HWmember

Do you get déjà vu? The PLS sues NAR — again

If you are familiar with ThePLS.com’s original antitrust suit filed in 2020 against the National Association of Realtors over NAR’s Clear Cooperation Policy (CCP), reading the new suit filed Tuesday might give you déjà vu.  In its 31-page complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, the PLS notes that “Paragraphs 1-121 of this […]

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Housing industry cheers Senate passage of the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’

Senate Republicans on Tuesday advanced President Donald Trump’s sprawling “Big Beautiful Bill” in a last-second flurry that required Vice President JD Vance to cast a tie-breaking vote. All 47 Senate Democrats voted against the bill, with Republicans Susan Collins, retiring Thom Tillis and Libertarian deficit hawk Rand Paul joining them. The bill now goes back

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NAR: Homebuyers still have down payment misconceptions

Despite growing attention around all-cash transactions, most Americans — especially first-time buyers — continue to finance their home purchases, according to new data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Among primary residence buyers, 74% financed their home purchase in 2024. That share jumps to 91% for first-time buyers, said Jessica Lautz, NAR’s deputy chief

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What agents must know about telemarketing consent

As class-action lawsuits continue against major real estate brokerages for alleged telemarketing violations, firms of all sizes are under increasing pressure to strengthen their compliance practices. According to attorney Michele Shuster, a founding partner of Mac Murray and Shuster LLP, staying within the bounds of federal and state telemarketing laws isn’t just a legal necessity

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Home equity cushions homeowners against economic shocks

The most recent National Mortgage Database (NMDB) Aggregate Statistics report from FHFA reveals the significant amount of home equity that American households possess. This should put an end to any discussions suggesting that the housing market is on the verge of a mass foreclosure crisis or that national home prices will crash like they did

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NAMB issues support for CHLA white paper on LO compensation

The National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB) on Monday issued a letter of support for the Community Home Lenders of America (CHLA)’s white paper on LO compensation reform. CHLA‘s white paper, released last week, urged Congress to roll back the loan originator compensation rule to focus on its original purpose — a ban on yield

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Zillow fires back against Compass’s claims of ‘irreparable harm’

Zillow is not buying Compass’s claims that its listing standards policy has or ever will cause “irreparable harm” to the nation’s top brokerage by sales volume. On Monday, the listing portal giant filed two letters in response to Compass’s motion for a preliminary injunction and its motion for expedited discovery.  The responses come just a

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Are broker-to-broker referral fees next in the real estate hot seat?

When the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) agreed to implement mandatory buyer representation agreements as part of its commission lawsuit settlement agreement, the trade group said it was in the name of increased transparency.  It’s with this same goal in mind that Northwest MLS (NWMLS) said it chose to implement referral fee disclosures. “Northwest MLS

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The five housing markets where homeownership is still affordable

Soaring home prices, limited inventory and elevated mortgage rates have exacerbated the housing affordability crisis in many housing markets when viewed in the context of household incomes, which have remained generally stagnant. In a new study, Zillow compiled related metrics to measure the affordability gap in terms of how much more income a household would

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Manual income verification is killing your commissions

In a market where every deal counts, manual income verification is the silent killer of commissions. You know the scenario: the borrower is solid, the property appraises and everything looks good—until income verification turns into a bottleneck. Suddenly, you’re chasing paystubs, waiting on HR reps who don’t call back and explaining delays to a frustrated

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