May 2025

Don't forget to stash...

Tokyo and Seoul drive uptick; Office investment surges 42% quarter-on-quarter Asia Pacific's commercial real estate (CRE) investment market held firm in the first quarter of 2025, with total transaction volume reaching $32.8 billion -- a marginal 1% dip from the previous quarter but up 11% year-over-year, according to new data from CBRE. The Q1 results were buoyed by a noticeable pickup in activity in...

If someone had told me that home sales would remain firm this year despite mortgage rates ranging from 7.25% to 6.64%, I would not have taken that bet. However, amid all the chaotic economic headlines of 2025 so far, the demand for mortgages is holding steady, even with the higher rates. Let’s dig into the latest Housing Market Tracker data to see what last week brought us. Purchase application...

Curb appeal is important when selling your home, but some updates can actually harm resale...

An electrician shares the top red flags to watch...

eXp Realty has launched a new land and ranch division to serve real estate agents who specialize in rural, agricultural and recreational properties, the company announced this week. The new division is designed to support agents working in a growing sector of the housing market with tools tailored to land and ranch transactions. “Our launch of the Land & Ranch Division is yet another example...

It’s probably too early to get excited, but several lenders reported that mortgage demand climbed to 2022 levels this week. After months of hovering in the high 6% range—and most recently dipping to 6.84%— declining mortgage rates may finally be luring buyers back. Applications rose 11% last week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), as mortgage executives report renewed activity...

The communities engulfed in the Los Angeles-area wildfires continue to recover and pick up the pieces. And representatives of Los Angeles County have signaled they want to provide specific guidance for impacted reverse mortgage borrowers to navigate issues that arise with these loans in disaster areas. The county’s Aging and Disabilities Department will host a special event on Saturday, May 10. The...

As homelessness continues to rise nationwide, one nonprofit is pushing for a paradigm shift. DignityMoves, a San Francisco-based organization, has been leading the charge for what its founder and CEO Elizabeth Funk calls “interim supportive housing.” These cost-effective tiny home communities aim to help individuals stabilize their lives while waiting for permanent housing options that are often...

Thousands of Minnesota residents who lost homes over property taxes may now be eligible for compensation, following a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling and a resulting $109 million class-action settlement fund. The case began with Geraldine Tyler, a 94-year-old Minneapolis woman who owed $15,000 in property taxes on her condominium. In response, Hennepin County, Minnesota, seized the property, sold...