The Ten: Real estate faces an AI tipping point
Artificial intelligence is getting smarter, more powerful and more accessible to agents and executives. It’s no longer optional — but not without risks.
December 11, 2025
The Ten
The 10 most influential people and themes in the news each year
- The Ten: Private listings in the spotlight — and the courtroomDivisions over private listings deepened in 2025, with major industry players going head-to-head and others warning of the risks to a fair and open market.December 5, 2025
- The Ten: Wasn’t the industry promised a fresh start in 2025?To understand the forces that shaped this year, we’re looking back at 2025’s massive M&As, private listings drama, and yes — seemingly unending lawsuits.December 3, 2025
- The Ten: How mortgage rate head fakes foiled a real estate recovery2024 was supposed to be the year that home sales bounced back, but rates, inflation (and buyers) had other plans.December 31, 2024
More The Ten
- The Ten: REcolorado moves past the drama of its stunning saleLeaders of the nation’s 16th-largest MLS envision a broker-centric future — and more privately owned multiple listing services. “We’ve now opened the door.”December 28, 2024
- The Ten: The divisive debate over Clear CooperationConcerns about the policy aren’t new. But with NAR reeling and the DOJ looming, they’ve taken on a new, more contentious tone.December 26, 2024
- The Ten: The outsider who took on forms — and then NARWhen law professor Tanya Monestier started looking into buyer agreements, she never expected to become a leading voice in NAR’s biggest battle.December 24, 2024
- The Ten: NAR ready to reclaim narrative after bumpy yearThe association made a deal to end commissions cases while facing leadership shifts, intense attention from the DOJ — and media — and "rumblings" of discontent.December 21, 2024
- The Ten: Real’s dynamic president, and the firm’s stellar yearAs other brokerages stumbled in 2024, Real saw enviable growth in agent count, transactions and share price — with President Sharran Srivatsaa setting the tone.December 19, 2024
- The Ten: The DOJ, industry bogeymanThe Justice Department was a constant presence in 2024 — weighing in on civil cases, questioning buyer agreements and fighting NAR in the Supreme Court.December 17, 2024
- The Ten: The portal wars, and how the gloves came off in 2024For CoStar and Move, the battle for dominance escalated from civil competition to full-scale attacks. Zillow and other players, meanwhile, stayed out of it.December 14, 2024
- The Ten: NAR’s new rules and the ‘messy’ race to complyNAR’s settlement staved off “extinction-level litigation” but created snags by requiring buyer agreements and moving compensation off multiple listing services.December 11, 2024
- The Ten: How eXp’s Leo Pareja has taken the reinsDuring a year of turmoil in the industry, Pareja — who just moved into the CEO role in April — has repeatedly jumped into the fray to tackle issues head-on.December 7, 2024
- The Ten 2024: New rules, old battles and seeking ‘peace’Leaders stepped up as the NAR settlement changed the game, Clear Cooperation fueled division and the Department of Justice stoked fears in this surprising year.December 5, 2024
- The Ten: How Andy Florance took on the portal giantsThe CoStar CEO, who has openly criticized his competitors, set an ambitious goal for the company’s Homes.com search portal in 2023 — and beat it.December 31, 2023
- The Ten: How commissions lawsuits defined the year, and what’s nextThe Sitzer/Burnett trial put a spotlight on compensation, but it’s far from “case closed” as questions — and lawsuits — about how agents get paid multiply.December 29, 2023
- The Ten: How Ryan Schneider’s big bet paid offAs lawsuits bogged down many industry players, Anywhere’s CEO made the decision to settle, positioning his company to focus on profitability and the path ahead.December 27, 2023
- The Ten: NAR determined to ‘rebuild trust’ in 2024 after a year of upheavalThe massive trade organization showed cracks in the foundation as it confronted harassment allegations from the inside and legal threats from the outside.December 23, 2023
- The Ten: New face of NAR meets pivotal moment with confidenceOn stages large and small, NAR President Tracy Kasper is making a compelling push to retake the Realtor narrative and highlight efforts to expand homeownership.December 21, 2023
- The Ten: MLS leaders bond over industry shifts — and Sammy Hagar?Art Carter and Brian Donnellan, CEOs of the nation’s largest MLSs, are pals as well as colleagues, walking the talk of collaboration in challenging times.December 19, 2023
- The Ten: Cyberattacks exposed real estate's vulnerabilities — and strengthsHacks wreaked havoc in the second half of the year. But the industry pulled together, proving that professionalism and relationships are what drive real estate.December 15, 2023
- The Ten: Looking back on a year of mortgage rate madnessWhile high borrowing costs brought the market to a halt in 2023, there are signs that mortgage rate relief is coming in 2024.December 12, 2023
- The Ten: All eyes on Hanna after bold listings shift — but now what?After becoming CEO of the nation’s largest independent brokerage, Hoby Hanna limited access to some listings. Expanding that approach is the table for 2024.December 9, 2023
- The Ten: Squeezed from all sides, buyer’s agents remain resilientBuyer’s agents in 2023 were at the center of questions about compensation — and their value. But those who have made it through are confident of their worth.December 6, 2023
- Meet The Ten who defined 2023Real Estate News has selected the top newsmakers in a year shaped by trials — of all kinds — and resilience in the face of epic challenges and opportunities.December 1, 2023
