2026

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer took a big step toward clearing the path for developers to build smaller apartment buildings more affordably. Whitmer signed Michigan’s single-stair legislation into law this week, a green light for developers to build multifamily housing up to six stories more economically, with a single interior exit stairway. Michigan housing advocates say the win improves the chances that...

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) released its second-quarter update on the 2026-2028 strategic plan on Wednesday outlining progress on lobbying, legal strategy, MLS guidance, technology and education designed to protect member businesses and reinforce the value of membership. NAR CEO Nykia Wright said the plan is the association’s primary vehicle for delivering advocacy, guidance and tools...

Look closely at the last twenty houses that made you stop scrolling. The Malibu box with the cantilevered second floor. That black-clad thing in the Hollywood Hills. The Miami Beach tropical modern with the wood-look siding that somehow never seems to gray out. Odds are good the exterior on at least half of them started life as a product spec’d for office parks and warehouses. Nobody announces...

Brooklyn has no shortage of historic brownstones, but freestanding mansions of this caliber are in a league of their own. Now listed for $3,845,000, 1094 Park Place is one of the borough’s most significant surviving Queen Anne residences, offering a rare opportunity to own a landmark home that has retained much of its original character while embracing thoughtful modern updates. Located within the...

Whether a bathroom is a private sanctuary or a space used by the whole family, it should be clean, inviting and functional. But if yours doesn’t fit that description, don’t assume you’re in for a lengthy remodel. Try these simple yet strategic upgrades to give your bathroom a stylish and refreshed...

Investment Surges 54 Percent to Seven-Year High Asia Pacific's hotel market is experiencing its strongest resurgence since before the pandemic, as investors pour billions of dollars into hospitality assets amid improving tourism demand, stronger operating performance and renewed confidence in long-term regional growth. Hotel transactions across Asia Pacific reached $6.8 billion in the first half of 2026,...

Few homebuilding enterprises look so voraciously at other homebuilding operators’ share of new-home sales in any given arena as present and future opportunity as does D.R. Horton. When those Horton flags flap in the dry summer wind, you can almost hear them as lips smacking in anticipation of a good meal later in the day. So, while Wall Street will spend much of the next day or more unpacking why...

When Keller Williams announced its acquisition of the Jason Mitchell Group (JMG) earlier this month, Steve Murray, the co-founder of RealTrends Consulting, felt it was an historical moment for real estate companies with models similar to JMG, such as Mark Spain Real Estate, PLACE or Robert Slack Group.  “The acquisition of Jason Mitchell Group means that a very large, very smart investor has just put...

On Monday, President Donald Trump threatened to impose 50% tariffs on most Canadian goods, raising questions about the potential impacts on homebuilders and residential construction costs.  The tariffs, which would take effect in 30 days if the United States and Canada can’t negotiate an agreement, would impact multiple materials utilized by homebuilders. However, while tariffs are already having a...

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is proposing a new structure, called Reinstatement Advance Payment (RAP), that would change how servicers document and service partial claims and payment supplements.  Under the draft, attributed to Joseph M. Gormley, who is performing the delegable duties of the assistant secretary for housing–federal housing commissioner, the FHA would test a model that...