Real Estate

Engel & Völkers gains top California team from Sotheby’s

One of Sotheby’s International Realty’s top luxury teams is making the move over to Engel & Völkers. On Tuesday, Truszkowski Freedman & Associates announced its departure from Sotheby’s, an Anywhere brand that is now owned by Compass.  The team, which is based on California’s Monterey Peninsula, is led by Zak Freedman and Nicole Truszkowski, and […]

Engel & Völkers gains top California team from Sotheby’s Read More »

Lawmakers move to restrict private listings in Washington

Lawmakers in Washington state are weighing in on the real estate industry’s private listing debate. On Monday, state legislators introduced a bill that seeks to amend an existing state statute related to real estate licensing laws by restricting the use of private listing networks in the state. The bill describes itself as “an act relating

Lawmakers move to restrict private listings in Washington Read More »

Merger forms largest Arizona REMAX brokerage

REMAX Fine Properties and REMAX Professionals have merged to form the largest REMAX brokerage in Arizona. Combined operations will work under the REMAX Fine Properties name and maintain nine offices across the state. The brokerage now includes roughly 350 affiliated real estate professionals, according to leadership. Jamie Wong will continue as broker-owner of the expanded

Merger forms largest Arizona REMAX brokerage Read More »

Shake it off! NAR looks to dismiss Taylor Swift copyright claim

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) is hoping to shake off a copyright lawsuit involving photos of an estate belonging to Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift’s fiancé. The trade association filed a motion to dismiss the copyright lawsuit on Friday.  Originally filed in U.S. District Court in Missouri in October by photographer Brynn Burns, the lawsuit

Shake it off! NAR looks to dismiss Taylor Swift copyright claim Read More »

Meet MVRK Real Estate, the latest brokerage launched by a mortgage executive

Florida’s real estate brokerage scene has a new face. Earlier this month, John Motowidlak, the founder and CEO of national mortgage firm Mpire Financial, announced the launch of a new brokerage firm MVRK Real Estate. Headquartered in Orlando, Fla., as of Monday, Motowidlak said the firm had 10 agents, which is the equivalent of roughly

Meet MVRK Real Estate, the latest brokerage launched by a mortgage executive Read More »

The $2–4% mortgage trap is freezing housing: Defeasance may be the way out

For the past several years, the U.S. housing market has faced an unusual constraint: not a lack of  buyers, but a lack of sellers willing — or able — to move. Millions of homeowners remain “rate-locked,” holding mortgages originated in 2020–2022 at  interest rates between 2% and 4% (Federal Housing Finance Agency; Freddie Mac Primary 

The $2–4% mortgage trap is freezing housing: Defeasance may be the way out Read More »

WSJ: DOJ leadership halted antitrust review of Compass–Anywhere deal

News that the proposed merger between Compass and Anywhere would close this week came as a surprise to many in the industry, especially those who were anticipating a robust antitrust review of the deal. Several news outlets are reporting that antitrust regulators were blocked from a deeper investigation into the deal by officials higher up in

WSJ: DOJ leadership halted antitrust review of Compass–Anywhere deal Read More »

Real estate leaders weigh in on potential ban on large investors

President Donald Trump announced plans to ban large institutional investors from buying single-family homes earlier this week, arguing the move would ease competition for families and improve housing affordability. The proposal has reignited a long-running debate over the role Wall Street-backed landlords play in the housing market — and whether restricting them would meaningfully lower

Real estate leaders weigh in on potential ban on large investors Read More »

Compass-Anywhere merger closing imminent, brokers share plans to compete

Despite initial estimates calling for a summer or even fall 2026 close for the Compass–Anywhere merger, the two companies have indicated the transaction could close as soon as this Friday.  This news came after shareholders at both firms overwhelmingly voted to approve the merger at special meetings Wednesday afternoon.  Upon the close of the transaction,

Compass-Anywhere merger closing imminent, brokers share plans to compete Read More »

RealTrends Verified Jorgenson Group launches independent Texas brokerage

The Jorgenson Group, a Round Rock, Texas–based real estate team led by founder Kasey Jorgenson, has officially launched Jorgenson Real Estate as an independent brokerage — ending a 16-year run operating within Keller Williams. The move became public this week and marks a new chapter for a team that closed just over $66 million in

RealTrends Verified Jorgenson Group launches independent Texas brokerage Read More »