) technology directly into multifamily rental listings on the Zillow platform. The integration is expected to launch in the third quarter of 2025. Branded as AI Assist, Powered by EliseAI, the new feature will incorporate the company’s LeasingAI technology, which offers renters immediate answers to their questions while streamlining the leasing process for property managers.

Property Management 383

Property Management Technology Branding Design 383

Housing Wire

JUNE 12, 2025

Century 21 Real Estate has announced a new affiliation with Kobetz Realty Inc. , a full-service brokerage based in Ukiah, California. The move expands Century 21 ‘s presence in Mendocino County and the surrounding region. Founded in 2020 by broker/owner Benjamin Kobetz, the firm will now operate as Century 21 Kobetz Realty. Kobetz, a lifelong Mendocino County resident, transitioned into real estate in 2017 after a career in his family’s motorsports dealership, where he developed sales and

Branding 383

Branding Brokerage Commercial Development 383

Housing Wire

JUNE 12, 2025

Senior living organizations are often seen by the public as opposing ideas related to aging in place , but one senior living executive says that the industry’s future may lie in facilitating this increasingly common goal. This is according to an interview with Tod Petty, chief marketing officer at Fynn , a senior living care management platform. Conducted by former Reverse Mortgage Daily (RMD) sister publication Senior Housing News (SHN), Petty told the outlet that incoming seniors expect servic

Technology 394

Technology Industrial Mortgages As-is 394

Housing Wire

JUNE 12, 2025

Nonqualified mortgage ( non-QM ) lender Logan Finance Corp. has launched a new set of loan products designed to serve borrowers who fall outside traditional lending requirements. The “Open Road” product series includes seven mortgage offerings tailored to self-employed individuals, real estate investors and international homebuyers. Logan Finance says the suite is intended to close a growing financing gap that impacts millions of creditworthy borrowers who don’t meet the standard criteria for co

Finance 272

Finance Lending Investor Loans 272

Housing Wire

JUNE 12, 2025

Real estate investment trust Chimera Investment Corp. has entered into an agreement to acquire HomeXpress Mortgage Corp. , adding a mortgage origination platform to its portfolio. The sellers include affiliates of Seer Capital Management ’s credit fund business. National lender HomeXpress specializes in nonqualified mortgages (non-QMs), business-purpose loans for real estate investors and other nonagency mortgage products.

Loan Officer 279

Loan Officer Principal Loans Mortgages 279

Housing Wire

JUNE 12, 2025

LPT Realty achieves growth by tailoring compensation models to the career stage of its real estate agents, from newbies who get the most out of a flat-fee model to superstars who like a traditional split. “What that creates is [that] we actually have alignment with our team leaders,” said LPT CEO Robert Palmer. “Everybody wins, and it’s led to massive growth.

Agents 410

Agents Brokerage Technology Staging 410

Housing Wire

JUNE 11, 2025

Century 21 Myers Realty has merged with PAL Realty , a Leesburg, Florida -based firm that specializes in serving 55-plus active adult communities. The merger expands the reach of Century 21 Myers Realty to seven offices and brings its agent count to approximately 160. PAL Realty, founded in 2006 by broker June Robbins, will now operate under the Century 21 Myers Realty name.

Brokerage 413

Brokerage Development Technology Agents 413

Housing Wire

JUNE 11, 2025

Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp. , a top 20 U.S. mortgage lender, announced a deal on Wednesday to acquire Hallmark Home Mortgage in an asset sale. Financial terms were not disclosed. Indiana -based Hallmark will become a new division of Wisconsin -based Fairway. It will operate under the “Powered by Fairway” brand and will be led by Hallmark founder and CEO Deborah Sturges.

Mortgages 328

Mortgages Loan Officer Lending Branding 328

Housing Wire

JUNE 11, 2025

The women of the housing industry took to the stage on Wednesday morning during the Women of Influence Forum to share leadership stories and strategies on the final day of The Gathering by HousingWire. For Michelle Sipe, the senior vice president of operations at insurance firm SimplyIOA , one of the most important leadership lessons she learned early in her career was the importance of being humble.

Staging 328

Staging Industrial As-is Development 328

Housing Wire

JUNE 11, 2025

This week at The Gathering by HousingWire , reverse mortgages took center stage on Tuesday as HW Media CEO Clayton Collins welcomed two leading industry executives to the stage. Dan Ventura, the president of reverse mortgage lending at Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp. , and Chris Mayer, CEO of Longbridge Financial , spoke in front of the assembled professionals about what they hope to accomplish in elevating and expanding the reverse mortgage marketplace to new participants.

Mortgages 351

Mortgages Debt-to-income ratio Lending Staging 351

Housing Wire

JUNE 11, 2025

On the latest episode of the RealTrending podcast , host Tracey Velt sits down with Tami Pardee, founder of Pardee Properties in Venice, California. Pardee leads a boutique brokerage that’s redefining high-touch service and high-performance operations in the real estate world. Drawing from her roots in the entertainment industry, Pardee reveals how she reimagined the traditional real estate model by borrowing the structure and efficiency of production teams.

Brokerage 252

Brokerage Agents Development Industrial 252

Housing Wire

JUNE 11, 2025

AppFolio unveiled new artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities at this year’s National Apartment Association Apartmentalize conference, expanding its platform Realm-X with new features aimed at automating property management tasks. The company introduced Realm-X Performers, which are AI tools designed to handle specific operational processes autonomously.

Property Management 254

Property Management Technology Development Design 254

Housing Wire

JUNE 11, 2025

Texas-based Unlock MLS has entered into a strategic agreement with Omni MLS — the largest subscriber-based multiple listing service in Latin America — to provide expanded international property access for its members. The partnership integrates Omni’s property listings across 17 Latin American countries — soon to grow to 21 — into the Unlock MLS system via Matrix, a real estate platform used by professionals across the U.S.

MLS 247

MLS Investor Agents Marketing 247

Housing Wire

JUNE 10, 2025

In March, Shant Banosian, the No. 1 loan originator in the country by volume for at least five years, was announced as the new president of Rate Mortgage. Rate — previously known as Guaranteed Rate until its 2024 rebrand — ranked No. 8 on Inside Mortgage Finance ’s list of top originators with just under $40 billion in volume last year. Banosian led the company’s Boston-based team for more than a decade, originating more than $2 billion in 2021 alone.

Title 272

Title Loan Officer Loans Finance 272

Housing Wire

JUNE 10, 2025

Reverse mortgage lender and servicer Longbridge Financial , a no. 2 industry player in reverse-backed securities issuance and one of the top two providers of proprietary reverse mortgage loans, is expanding its product suite beyond government-backed and proprietary reverse mortgages while remaining focused on older customers. It’s doing so with the launch of a new home equity line of credit ( HELOC ) option specifically for customers ages 62 and older.

Equity 373

Equity Principal Development Mortgages 373

Housing Wire

JUNE 10, 2025

Rocket Pro is partnering with Vetted VA , which provides education to veterans and training to loan officers to give veterans better access to home loan benefits. The partnership, announced on Tuesday at The Gathering by HousingWire , will involve the training of Rocket staff and LOs by Vetted VA so the lender can better serve the veteran community.

VA loan 440

VA loan Loan Officer Loans Lending 440

Housing Wire

JUNE 10, 2025

The former chief financial officer of cloud-based real estate firm The Real Brokerage has filed a federal lawsuit alleging she was pushed out of the company after becoming pregnant and taking maternity leave. Michelle Ressler, who was relieved of her role as CFO in April, claims in the suit that Real orchestrated her termination under false pretenses and replaced her with a less qualified male employee.

Brokerage 386

Brokerage Finance Investor Industrial 386

Housing Wire

JUNE 10, 2025

As the economic situation for many Americans continues to evolve due in part to the cost of housing, one Democratic member of the House of Representatives used her time on the floor Tuesday to call for more action to address rising housing expenses. Rep. Shontel Brown (D- Ohio ) on Tuesday introduced a House Resolution calling for “urgent, coordinated federal action to address the nation’s worsening housing crisis by preserving and expanding access to affordable housing,” according to a statemen

Development 370

Development As-is Closing Marketing 370

Housing Wire

JUNE 10, 2025

With housing costs soaring, many homeowners are looking for creative ways to maximize their property value while providing additional living options. ADUs offer a flexible, cost-effective way to generate rental income, accommodate aging family members, or even provide young adults with an independent living space—all without the need for costly relocations or massive new developments.

Construction 408

Construction Land As-is Development 408

Housing Wire

JUNE 10, 2025

Amid expectations that interest rate declines may reignite refinance activity , Optimal Blue on Monday launched a new tool that automatically analyzes loan officer portfolios each month to identify recapture opportunities. The tool is designed to ensure loan officers are ready when refinance volume picks up. While refinances declined in May from the prior month, Optimal Blue data released on Tuesday shows a significant year-over-year increase.

Loan Officer 334

Loan Officer FHA loan Loans Closing costs 334

Housing Wire

JUNE 9, 2025

An Ohio appeals court has upheld a jury’s decision that orders CrossCountry Mortgage (CCM), the nation’s eighth-largest mortgage lender, to pay $2.1 million to a former senior accountant who was allegedly fired due to her age. Cheryl Shephard, who joined CCM in 2016, filed the lawsuit in October 2022 against the company and its vice president of finance, Mark Novak.

Mortgages 396

Mortgages Finance 396

Housing Wire

JUNE 9, 2025

U.S. consumer sentiment toward the housing market improved in May and reached its highest level since November 2024, according to Fannie Mae. Fannie Mae’s Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) rose 4.3 points to 73.5 last month, driven by increased optimism about home buying and selling conditions and expectations that mortgage rates may fall in the coming year.

Marketing 415

Marketing Mortgages 415

Housing Wire

JUNE 9, 2025

Unless you’ve been living among the Amish, you’ve probably already tried ChatGPT for your real estate business. Most agents we work with have, but usually to write listing descriptions packed to the gills with fluffy language and way too many em dashes. Sound familiar? If so, you’ve barely scratched the surface of what ChatGPT can do for your real estate business.

Branding 417

Branding Title Agents As-is 417

Housing Wire

JUNE 9, 2025

Glenn Kelman’s wife was starting to get worried. The Redfin founder and CEO’s behavior was unusual lately. He was staying up late into the night exchanging texts with someone. But there was no other woman. Kelman was group texting Varun Krishna, the CEO of Rocket Companies , and Jay Bray, the CEO of Mr. Cooper. They would share their unified vision for transforming the homeownership journey and — importantly — making it more affordable for consumers.

Branding 269

Branding Mortgages Industrial Closing 269

Housing Wire

JUNE 9, 2025

Canadian-based RARE Real Estate has launched operations in South Florida , marking its official entry into the U.S. market. The move is part of a broader expansion strategy by the fast-growing brokerage , which gained recent attention through its feature on the Amazon reality series “Luxe Listings Toronto.” RARE’s entry into the U.S. market is led by company founder Adam Stern, who has more than 20 years of experience in the real estate industry.

Brokerage 377

Brokerage Marketing Industrial Agents 377

Housing Wire

JUNE 9, 2025

A California real estate broker is suing the National Association of Realtors (NAR) over a policy that forces brokers to pay dues for agents who aren’t members of their state, local or national Realtor associations. John Diaz, who’s based in Modesto, claims that NAR’s Variable Dues Formula (VDF) policy penalizes brokers for associating with agents who aren’t Realtors.

Brokerage 296

Brokerage Commercial MLS Inspection 296

Housing Wire

JUNE 9, 2025

Blend Labs Inc. is officially exiting the title business with the sale of its Title365 subsidiary to Covius Services , the companies announced on Monday. Blend acquired Title365 from Mr. Cooper for $422 million in 2021. While it’s stepping away from title operations, Blend will continue to use the platform for title and closing services. The Title365 team, including president Kirby Hulbert, will join Covius’s settlement services division.

Title 298

Title Equity Sales Industrial 298

Housing Wire

JUNE 9, 2025

Ginger Bell, a marketing professional and founder of Go2Training has joined the National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB) as its growth officer, the association announced on Monday. In her new role, Bell will lead initiatives to drive business growth and member value for mortgage professionals. NAMB confirmed that Bell will also lead the development and engagement of its recently created online community platform, Hive.

Mortgages 350

Mortgages Development Industrial As-is 350

Housing Wire

JUNE 9, 2025

There is no denying that Nykia Wright joined the National Association of Realtors (NAR) at a major inflection point for both the industry and the trade organization. “The travesty and joke is that the same day I signed my interim CEO contract was the day the verdict (in the Sitzer/Burnett suit) came out,” Wright , the CEO of NAR, told attendees at HousingWire ’s The Gathering on Monday morning.

Industrial 287

Industrial As-is Brokerage 287

Housing Wire

JUNE 9, 2025

The U.S. housing market is experiencing its largest-ever imbalance between home sellers and buyers, with an estimated 1.9 million sellers compared to 1.5 million buyers as of April 2025, according to Redfin. That’s a 33.7% gap — or roughly 490,000 more sellers than buyers — and the widest margin recorded since Redfin’s data tracking began in 2013.

Marketing 316

Marketing Seller concession MLS Mortgages 316

Housing Wire

JUNE 9, 2025

A boutique real estate brokerage based in Kern County, California , has joined the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate network. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Platinum Realty Group — led by broker/owner Christy Rabe — will now operate under the nationally recognized brand as part of a strategic effort to expand services and attract agents. Rabe, who founded Platinum Realty Group in 2018, has worked in real estate for two decades and built a career in the mountain community of Bear Valley

Brokerage 328

Brokerage Branding Commercial Land 328

Housing Wire

JUNE 9, 2025

Real estate industry executives may not see eye to eye on the National Association of Realtors ‘ (NAR) Clear Cooperation Policy (CCP), but there is one thing they do agree on — the vast majority of sellers receive the most benefit from listing transparency and broad exposure of their listings. “The average people that our agents are working with everyday are thinking about things like affordability and how they can maximize the value of their home — and typically that comes from exposure,

MLS 375

MLS Brokerage Industrial Agents 375

Housing Wire

JUNE 9, 2025

The 2025 U.S. housing market is flashing warning signs reminiscent of 2008: rising household debt burdens, persistent inflation and home prices that are outpacing incomes. Unlike the pre-2008 era, stricter lending standards and robust regulations have kept mortgage delinquency rates low, significantly lowering the odds of a catastrophic collapse. Yet, the growing share of income devoted to debt payments signals a need for heightened oversight and proactive measures to prevent financial strain fr

Marketing 438

Marketing Debt-to-income ratio Fixed-rate mortgage Loans 438

Housing Wire

JUNE 9, 2025

I love taking my son to the arcade, sharing with him the games I grew up playing and the workarounds that can help improve his odds of winning. On one such trip, we spent too much time and money trying to win a prize out of the arcade’s claw machine. It got me thinking about how agents so frequently rely on luck rather than the harder, steadier work of building a self-sustaining real estate business.

Marketing 306

Marketing Staging Land Agents 306

Housing Wire

JUNE 8, 2025

Real estate brokerages have faced their fair share of challenges over the past year — from legal threats and business practice changes, to a slow housing market and the breakneck pace of technological development. With all of these changes and challenges many wonder if we are on the precipice of a brokerage mass extinction event. Panelist Craig McClelland, James Dwiggins, Linda O’Koniewski and Byron Lazine contemplated this question on Sunday at HousingWire’s The Gathering.

Brokerage 422

Brokerage Technology Agents Banks 422

Housing Wire

JUNE 6, 2025

Shilo.ai is going to have an easier time with product development thanks to a $2.6 million seed funding round. The AI assistant firm announced the funding round on Friday. The round was led by AZ-VC , Arizona ’s largest venture capital fund, which was founded by Jack Selby, the managing director of Thiel Capital. “We’re not here to build another tool,” Justin Benson, the co-founder and CEO of Shilo, said in a statement.

Closing 338

Closing Loan Officer Development Loans 338