December 2025

Optimal Blue on Wednesday released its November 2025 Market Advantage report, which revealed that mortgage rate-lock activity slowed with typical late-fall seasonality but still posted the strongest November in four years. Total lock volume fell 25% from October but was up 17% from November 2024, driven by strong refinance activity and mortgage rates hovering near 6%. Rate-and-term refinances surged...

For Toll Brothers, whose enviable core customers are ones whose financial wherewithal effectively shields them from worries about high prices and high interest rates, the question is not “can they buy?” It’s will they? And will they buy now? “America’s Luxury Homebuilder” continues to rely on its move-up, active adult, and luxury segments — and their pursuit of “the home of their...

The Federal Reserve delivered another 25-basis-point cut to its benchmark interest rate on Wednesday, setting the target range at 3.5% to 3.75% amid signs of a softening labor market and inflation that’s still above the central bank’s 2% target.  The move marks the Fed’s third straight rate cut to end 2025, following 25-bps cuts in September and October. For 2026, monetary policy watchers expect...

Boca Raton doesn’t shy away from big architecture, but a newly listed waterfront estate in The Sanctuary is pushing into rare territory even by local standards. Offered at $16.9 million, the property sits inside one of the nation’s most secure and prestigious deep-water enclaves, a guard-gated community known for its yacht-friendly canals, privacy, and custom estates. But location is far from...

West Palm Beach’s skyline has a new star, and it’s perched 20 stories above the water at one of the city’s most anticipated new developments. Listed for $13,795,000, Residence 2002 at Forté on Flagler arrives as a brand-new, custom, flow-through home with sweeping views of Palm Beach, the Intracoastal Waterway, and the Atlantic Ocean. With its enormous wrap-around terrace, glass-clad...

Austin’s design scene loves a good surprise, and a new listing in Northwest Hills is delivering one of the most polished, personality-filled homes to hit the market this year. Priced at $1,890,000, the property at 6203 Ledge Mountain Drive arrives with a fully realized design identity from sought-after local designer Claire Brody — right down to the furniture. Rather than a renovation, this is a...

More than a refresh but not a complete overhaul, a midsize bathroom project focuses on delivering dramatic improvements where it counts. Here are 10 projects to inspire your next update. Once you’ve found a favorite (or two), work with a designer or a remodeling pro — many of whom can be found on...

The U.S. housing market is finally positioned for a recovery in 2026, with a set of cities emerging as the strongest opportunities for returning buyers, according to a new report released this week by the National Association of Realtors. In its annual outlook, Housing Hot Spots for 2026: The Markets Poised for New Buyer Opportunities, NAR identified 10 metropolitan areas expected to outperform the nation...

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate (BHGRE) released its 2026 Design Trends Moving Real Estate Report — outlining features and design preferences driving homebuyers in the year ahead. The report draws on a national consumer study conducted by thinqinsights, as well as insights from BHGRE-affiliated agents and experts. “Homeownership remains one of life’s most monumental transactions, and...

A new multi-state coalition is warning that worsening floods across Appalachia — and the federal government’s uneven response — are heightening risks for communities, infrastructure and real estate markets across the region. The Appalachian Flood Resilience Coalition recently convened for the first time to examine Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding fights, stalled mitigation...