by Taylor Anderson | Apr 17, 2025 | Industry, News Feed
If passed into law, the bill would end the seven-member body that oversees licensing and disciplinary matters for 320,000 real estate professionals. Florida Realtors and other groups slammed the plan.
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A bill moving through the Florida Legislature seeks to eliminate the commission responsible for handling licensing and disciplinary matters for the state’s 320,000 real estate professionals.
The bill — which takes aim at the Florida Real Estate Commission, the body that is responsible for licensing and regulating real estate agents and brokers in the Sunshine State — has drawn fierce opposition from the real estate community.
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The seven-member commission, which is made up of brokers, agents and everyday Floridians and is appointed by the governor, also handles rulemaking.
“Right now we’re 320,000 active licensees across the state,” Millie Kanyar, a broker who is chair of the commission, told Inman. “Basically, our role is crucial in maintaining the public trust and potential integrity in real estate transactions.”
It’s not immediately clear how disputes and disciplinary action would be handled if the bill, HB1461, passes the House and Senate with the provision in place.
The bill is part of a broader deregulation push by the sponsor, Rep. Taylor Yarkosky, a central Florida Republican, that also takes aim at dozens of other commissions under the state’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
Among the other commissions targeted for elimination are the Board of Architecture and Interior Design, the Board of Landscape Architecture and the Construction Industry Licensing Board.
When Yarkosky introduced the bill in February, it didn’t include any mention of the real estate industry. It proposed updates to the construction licensing board and architecture board. It was revised last week to propose the outright elimination of a slew of boards and commissions, including the Florida Real Estate Commission.
The Florida Real Estate Commission routinely handles dozens of disciplinary cases during its monthly meetings. It is scheduled to decide on dozens of applicants looking to obtain real estate licenses to operate in Florida at its meeting next week.
Hundreds of complaints are filed with the Real Estate Division each month. Many are investigated by the division’s 31 investigators. Depending on the outcome of a probable cause hearing, cases will go before the commission.
The Florida Homebuilders Association has come out in support of the bill.
The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors and Florida Realtors were opposed, among others.
“We do welcome continued conversation, including the conversation around the privatization of what would happen with the administration and oversight of Florida licensure within the state of Florida,” said Tim Weisheyer, broker of Dream Builders Realty and president of the Florida Realtors, during a hearing on the bill in a House subcommittee on Tuesday.
“We understand the intent of the bill and what the state is trying to do with deregulation in our state,” he said. “But we do truly believe that real estate is one of those that should be preserved.”
The Florida Realtors have five lobbyists working on the bill, according to state records.
The National Association of Realtors referred questions about the bill to the Florida Realtors, which didn’t immediately respond to questions about the bill.
Other opponents to the bill said it would threaten the integrity of the state’s real estate industry.
“FREC is a regulatory body composed of experienced brokers, agents, and public members who understand the nuances of real estate transactions, ethics, and consumer protection,” the American Real Estate Association said in a statement. “Replacing that expertise with a generic bureaucracy not only weakens professional oversight — it jeopardizes the public trust.
“Let’s be clear: this is not deregulation,” the group continued, “this is de-professionalization.”
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by Richelle Hammiel | Apr 17, 2025 | Industry, News Feed
According to a new Redfin report, concerns over affordability, economic uncertainty and tariff fears under a second Trump administration are giving buyers serious pause. As of March, the typical U.S. home took 47 days to sell, the longest stretch in six years.
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Homes are sitting on the market longer than they have in years, and it’s not just high mortgage rates that are to blame. According to a new Redfin report, concerns over affordability, economic uncertainty and tariff threats under a second Trump administration are giving buyers serious pause.
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As of March, the typical U.S. home took 47 days to sell, the longest stretch in six years. Those longer stretches on the market tend to discourage competition, often signaling buyers to either wait or negotiate.
Redfin analysis of MLS data
Redfin Senior Economist Elijah de la Campa says that sellers must lower their expectations to adapt to today’s market.
Elijah de la Campa | Redfin Senior Economist
“There’s a growing disconnect between what sellers think they can get for their homes and the direction the market is actually moving,” Redfin Senior Economist Elijah de la Campa said in a statement. “Tariff fears and widespread economic uncertainty are making homebuyers nervous, so if sellers don’t lower their price expectations, home sales may slow in the coming months.”
The hesitation is showing up most sharply in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where homes spent 88 days on the market, up 24 days from the previous year. Miami and West Palm Beach, Florida, followed with increases of 19 days each on the market. San Francisco was the only metro where Days on Market decreased — though only by one day.
Even as demand slows, inventory is climbing, which could cool price growth in the months ahead. Active listings in March rose 0.1 percent month over month and 14.1 percent year over year, reaching the highest level in five years. New listings also climbed 0.7 percent month over month and 6 percent year over year.
The largest inventory gains were seen in Oakland, California (38.4 percent), Denver (37.7 percent) and Las Vegas (32 percent), while new listings grew fastest in Los Angeles (23.5 percent), Boston (23.4 percent) and Anaheim, California (23.3 percent).
Houston-based Redfin Premier agent Alicia Grifaldo has noticed the shift firsthand as many pandemic-era homebuyers re-enter the market.
“Many people who bought homes in 2021 and 2022 are selling now, some of them because they can’t afford their property taxes and insurance payments. Because they bought at the peak of the market, they’re overpricing their homes to try to recoup their investment,” she said. “Sellers are competing with one another, and buyers are sparse, so pricing your listing reasonably is everything right now.”
That pricing mismatch is reflected in the numbers. In March, the median home-sale price was $431,057, a modest 2.5 percent increase from the previous year and the slowest pace of price growth since September 2023. However, list prices are rising faster than sale prices, which is a sign that sellers are still hoping to push for more than the market is willing to give.
Redfin analysis of MLS data
However, the market is pushing back. The typical home that sold in March closed for about 1 percent below its list price.
Price trends varied widely by region, with the biggest increases in Cleveland (11.8 percent), Nassau County, New York (9.8 percent) and Newark, New Jersey (9.5 percent). The largest decreases were seen in Jacksonville, Florida (-3.8 percent), San Francisco (-2.6 percent) and Austin (-1.6 percent).
Sales activity also sent mixed signals. Pending home sales rose 1.7 percent month over month in March, but closed sales and existing sales fell by roughly 1 percent, remaining below pre-pandemic levels.
Pending sales grew the most in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania (13.7 percent), Denver (6.9 percent) and Sacramento, California (5.7 percent). Closed sales rose most in San Francisco (13 percent), Oakland (11.7 percent) and New York (5.3 percent).
One major headwind remains: mortgage rates. While the average 30-year-fixed mortgage rate dipped 6.65 percent in March, it’s still more than double the record lows seen during the pandemic, and that is keeping many buyers on the sidelines.
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by Amy Chorew | Apr 17, 2025 | Industry, News Feed
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As market pressures continue to squeeze real estate brokerages and startup tech companies alike, many leaders are discovering a smarter, more scalable way to build momentum — without committing to full-time executive hires. Enter fractional leadership.
“Fractional leadership is about getting high-level, strategic expertise without the cost or time commitment of a full-time executive,” says Laura O’Connor, a veteran operator in the brokerage and proptech space. “It’s agile, focused and designed to solve specific problems with measurable results.”
What is fractional leadership?
Fractional leaders are seasoned executives — often with 10 to 20-plus years of experience — who step into part-time roles to guide companies through pivotal transitions. Unlike consultants, fractional leaders don’t just advise; they sit at the table, lead internal teams, build systems and stay long enough to see outcomes through.
“They don’t just hand you a report and leave,” O’Connor notes. “They’re hands-on, often attending key team meetings and actively managing initiatives. They offer flexibility and cost control, while also transferring knowledge to internal staff.”
This model is especially valuable for broker-owners and founders at a crossroads: scaling, selling or trying to innovate without disrupting day-to-day operations.
Why enterprise companies are turning to fractional leaders
Enterprise brokerages and tech firms often use fractional executives to bridge leadership gaps, especially when there’s C-suite turnover or a need for specialized transformation, like integrating AI or restructuring operations.
In one case study, a large brokerage hired a fractional CMO and an outsourced marketing team instead of building a full-time internal department. The result? A cost savings of $240,000 annually and better outcomes from more specialized resources.
“You can deploy a team of fractional leaders to assess, optimize and transition your business — for less than the salary of one traditional exec,” O’Connor explains. “That’s incredibly powerful, especially in uncertain markets.”
T3 Sixty’s Talent division, T3 Talent, which is headed up by Dan Breault, has seen the decline in employment firsthand based on daily conversations it has with both job candidates and employers. “Brokerages have eliminated staff positions and have added additional job responsibilities to existing employees. As of August 2024, virtually no one was adding net new positions.” Breault emphasizes. “Again, if you’re looking for contract or fractional talent, the chances are good that the talent is available.”
How growing brokerages can benefit
For smaller companies — think independent brokerages with 20 to 50 agents — fractional leadership is often the first right hire.
“Too often, these brokerages jump to hiring a virtual assistant or bring in a family member with no real systems in place,” says O’Connor. “But unless someone builds the SOPs, onboarding guides and defines roles — those hires don’t work.”
Instead, a fractional COO, CMO or CTO can step in for as little as five to 10 hours a month to design processes, manage offshore or junior staff, and set the company up for scale. They’re not interns — they come with real-world experience and metrics to back it up.
A smarter transition plan for aging broker-owners
One of the most compelling use cases for fractional leadership is succession planning. Many brokerage owners nearing retirement face tough decisions: Should they sell, promote someone internally or wind down?
O’Connor emphasizes that legacy owners often underestimate how much they do — and struggle to translate that into a viable leadership transition plan. A fractional executive can come in to:
- Shadow the current owner
- Document processes and responsibilities
- Identify and train a successor (internal or external)
- Build a job description rooted in reality, not guesswork
Start with a strategic leadership audit
If you’re unsure where to start, O’Connor recommends beginning with a strategic team audit. For residential real estate brokerages, O’Connor offers an organizational assessment exercise that delivers detailed roles and responsibilities for each person supporting the brokerage and outlines the specific details for their next hire.
This 30- to 60-day engagement positions the fractional leaders and business owner to observe, assess and map out your team’s structure — identifying misalignments, gaps and opportunities.
“Before we recommend adding any new support — whether it’s a fractional exec, a virtual assistant, an outsourced team or automation — we take the time to roll up our sleeves and understand the current picture. Who’s doing what? What’s falling through the cracks? Are people working in their zone of strength? That clarity creates a foundation we can build on — so any new layer of support amplifies your existing team, rather than creating more noise,” says Daniel Butbul of Systato.
“From there,” O’Connor explains, “you can move into a 90-day focused project — whether that’s building onboarding systems, launching a new brand strategy or managing a marketing team.”
Fractional leadership isn’t a trend; it’s a flexible, future-ready model built for the realities of modern business.
“Brokerages and tech companies don’t need to jump into another full-time hire,” says O’Connor. “They need someone who can get in, lead and leave things better than they found them.”
Whether you’re looking to scale up, clean house or hand off your legacy, the right fractional leader might be your most brilliant next move.
Amy Chorew is an active Realtor involved in investment properties and listing well-staged homes in Connecticut. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Instagram.
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by Taylor Anderson | Apr 17, 2025 | Industry, News Feed
Jerome E. Milko filed an antitrust lawsuit against the National Association of Realtors, saying the requirement to join local, state and national Realtor organizations is an illegal conspiracy.
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Yet another broker is targeting the National Association of Realtors over the so-called three-way agreement, saying that fees that are required to do business in the real estate industry are being used for luxurious perks and salaries by the trade organization.
That’s according to a new antitrust lawsuit filed this week by a Maryland agent and broker who alleges the requirement that real estate professionals must become members of local, state and national Realtor organizations to access the multiple listing service is anticompetitive.
Jerome E. Milko joined a growing list of real estate brokers and agents who have filed similar lawsuits in recent months.
“Defendant NAR’s requirement of triple membership to meaningfully participate in the real estate market encourages discrimination between sellers, buyers, consumers, agents, and brokers, and the Defendant will continue protecting their cash flow from their fees obtained through compulsory membership,” Milko’s complaint reads.
Milko is an agent in Ocean City, Maryland, and holds licenses in that state as well as in Delaware and in Georgia, where the case was filed. He is a resident of Georgia, according to his complaint, which was filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia in Atlanta.
He said that in his 37 years as a licensed agent, he’s paid just over $26,000 to NAR, in addition to fees he’s paid to state and local Realtor organizations over that timeframe.
Milko cited a report from The New York Times in November that outlined the various perks and payments received by NAR leadership and members of their families.
“‘Volunteers’ with Defendant NAR have used membership ‘fees’ collected from the Plaintiff and other real estate market participants to pay for excessive salaries for volunteer positions, for ‘perks’ such as hotel resort stays for volunteers and spouses, golfing outings, wine, dinners, Broadway tickets, pet-care, and flights which constitute free luxury vacations for said ‘volunteers’ and their relatives,” Milko wrote in the complaint.
The Times article found NAR’s volunteer leaders are paid lavish stipends and other benefits that may skirt U.S. tax laws for nonprofits. In addition to former CEO Bob Goldberg’s $2.6 million annual salary, NAR agreed to cover the cost of private clubs in Chicago and Washington along with up to $75,000 of the initiation fee plus dues at a country club near his home in Maryland and may still be remunerating him as a paid consultant, according to the report.
NAR, the sole defendant targeted by the Milko’s lawsuit, has defended the three-way agreement, which requires agents and brokers to join a local, state and national Realtor association in order to qualify for membership in any of those NAR affiliates.
In response to the complaint, an NAR spokesperson said that becoming a member with NAR was “optional.”
“Similar to other national membership organizations, NAR’s federated ‘three-way’ structure connects members at every level, giving them a unified voice on policy issues, access to business tools, professional development opportunities and a uniform Code of Ethics,” the spokesperson said. “State and local associations set their own dues for members, but when agents opt to become a Realtor®, they’re not just joining a local association—they’re becoming part of a nationwide partnership that includes their state and the National Association of Realtors®, which helps to fund advocacy at all levels of government, as well as legal and economic research, consumer advertising, and the technology platforms that support the entire Realtor® community. We believe this structure delivers real value to help our members thrive in their careers—and we will respond to the Plaintiff’s claims in court.”
Milko’s suit alleges the agreement constitutes an illegal restraint of trade and unjust enrichment. He has requested a jury trial, damages and an injunction barring the agreement.
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Editor’s Note: This story was updated to include comment that came in after the story was initially published.
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by Inman | Apr 17, 2025 | Industry, News Feed
Bigger. Better. Bolder. Inman Connect is heading to San Diego. Join thousands of real estate pros, connect with the power of the Inman Community, and gain insights from hundreds of leading minds shaping the industry. If you’re ready to grow your business and invest in yourself, this is where you need to be. Go BIG in San Diego!
Achieving distinction is what sets luxury apart from the ordinary.
The Inman Golden I Club award recognizes elite agents and brokerages who have outstanding sales and exceptional client service. It honors those professionals with a dedication to greatness in a highly competitive market.
Inman’s Golden I Club celebrates innovation while fostering a culture of excellence and creativity that pushes the entire community forward to greater heights.
Nominations are currently open for the following categories:
- Top luxury agent
- Top luxury team
- Top luxury brokerage
- Top luxury technology or tool
- Best sales and marketing campaign for a luxury home/property
- Best sales and marketing campaign for a luxury development
- Best City Sale
- Best Beach Sale
- Best Mountain Sale
To nominate yourself, a colleague, company or campaign for an Inman Golden I, click here. Nominations close May 1, 2025.
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by Lillian Dickerson | Apr 17, 2025 | Industry, News Feed
The support model, which is comprised of in-house human “client experience specialists” backed by Coldwell Banker Realty’s tech stack, can handle everyday administrative tasks for agents
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Coldwell Banker Realty has rolled out to all agents nationwide the “human-led, tech-powered” Transaction Concierge, which will provide the brand’s agents with assistance from contract to close, the company announced on Tuesday.
The support model, which is comprised of in-house human “client experience specialists” backed by Coldwell Banker Realty’s tech stack, can handle everyday administrative tasks for agents that do not require a licensed agent’s expertise.
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Agents also have access to specialists who can assist them with onboarding, sales and marketing support as part of Coldwell Banker Realty’s services to agents.
“Agents play a crucial role in ensuring a smooth homebuying process from contract to close, and Transaction Concierge supports agents by handling administrative tasks, which frees their time to focus on clients and other business activities,” Kamini Lane, president and CEO of Coldwell Banker Realty, said in a statement. “Our strategic investment in a team of Client Experience Specialists ensures success by working directly with agents and clients. We are pleased with the positive response and feedback from agents, who report significant improvements in their businesses.”
Transaction Concierge can facilitate document handling, timeline management, coordination of deadlines and communication between parties on transaction progress for agents, a press release from Coldwell Banker Realty said.
During initial rollouts of the service in 2024, Transaction Concierge managed and closed 28,000 transactions and achieved a 94 percent agent satisfaction rate, according to Coldwell Banker Realty. The new support model will be available to all affiliated agents free of charge.
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