Real Estate From The Trenches

June Housing Trends Show More Listings, But Sellers Aren’t Backing Down

July 25, 2025

Buyers Are Getting the Edge—but Sellers Aren’t Giving In Just Yet

According to the Realtor.com June 2025 Monthly Housing Trends Report, buyers have more to look at this summer than they’ve had in years. Active inventory is up 28.9% from a year ago, marking the 20th straight month of gains and the second month in a row with over 1 million listings on the market. The report calls this a “new post-pandemic high”—but inventory is still 12.9% below pre-COVID levels, so it’s not exactly a buyer’s market yet.

Beyond the Hype: What Zillow’s Court Statements Say About Its Business Model

July 23, 2025

Buried in Zillow’s opposition to a preliminary injunction was a candid acknowledgment of how their platform actually works — and where its limits lie.

But perhaps the most telling statement from Zillow’s filing is this:

When Sellers Become Landlords: A Shift That’s Reshaping Sunbelt Real Estate

July 3, 2025

When the “For Sale” Sign Becomes a “For Rent” Sign

A new report from Parcl Labs lays out a trend that some of us on the ground have seen firsthand: a growing number of “accidental landlords” popping up in markets where the big investors are most entrenched—and pulling back.

New Home Sales Fall Hard, But Tax Breaks Could Heat Things Back Up

July 3, 2025

New Home Construction Sinks, Office Conversions on the rise

The real estate market just got a fresh dose of both reality and opportunity, according to a new June 2025 analysis from Chandan Economics. Their latest report flags two key developments that should be on every agent’s, investor’s, and savvy homeowner’s radar: a clear housing market slowdown and major pro-real estate wins tucked into federal tax legislation.

First, the red flag: new home sales in May dropped 13.7% from the month before, hitting their lowest level since October 2024. That’s not a minor blip. Inventory is rising, discounting is dragging on, and, according to Chandan, some builders are now “halting construction.” If you’re working with buyers waiting for prices to soften, or sellers expecting the frenzy of 2021-2022, this is the kind of shift that can reset expectations fast.

How the Senate’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” Could Put Thousands Back in Your Pocket—and Boost Affordable Housing Across America

July 2, 2025

Here’s an update on the One Big Beautiful Bill, fresh from its tight Senate win and heading to the House.

Bottom line up front: The Senate kept almost all the real-estate perks from the original plan and added a few new benefits. If the House signs off, homeowners, landlords, sellers, investors and real estate agents will see more money in their pockets, clearer tax rules, and stronger support for affordable housing.

Home Prices Hit Historic High—Why 78% of America’s Counties Are Now Unaffordable

June 26, 2025

When it comes to housing affordability, location isn’t just important, it’s crucial. ATTOM Data Solutions’ latest U.S. Home Affordability Report reveals that in the second quarter of 2025, homeownership expenses were unaffordable for typical residents in 77.9% of counties across the country. Nationally, the median home price rose to a historic high of $369,000, requiring average earners to dedicate 33.7% of their income, well above the recommended maximum of 28%,towards housing expenses.

This increasing burden is especially pronounced in populous counties such as Los Angeles County, CA; Cook County, IL (Chicago); and Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix), where affordability has sharply declined. The report highlights how wages have stagnated compared to rapidly rising home prices: since early 2020, the median home price in the U.S. increased by 55.7%, while average wages rose by just 26.6%.

Open Access or Walled Gardens? What’s Really at Stake in the Compass-Zillow Lawsuit

June 26, 2025

EXP Weights in on Compass vs Zillow Suit over Private Listings

The Compass-Zillow Lawsuit Isn’t Just Legal Drama—It’s a Battle Over Real Estate’s Innovation DNA

Glenn Sanford, CEO of eXp, just weighed in on the Compass-Zillow lawsuit—and whether you agree with him or not, his post hits a critical nerve about where this industry could be headed.

Why the Compass vs. Zillow Lawsuit May Reshape Real Estate’s Digital Future

June 25, 2025

The Compass antitrust lawsuit against Zillow is heating up, and Greg Hague’s latest analysis puts an even sharper point on what’s at stake. I covered the legal filing last week, but Hague’s breakdown highlights just how transformative this case could be for the real estate industry. He’s right: this isn’t just about listing policies or portal preferences. It’s a fight over who controls the digital front door to homebuying—and whether innovation in marketing strategies gets crushed under the weight of a near-monopoly.

What Zillow calls a policy change for transparency, Hague frames as textbook exclusionary conduct. And it’s hard to argue with that lens when you consider the timing: Compass gains traction with its Private Exclusives and extended pre-MLS marketing, NAR adjusts the Clear Cooperation Policy to allow more flexibility, and suddenly Zillow drops a 24-hour rule that effectively bans listings that don’t play by its rules. It’s not about fairness to buyers; it’s about eliminating options that threaten Zillow’s lead-gen machine. The permanent nature of the ban, coupled with Zillow’s platform dominance, underscores the concern.

Compass Sues Zillow Over New Listing Ban That Targets Private Marketing

June 24, 2025

Compass vs Zillow Lawsuit over private listings

Compass filed a federal antitrust lawsuit yesterday accusing Zillow of trying to crush competition in the home search space. The core of the lawsuit challenges what Compass calls the “Zillow Ban,” a new policy set to begin enforcement June 30th, which blocks any listing from appearing on Zillow if it was marketed elsewhere—even on a brokerage’s private platform—for more than one day.

Compass claims this rule unfairly targets its 3-Phased Marketing Strategy, which allows sellers to start privately marketing a listing before it hits the MLS and public portals. According to the complaint, 94% of listings that used the strategy in 2024 ultimately went to the MLS and sites like Zillow, but the new policy would strip those sellers of that exposure unless they bypass pre-marketing altogether—or fire their agent and relist with someone else. The suit alleges this is a classic monopolistic move to limit seller choice, eliminate competing innovation, and control inventory. Compass also accuses Zillow of conspiring with Redfin and eXp to enforce the policy across multiple platforms, describing it as a coordinated boycott.

Top Metro Areas for Landlords: Rents and Home Prices Projected to Grow Through 2025

June 23, 2025

For landlords, investors, and property managers eyeing opportunities, recent data from Zillow through May 2025 highlights 24 promising U.S. markets where rents are climbing alongside positive housing market forecasts. Notably, the list identifies metros where both rental and home price growth signal healthy market dynamics and potential profitability.

Topping the list, Syracuse, NY, and Rochester, NY, demonstrate robust year-over-year rent increases of 6.2% and 5.2%, respectively. Home prices in these cities are forecasted to outpace rental growth, signaling stronger appreciation prospects. Investors in these markets may find themselves benefiting from immediate rental income boosts and favorable long-term equity gains.

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