ERA Real Estate has named Eddie Wilder of ERA Wilder Realty in Columbia, South Carolina, as the first-ever recipient of its new Spirit of ERA Award.  The award honors the legacy of Jeff Riber, who ERA said spent over 30 years with the brand, displaying dedication and passion, and leaving an impact still felt over…

The post ERA Real Estate Announces Inaugural Winner of the Spirit of ERA Award appeared first on RISMedia.

If there’s one declaration most new real estate agents don’t want to hear after spending a lot of time with a homebuyer client it could very well be the following:  “We’ve decided to rent.”  On one hand, there goes a hefty commission. But on the other hand, while agents logically prefer sales, they can often…

The post Repping Renters: How Playing the Long Game Can Prove Profitable appeared first on RISMedia.

A federal judge has dismissed the majority of federal claims in an antitrust lawsuit brought by four Louisiana real estate brokers challenging the National Association of Realtors®’ (NAR) mandatory three-way membership requirement for MLS access—though the door remains open for the plaintiffs to refile some of those claims. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick of the…

The post Federal Judge Dismisses Most Claims in Louisiana Three-Way Agreement Antitrust Suit appeared first on RISMedia.

In its lawsuit against Zillow focused on alleged infringement of copyrighted photos, CoStar Group is adding new allegations today, claiming that Zillow is continuing to “publish” images it has watermarked and identified, including some that were previously removed by the portal after the lawsuit was filed. Originally filed back in the June of 2025, CoStar…

The post CoStar Claims Zillow Still Infringing Photo Copyright in Lawsuit Update appeared first on RISMedia.

Editor’s Note: The Mortgage Mix is RISMedia’s biweekly highlight reel of need-to-know mortgage-industry happenings. Watch for it every other Friday afternoon. – After weeks of mortgage rates falling down in the opening weeks of 2026, mortgage rates have now climbed back up above 6% following the commencement of the U.S.-Iran war. As of the week…

The post Mortgage Mix: Applications Fall as Rates Rise; Fannie Accepting Crypto-Backed Mortgages appeared first on RISMedia.

The commencement of the war with Iran caused further damage to consumer sentiment in March, according to the latest Survey of Consumers from the University of Michigan. The Index of Consumer Sentiment clocked in at 53.3 in March, down 5.8% from 56.6 in February and down 6.5% from 57 at the same time last year.…

The post Consumer Sentiment Hits Lowest Level in 2026 Following Launch of Iranian Conflict appeared first on RISMedia.

Buying or selling a home is one of the most significant decisions a person can make. Agents and brokers don’t simply show houses; they identify market signals, manage hundreds of moving parts and protect clients from surprises along the way. Behind every successful transaction is a key ingredient many consumers may not think about—accurate, reliable…

The post The Source Behind the Search: How to Explain Your MLS to Homebuyers and Sellers appeared first on RISMedia.

So-called “premarket” listings appear to be the next big trend for the industry. Zillow’s recent pivot to host what are essentially “Coming Soon” properties (and a mad rush by brokers to strike deals with the portal or other consumer platforms) was an overwhelming affirmation that real estate believes that, to some degree, limited marketing options…

The post A New Study Says Private Listings Sell for More. Can ‘Premarketing’ Upend the Industry? appeared first on RISMedia.

While conflict continues to brew in the Middle East, mortgage rates continue to rise due to the war’s effect on oil prices, according to the latest Freddie Mac data. Freddie Mac’s latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey found that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 6.38% as of March 26, 2026, up from last week when…

The post Mortgage Rates Face Another Increase as Middle East Conflict Continues to Brew appeared first on RISMedia.

ARMLS (Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service) has announced that shareholders and the board of directors have approved new corporate governance to shift from a primarily broker and agent-led board of directors to a group of non-competitor board members (e.g. not licensed to conduct real estate transactions in Arizona).  The new structure forms a smaller board…

The post ARMLS to Transition to Independent Board Governance appeared first on RISMedia.