AJ LaTrace

Director, News Reporting

AJ has covered real estate for the last decade as a reporter and editor for publications including Vox Media's Curbed, Chicago magazine and Business Insider. At Business Insider, AJ led the brand's coverage of how everyday people invest in real estate as a means of gaining financial independence, and he reported on big-picture trends and pain points in the broader U.S. real estate market. AJ is based in Chicago, where he also moonlights as a small-time landlord.

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eXp exec talks rev share, ‘attraction’ and agents’ No. 1 job
Chief Growth Officer Michael Valdes says eXp doesn’t “recruit” agents in a transactional sense, but seeks to “attract” for long-term growth and success.
September 29, 2023
Pending home sales slid a staggering 7.1% in August
The decline could mark "the beginning of the end of this resilient housing market," according to one economist.
September 28, 2023
5 takeaways as titans tackle real estate’s hottest topics
Industry heavyweights — and former rivals — Spencer Rascoff and Glenn Kelman addressed some of the toughest issues facing real estate in a lively discussion.
September 26, 2023
Existing home sales fall for the sixth time in 2023
Sales dipped in August but have been relatively stable on average — though well below last year's levels, reflecting high prices and limited supply.
September 21, 2023
Get your buyers ready: The best time to buy a house is…
Forget the spring and summer rush — home shoppers will have better luck making a deal during the first week of October, according to Realtor.com.
September 20, 2023
No rate hikes (yet) as Fed shakes off mortgage ‘lock-in’ effect
The Fed did not boost interest rates at its September meeting but warned that one more hike is likely this year.
September 20, 2023
Compass aims to save agents 'time and money' with AI tool
The brokerage has launched a new ChatGPT-based tool to help agents “accelerate their workflow” by crafting listing descriptions and more.
September 18, 2023
Engel & Völkers names new Group CEO
Current CEO Sven Odia will shift to the role of president as he supports Jawed Barna's transition in November.
September 15, 2023
Why Real’s president says they don’t do ‘downlines’
They've structured the brokerage to avoid silos, which makes Real's rev share model better for agents and teams, says Sharran Srivatsaa.
September 15, 2023
A startup wants to cut mortgage rates in half for new buyers
Roam, launched this week by a former Opendoor employee, aims to help buyers through the complicated and time-consuming mortgage assumption process.
September 14, 2023
Some good news for homebuyers: Listings are up
A Zillow report found that new listings rose by 4% in August, an atypical late-summer boost that may offer buyers a few fresh options.
September 12, 2023
eXp lands billion-dollar brokerage in New England
Bean Group, which serves Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Vermont, has joined eXp thanks to new incentives aimed at recruiting large teams.
September 12, 2023
eXp aims to ‘accelerate’ rev share for new agents
The company has retooled its revenue share program to make it easier for newer agents to benefit from it — and to help its recruiting efforts.
September 11, 2023
Another sign of a market rebound? Home equity is back up
On average, U.S. homeowners gained nearly $14,000 in equity since the beginning of the year, though equity is down slightly from last year's peak.
September 8, 2023
It’s ‘game-on again’ for home search portals, says ex-Zillow CEO
An ambitious challenge from Homes.com for consumer market share and agent dollars has reignited the portal competition, says former Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff.
September 8, 2023
Real unveils 'very valuable' shift in rev share program
“A lot of agents are going to make more money,” says CEO Tamir Poleg as Real reduces the threshold to move up in its rev share structure.
September 6, 2023
Most buyers weigh climate risk when home shopping
A new survey from Zillow found that more than 80% of homebuyers evaluate climate and environmental risks when considering where to live.
September 6, 2023
Ex-Zillow CEO: NAR lawsuits ‘a seismic event’ for agents, portals
Spencer Rascoff said home search portals may need to pivot in a world where buyers agents are no longer paid via the listing agent’s commission.
September 1, 2023
Do new and older homes cost the same now? It’s complicated
Limited inventory is changing the behavior of buyers and the price of new construction relative to existing homes, several experts told Real Estate News.
August 26, 2023
Zillow rolls out 1% down home loan program
The company said the new program, initially launching in Phoenix, will help ease one of the biggest barriers to entry for buying a home.
August 24, 2023