The Ten: Powell and the Fed under fire — and in the spotlight
The Federal Reserve and Chair Jerome Powell were frequent targets of the Trump administration in 2026, raising concerns about the agency’s future independence.
December 23, 2025
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.
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- DOJ weighs in on another commissions lawsuitThe department’s Antitrust Division has filed a Statement of Interest in Davis et al. v. Hanna Holdings Inc., a lawsuit filed by homebuyers last year.December 19, 2025
- Slow and steady improvement in sales as the year wraps upExisting home sales dipped year-over-year but have increased for three consecutive months, suggesting a more balanced and stable market heading into 2026.December 19, 2025
- Homeowners insurance realities set in after recent floodsDestructive flooding in Washington state led many to discover that standard insurance policies don’t cover flood damage — an issue homeowners face nationwide.December 18, 2025
- No big mortgage rate shifts expected after mixed jobs reportThe U.S. lost 105,000 jobs in October but added 64,000 in November as unemployment hit the highest mark in over four years, according to the BLS.December 16, 2025
- Objectors appealing commissions deals will get one last sayOn Jan. 14, a three-judge panel will hear oral arguments before deciding if settlements reached in the Sitzer/Burnett and Gibson cases should remain in place.December 15, 2025
- Pending sales fall — but mortgage rates probably won’tConcerns about inflation, the labor market and the health of the U.S. economy at large could push rates higher in the coming weeks and months, economists warn.December 11, 2025
- The housing market’s ‘next era’ is just around the cornerResearch from Compass’ chief economist points to slow but steady improvement next year, especially if hiring picks up and “shadow inventory” is released.December 11, 2025
- Housing will ‘be a problem,’ Fed chair warns after rate cutA divided Fed worried about inflation and the softening jobs market cut short-term interest rates by 25 basis points on Dec. 10 — the third such cut this year.December 10, 2025
- FTC targets rental software companies in new warning letterThe companies’ technology may be blocking property managers and owners from accurately marketing home rental prices, the agency said.December 9, 2025
- Why today’s market is driving up buyer agent commissionsThe average buyer agent commission was 2.42% in Q3 — up from 2.36% last year after the NAR settlement took effect, according to a new Redfin data analysis.December 8, 2025
- What to expect from the Fed this week — and in 2026Investors expect the central bank to cut short-term interest rates by 25 basis points — but the Fed’s economic projections could keep mortgage rates sticky.December 8, 2025
- What will ‘never go away’ as AI spreads through real estateAgents, don’t fear AI, advises tech expert Matt Britton — the more you use it to tackle busywork, the more time you’ll have for clients.December 5, 2025
- Mortgage rates drift lower ahead of Fed’s December meetingEconomists say the market “widely expects” another rate cut — but the central bank will be making its next decision without key jobs and inflation data.December 4, 2025
- Economists expect ‘a reset’ for housing in 2026, ‘not a rebound’With the U.S. economy at a crossroads, real estate economists have differing home sales forecasts for 2026 — but most expect mortgage rates to continue to drop.December 4, 2025
- CoStar won’t fight Zillow’s request to move copyright caseInstead of opposing the transfer, CoStar General Counsel Gene Boxer said the company is looking forward to “holding Zillow to account in its own backyard.”Updated December 4, 2025
- Sitzer/Burnett appeals case nears final judgmentAs final briefs are filed, it’s up to the U.S. Court of Appeals to decide whether the arguments merit unwinding the case that shook the industry.December 2, 2025
- Court merges FTC, state cases against Zillow and RedfinThe Federal Trade Commission and five states claim a rental listings partnership formed by the two companies earlier this year violates antitrust laws.December 1, 2025
- Homebuyers have reasons for hope heading into the holidaysThough demand dropped off ahead of Thanksgiving, falling mortgage rates and an uptick in loan applications are good signs for the market’s slow season.November 26, 2025
- Buyers are stepping up, sellers are pulling backPending sales increased from September to October, but at the same time, delistings jumped as sellers feared taking a loss or settling for a lower price.November 25, 2025
