As the real estate industry grapples with consolidation, margin pressure and shifting consumer expectations, HomeServices of America is rethinking its role — and getting louder about it. In a recent interview on the RealTrending podcast, CEO Chris Kelly said the company is moving beyond its long-standing identity as a “quiet powerhouse” and evolving into a more active, value-driven parent...

A ton of housing data snapped back last week as it should have from the holiday-impacted week before: active inventory, new listings and weekly pending home sales all grew above trend. This usually happens when we have a major holiday the previous week that slows data, but mortgage rates have also fallen and we are almost back below 6.25% again. So, was the growth more of a rebound from Easter or falling...

The home inspection industry is undergoing a quiet shift that directly impacts mortgage origination timelines, closing procedures, and lender risk assessment. As the owner of an inspection company, with over 3,000 inspections completed across Texas’s fastest-growing markets, I’m seeing trends that fundamentally reshape how lenders, agents, and buyers approach the inspection phase of the...

As automation reshapes mortgage operations, the industry’s next challenge is to help borrowers navigate the complex decisions that shape their lives—not just to close the loan faster.   For the better part of a decade, the mortgage industry has been obsessed with a single metric:  speed. We have poured billions into “Sales Infrastructure”—digital applications and lead generation engines...

This Trending Now story features the most-saved entry photos uploaded to Houzz between Dec. 15, 2025, and March 15, 2026.Savvy homeowners know that an entryway does more than greet guests — it sets the tone for the entire home while...

Decluttering your home is a satisfying but time-consuming project. What you may not realize ahead of time is that sorting through your belongings can bring up a number of emotions, from guilt to nostalgia to feeling overwhelmed. These emotions are a completely normal part of the...

These parents of three young children were envisioning a dining area, a grilling station and a pergola-covered lounge for their 430-square-foot Denver backyard when they hired Sundial Designs to bring these dreams to life. Because the compact yard is tucked between the house and a detached garage,...

There are a number of quick and simple ways to invite birds, butterflies and other beneficial critters into your yard, whatever its size. Try a few of these ideas for creating a wildlife haven in a small space and then just wait for your guests to...

Job Security Anxiety Shapes Household Decisions U.S. workers are increasingly recalibrating major financial decisions amid shifting perceptions of job stability, with a growing share delaying or scrapping high-cost purchases such as homes and vehicles, according to new survey data. Roughly 36% of employed Americans say concerns about job security have led them to postpone or cancel a major purchase,...

For nearly two decades, real estate technology followed a predictable playbook: Build an all-in-one platform that does everything, with the CRM, dialer, transaction management and nurture campaigns all under one roof. But a quiet reversal is underway. A growing number of agents, teams and brokerages are abandoning general-purpose tools in favor of highly specialized solutions designed to do one thing...