SP 200: A new leader rises to the top
The Swanepoel Power 200, the definitive ranking of the most powerful leaders in residential real estate, names a new No. 1 for 2023.
January 10, 2023
Dave Gallagher
Director, News Reporting
Dave’s journalism career spans 24 years covering business, the economy and real estate in Northwest Washington. He’s also a numbers nerd, examining data to spot emerging trends in industries. Having started his career as a sports writer, he’s a lifelong baseball and soccer fan and recently discovered pickleball. He grew up in Yosemite National Park and earned his journalism degree at Humboldt State University in northern California.
- Amazon employees get 'Better' option for home financingMortgage provider Better unveiled Equity Unlocker, which allows Amazon employees to pledge company stock toward a home purchase.February 28, 2023
- The Real Brokerage appoints presidentSharran Srivatsaa, who has worked in real estate, finance and tech, will take on the newly created position at the fast-growing brokerage.December 12, 2022
- Buyers taking out fewer mortgages, looking for cheaper homesIn the face of high interest rates and high home prices, the number of residential mortgages issued has dropped nearly 47% over the past year.November 16, 2022
- Mortgage rates continue to soften, but buyers aren’t respondingThe average rate for a 30-year mortgage was 6.33% this week. It’s now the fourth consecutive week of rate drops.December 8, 2022
- Mortgage interest rates continue downward trendThe mortgage rate averaged 6.49% this week, according to Freddie Mac. That’s down from over 7% just a few weeks ago.December 1, 2022
- A correction is coming, but the market can handle itBright MLS predicts some ups and downs for 2023, including drops in prices and mortgage rates, and a return to seasonal patterns in the spring.December 7, 2022
- Newly constructed homes are getting smallerWith rising interest rates cutting into the amount of square footage buyers can afford, new home sizes have been trending down.November 21, 2022
- Overall housing inventory declining, but that won’t lastWhile inventory is trending down ahead of the holidays, the pace is slower compared to recent years.November 23, 2022
- 2023 could be a year of paradoxes, with slow sales but rising pricesRealtor.com economists predict an unusual year ahead, with higher interest rates and more inventory, but not the drop in prices that would typically follow.November 30, 2022
- Looking for high-value homes? Find the nearest Trader Joe'sA study released by ATTOM found differences in values and appreciation based on a home's proximity to specialty grocery stores.November 22, 2022
- Former KW CEO sues brokerage, Gary Keller for $300 millionJohn Davis, who resigned from Keller Williams in 2019, said the company and its founder have tried to ruin his reputation.November 15, 2022
- A tough start for buyers — and renters — in 2023A new report from ATTOM finds renting is more affordable than owning across most of the U.S., a big change from a year ago.January 18, 2023
- Real estate tech firm forges ahead with power buyer programThe software company zavvie has introduced its cash offer and buy-before-you-sell products to brokerages in 11 states, with plans to expand later this year.February 17, 2023
- A slower market isn't slowing growth at The Real BrokerageReal CEO Tamir Poleg said the company is prioritizing growth — through acquisitions, agent count and market share — to improve the homebuying process.December 19, 2022
- MLS-owned software company launches new scheduling toolUtahRealEstate.com, one of the largest MLSs in the West with more than 20,000 members, announced its new software product from MLS Aligned.January 30, 2023
- Builders haven't faced mass layoffs — at least not yetResidential construction has fared better than some parts of the real estate industry, with an increase in jobs year-over-year.December 5, 2022
- Can your buyer Airbnb that house? Redfin’s new zoning details provide answersIn an effort to increase data transparency, the brokerage’s search portal now offers land-use and zoning data on 70 million homes.December 5, 2022
- Opendoor co-founder steps down, president leavesThe company, which announced significant layoffs last month, replaced former CEO and co-founder Eric Wu with Carrie Wheeler, who joined as CFO in 2020.December 1, 2022
- Realtor.com rentals division expands reach, nurtures future buyersSince acquiring rental management software company Avail in 2020, Realtor.com has doubled the size of the team and plans to grow its rentals footprint.December 20, 2022
- Zillow’s forecast for 2023: It’s all about affordabilityPredictions include a healthy housing market in the Midwest, more friends and family members pooling resources to buy a house, and more first-time landlords.December 2, 2022
- A record number of sellers took their homes off the market this fallRedfin reports that 2% of U.S. homes were delisted each week during the past three months. In recent years the peak was around 1.6%.December 2, 2022
- Northeast and California counties top list of ‘most vulnerable’ marketsA new ATTOM report looked at affordability, foreclosures and other factors to determine the most and least vulnerable housing markets among nearly 600 counties.November 30, 2022
- Tim Dain returns to MLS arena, sees positive changes aheadDain took the reins of NorthstarMLS in September, overseeing an organization that works with more than 22,600 agents and brokers across two Midwest states.October 17, 2022
- Rent price growth is slowing, but renters still can’t save enough to buyAfter skyrocketing during the pandemic, rents are now growing at a modest pace — but for many renters, buying a home remains out of reach.November 17, 2022
- As more companies merge, who is dominating the tech landscape?Inside Real Estate’s purchase of BoomTown is part of a trend of consolidation across the industry, leading to a handful of major players in tech.January 27, 2023
- Mortgage companies getting closer to 'one-click' experience for buyersFintech companies Better and Tomo recently launched services to speed up the home loan process for borrowers.January 27, 2023
- iBuyer company Offerpad warned that stock may be delistedThe company received notice from the NYSE that it was not in compliance because its stock price stayed below $1 for 30 trading days.November 18, 2022
- Residential construction slowdown could mean inventory woes in 2023After remaining relatively stable in the first half of 2022, multifamily builder confidence dropped significantly in Q3.November 18, 2022
- Will homebuying pick up in the spring?The return of typical seasonal buying patterns could signal a stabilizing market.October 28, 2022
- When it comes to equity, many homeowners are ‘rich’Buyers and sellers might be struggling to navigate the market, but homeowners are well-positioned to ride out the downturn.November 4, 2022
- Inventory hits a two-year high — but that doesn’t mean buyers are bitingThe inventory numbers should be good news for buyers, but affordability, combined with seller hesitancy, means the market is not yet buyer-friendly.November 3, 2022
- Share of new construction homes hits a record high in Q3Buyers and sellers of existing homes are sitting on the sidelines while builders try to unload their inventory of newly completed homes.November 8, 2022
- Here’s where housing inventory might be headed in 2023After years of low inventory, Mike Simonsen of Altos Research expects housing inventory to approach more normal levels by the end of summer 2023.November 12, 2022
- Listings and prices decline, but there's no freefallThe latest housing market indicators continue to trend slightly against sellers, but buyers are even more hesitant to enter the market.November 14, 2022
- Mortgage rate drops — is it enough to entice potential buyers?The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rate was 6.61% on Nov. 17, down nearly half a point from last week, suggesting that inflation may have peaked.November 17, 2022
- Most new homes for sale are in an HOA — do buyers care?According to the U.S. Census, 82% of newly built homes sold in 2021 were a part of a homeowners association.February 15, 2023
- ‘Focus on a career, not a year’: Gary Keller on working through a downturnKeller sees opportunities for agents and brokers who remain proactive and double down on the aspects of their business that work well.October 23, 2022
- Home appreciation slows to lowest level in more than 2 yearsCoreLogic’s latest home price index shows year-over-year home appreciation of 6.9%, the lowest rate since late summer of 2020.February 7, 2023
- Spring outlook still cloudy, but economists are cautiously optimisticAn upward trend in mortgage rates, after weeks of declines, has raised concerns about whether buyers will return. But pent-up demand may push them to act.February 18, 2023
- J. Lennox Scott is ready to grow: 'This is the start of the next 10-year cycle'Scott, chairman and CEO of John L. Scott Real Estate in the Pacific Northwest, said the market is poised to enter a new period of growth.February 16, 2023
- Yes, your buyer can bid on that $1M homeFor the first time ever, the baseline conforming loan limit topped $1 million in high-cost areas, giving buyers more purchase options.January 6, 2023
- Alternative buying and selling programs continue to growWhile iBuyers struggled, Power Buyers and presale renovation companies made big strides in 2022 as consumers looked for options in a challenging market.February 3, 2023
- eXp's Jason Gesing focused on connections, problem solvingIn his new role as Chief Industry Relations Officer, Gesing has an opportunity to build relationships outside of eXp and help support the industry as a whole.February 4, 2023
- Realtor.com to amplify agent reviews through partnershipThe consumer portal is partnering with RateMyAgent, whose participating agents can boost their visibility to Realtor.com's 86 million monthly users.February 14, 2023
- For many NFL players, real estate is a career worth tacklingIn football, a competitive drive and strong work ethic are key to success. No wonder players turn to careers in real estate, which requires similar traits.February 10, 2023
- Redfin revenues down 25% but better than expectedCEO and founder Glenn Kelman said the company is continuing to cut expenses and looking to increase the number of online visitors who hire Redfin agents.February 16, 2023
- Redfin reports net loss of $90.2 million after layoffs, iBuyer shutdownRedfin announced significant losses and a new round of layoffs in anticipation of a continuing slowdown "at least through 2023."November 9, 2022
- Are buyers and sellers adapting to the new normal?While some consumers are adjusting to the realities of the current market, others are holding onto the past — or hoping for an unlikely future.November 9, 2022
- With slower sales and fewer listings, KW looks to training and coachingKeller Williams' sales volume through the third quarter dropped 3% compared to the same period last year.November 3, 2022
- As interest rates decline, loan activity begins to bounce backThe 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.15% this week, the lowest rate since September.January 19, 2023
- Are your clients reluctant to get pre-approved? Here are some tipsA Zillow survey finds potential homebuyers spend as much time researching the purchase of a new TV as they do looking for the best mortgage loan.November 28, 2022
- Homes are getting smaller — which could improve affordabilityNewly built homes continue to lose square footage. But agents see an upside for buyers seeking more affordable options.March 3, 2023
- eXp has sluggish fourth quarter but posts record annual revenueThe Washington-based real estate giant missed revenue estimates in Q4 but increased agent count to more than 86,000.February 28, 2023
- Utah MLS CEO recognized for leadership, innovationBrad Bjelke was recently named the Shuttleworth MLS Executive of the Year for working to build a better marketplace.October 24, 2022
- 'Buy before you sell' gets easier with more lender optionsKnock has opened up its Home Swap program to allow any lender to participate.February 8, 2023
- Housing affordability worse across the US, but a correction is comingAn ATTOM report finds that affordability continues to dip in nearly every county, but signs point to a gradual easing and slower rates of home appreciation.October 21, 2022
- Affordability continues to drive homebuyer migrationWith interest rates pushing up mortgage payments, buyers are looking for more affordable housing options — and will relocate to find them.October 17, 2022
- Realty ONE continues ‘disciplined and strategic’ growthA shifting housing market hasn't deterred the company's growth plans, which include international expansion and seeking out "best fit" franchise partners.November 4, 2022
- Tech companies focused on tools to help agents thrive in a slower marketCEOs of MoxiWorks and Curaytor discussed how tech can support agents and give them more time to do what they're best at.October 23, 2022
- Values of Black-owned homes rose the fastest during the pandemicRelative to overall home values, Black home values fared well in recent years according to Zillow data. But the racial homeownership gap remains wide.February 25, 2023
- Tech in 2023: Shifting from 'nice to have' to 'have to have'Tech leaders from Roof AI, MoxiWorks, Constellation1 and Zillow weigh in on the state of tech — and where it needs to go in 2023.December 30, 2022
- Luxury brands are snatching up Global Living teams after breakup with CorcoranThe Corcoran Group cut ties with Global Living last month, prompting a number of the affiliate's former agents to team up with other brokerages.December 19, 2022
- Condos are holding their value in markets across the USSince peaking in the spring, condominium prices have fallen 4.4% nationally, while single-family prices fell 8.6%.December 15, 2022
- Corcoran Group forms new affiliate after Global Living falloutAfter terminating a franchise agreement with Global Living, The Corcoran Group has launched a new affiliate with 900 agents in Northern California.December 16, 2022
- Partnership based on 'total trust' fundamental to @properties successCo-CEOs Michael Golden and Thad Wong have worked together for 26 years, starting out as agents before building the Chicago-based brokerage.February 2, 2023
- NAR 2023 forecast: Expect a soft landing nationally, with some turbulenceNAR's Lawrence Yun and a panel of four other economists agreed that a crash was unlikely, but discussed both new and chronic issues affecting the market.December 13, 2022
- Homeowners who want to move feel 'stuck'A recent survey by Point found that 90% of homeowners who'd like to move in 2023 think it would be too costly.December 13, 2022
- Mortgage rates inch down for fifth straight weekDespite the Fed's half-point rate increase on Wednesday, the mortgage market continues to see declining rates, dropping to 6.31% today.December 15, 2022
- After a year of declining confidence, what's ahead for builders?The National Association of Home Builders’ survey showed confidence dropped for the 12th straight month in December, but things may be leveling out.December 19, 2022
- Positive jobs report may mean prolonged inflation, high interest ratesWith the latest jobs numbers, the unemployment rate is at its lowest level in more than 50 years. It's good news for workers, but could spell more rate hikes.February 3, 2023
- Mortgage rates move in the wrong direction for would-be buyersInterest rates are up for the second week in a row, and signs point to further bumps. This could put a damper on the spring selling season.February 16, 2023
- How the real estate industry can better serve the growing millennial marketA recent panel discussion concluded that the industry, from lenders to agents, should take note: Millennials are a massive cohort with unique challenges.March 3, 2023
- More homes are hitting middle ageAs the housing stock ages, agents should educate themselves about the features and occasional pitfalls of older homes.March 3, 2023
- Mortgage rates up slightly following jobs report, Fed rate hikeVolatility may be the norm for the near future, but mortgage interest rates remain down significantly from their November peak.February 9, 2023
- Teams are good, boutique teams are better, survey findsIn a new study from Side, agents on boutique teams reported higher levels of satisfaction and higher earnings compared with traditional brokerage teams.January 16, 2023
- Older Americans will contribute meaningfully to inventory in 2023While families with school-aged children still account for the most listings, retirees and empty-nesters make up a significant market share.January 18, 2023
- 'Zoom towns' not booming anymoreWith rising mortgage rates and housing prices that surged during the pandemic, cities that attracted out-of-town buyers are now seeing sharp slowdowns.October 17, 2022
- Zillow's new AI-powered search helps shoppers find their ideal homeThe natural language search feature is the first of its kind on a major consumer real estate portal.January 26, 2023
- The highs, lows and path forward for fintech company KnockCEO Sean Black shares the journey of his company's near-IPO followed by painful layoffs and strategic changes.December 11, 2022
- Mortgage rates dip as inflation slowsFollowing a two-week uptick, the 30-year mortgage rate dropped this week, averaging 6.33% on Jan. 12, down from 6.48% the week before.January 12, 2023
- Where are the affordable homes? Scranton tops the listZillow looked at home values and median household incomes to come up with the 10 most affordable markets in the country.October 26, 2022
- Even wealthy buyers are hitting the pause buttonA new Redfin report estimates sales of luxury homes dropped 38.1% year-over-year, the biggest decline in 10 years.December 28, 2022
- Florida a rising MVP with the #2 most valuable housing marketWith the value of its residential real estate surpassing $3.6 trillion, Florida edged out New York but trails California among markets with the top home values.March 15, 2023
- Homeowners have $90K more home equity than pre-pandemicA CoreLogic report found that average home equity rose more than 7% in 2022 — a small gain relative to the big jump seen in 2021, but still above average.March 15, 2023
- Real posts net loss for 2022 but sees a turnaround comingDespite a challenging real estate market, CEO Tamir Poleg expects the company’s EBITDA to turn positive in the second half of 2023.March 16, 2023
- Woulda, coulda, shoulda… the most common regrets of first-time sellersA Zillow survey found that incorrect pricing topped the list of seller regrets — underscoring the need for agents to help set clear expectations.March 1, 2023
- Optimism propels Canada’s largest brokerage forwardBridgemarq's Phil Soper has overseen the steady and consistent growth of the company during his 20-year tenure as CEO.January 13, 2023
- Real estate's most powerful womenIn this year’s Swanepoel Power 200, more women than ever are among the top 25 executives on the list.January 11, 2023
- For homeowners, joy can trump ROI when choosing outdoor projectsIn a new report, the outdoor projects that rank highest on the "joy scale" tend to have lower recovery costs, suggesting that ROI isn't always a top concern.March 17, 2023
- Home values have dropped from 2022 peak, opening doors for buyersA new Redfin report found the total value of U.S. homes has dropped $2.3 trillion since June 2022, with the biggest declines in the San Francisco Bay Area.February 24, 2023
- Real estate slowdown an opportunity for military familiesAffordability challenges are real, but military families can leverage benefits like VA loans to reduce or eliminate their down payment.November 11, 2022
- Real estate in 2022: A year of action-movie intensityAt this time last year, no one predicted that the market would take such a wild ride.December 22, 2022
- Inventory rising in nearly every major metroA Realtor.com report found the number of homes for sale was up significantly year-over-year in December, but still well below pre-pandemic levels.January 12, 2023
- New tech, more collaboration are the future of MLSsGreater cooperation between MLSs — regionally and across the country — will benefit both the organizations and their members, according to industry experts.October 17, 2022
- Annual home prices are still rising — slowlyCoreLogic predicts prices will continue to increase year-over-year, but growth will slow considerably in the coming months.October 17, 2022
- Mortgage interest rates inch closer to 6%Compared to November's peak, today's rates could allow millions of additional buyers to afford a home.February 2, 2023
- Zillow President Susan Daimler: ‘This is the time to be creative, to invest’After a turbulent year marked by significant layoffs, Zillow is looking to “double down on the things that we believe in” and simplify the real estate journey.November 3, 2022
- Low inventory may continue to plague buyersThe housing slowdown, while offering modest relief for buyers, is being offset by high interest rates that are keeping prospective sellers out of the market.October 17, 2022
- Mortgage rates climb, may hit 7% soonRates inched up again this week, adding to affordability challenges ahead of the spring shopping season.March 2, 2023
