Parents, families and allies of LGBTQ+ kids, it’s time to step up

Mary Mancera, interim CEO of the LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance, shares thoughts on advocacy and homeownership as Pride Month approaches.

Bigger. Better. Bolder. Inman Connect is heading to San Diego. Join thousands of real estate pros, connect with 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!

Pride Month is almost here — a time of celebration, resilience and defiance. But this year, the LGBTQ+ community is under siege like never before.

With 575 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced in 2025 alone, relentless attacks on transgender rights and the dismantling of DEI initiatives, our community is facing a wave of hostility unseen since the darkest days of the AIDS crisis. 

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Yet amid this backlash, there is hope — and it lies with you, the parents, families and allies of LGBTQ+ people. 

Why parents are the key to change 

The statistics don’t lie. Nearly 1 in 10 U.S. adults now identify as LGBTQ+, with 23 percent of Gen Z and 14 percent of millennials living openly. That means millions of parents are raising LGBTQ+ kids — and their love is transforming hearts and minds in ways activism alone cannot. 

If you’re a Realtor, chances are high that you — or someone you know — is or has a child, sibling or loved one who is LGBTQ+. In fact, we estimate that nearly 400,000 real estate professionals are parents to Gen Z or millennial kids, many of whom are part of the LGBTQ+ community. That’s 400,000 potential allies with a deeply personal stake in this fight. 

Parents don’t just support LGBTQ+ rights — they fight for them. When you love someone who is LGBTQ+, abstract political debates become real. You see the fear in your child’s eyes when politicians demonize them. You feel the sting of discrimination when your family is treated as lesser, and you refuse to stay silent. 

Allies don’t just watch — They act 

Pride Month isn’t just for LGBTQ+ people — it’s for you, the allies who stand beside us. This year, as we mark the 25th anniversary of WorldPride and the 50th anniversary of many city Pride events, we need you more than ever.

Here’s how you can make a difference: 

  1. Speak up: A simple “Happy Pride” text or social media post shows your LGBTQ+ clients and colleagues they’re not alone.
  2. Show up: Attend a local Pride event. Your presence sends a message: “This community is worth celebrating.”
  3. Stand up: Add pronouns to your email signature. Fly a Pride flag. Small acts of visibility normalize acceptance.
  4. Step up: Join organizations like PFLAG, The Trevor Project or Free Mom Hugsbecause allyship doesn’t end in June.
  5. Push forward: Support policies that protect LGBTQ+ rights, including the Equality Act and fair housing. The LGBTQ+ homeownership rate is just 53 percent compared to 72.5 percent for non-LGBTQ+ adults. We must do better. 

This is your movement, too 

The first Pride was a riot — a rebellion against oppression. Today, the fight continues, and parents are on the front lines. When you advocate for your LGBTQ+ child, you’re not just helping them — you’re changing the world. 

So this Pride Month, don’t just cheer from the sidelines: Be loud. Be proud. Be unapologetic. Because when parents of LGBTQ+ kids and those who love them lead the charge, the world has no choice but to listen. 

Happy Pride — today and every day.

Mary Mancera is the Interim CEO of the LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance. Connect with Mary on LinkedIn.

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Multifamily’s financial crossroads: What agents need to know

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If you’ve been paying even the slightest attention to the multifamily market, you’ve probably sensed that something major is shifting beneath the surface. The days of easy deals and sky-high valuations are over. Cap rates are rising, transactions have slowed dramatically and a massive wave of bridge loan maturities is forcing property owners into difficult decisions.

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Institutional capital — the same institutional money that was aggressively acquiring multifamily assets just two years ago — is now playing a completely different game, sitting on the sidelines or circling distressed opportunities like sharks smelling blood in the water.  

But what’s actually causing this seismic shift? More importantly, how does this impact the broader real estate landscape, especially for residential agents? If you think what’s happening in multifamily doesn’t affect you, think again.

These forces don’t just shape investment markets — they influence everything from single-family home prices to rental demand, investor behavior and even the psychology of homebuyers. If you’re not following the money and understanding these trends, you’re operating at a serious disadvantage.  

What’s happening right now in the multifamily space isn’t just a correction — it’s a full-scale restructuring of the real estate economy, and those who see the patterns early will be in the best position to thrive.  

The tectonic shift in multifamily  

To fully grasp the magnitude of what’s happening in the multifamily sector today, we have to step back and understand the extraordinary economic and financial forces that shaped the last few years. This isn’t just a market correction — it’s a reckoning, a fundamental restructuring of how capital flows through commercial real estate. And those who don’t understand the past few years’ financial engineering won’t be prepared for what’s coming next.  

From 2020 through 2022, we witnessed one of the most aggressive real estate booms in modern history. The combination of record-low interest rates, unprecedented government stimulus, and a global flight to hard assets created the perfect storm for multifamily investment.

Institutional capital flooded into the sector, syndicators were raising money at breakneck speed, and even first-time investors were piling in, armed with cheap debt and the belief that appreciation was all but guaranteed.  

The fuel behind this boom? Ultra-low borrowing costs and an era of financial optimism that made deals look artificially good on paper. Investors and developers were underwriting deals at razor-thin margins, assuming that rents would continue to rise indefinitely, cap rates would remain low and permanent financing would always be available to bail them out of short-term debt structures.  

At the height of this frenzy, we saw historically low cap rates — sometimes dipping below 4 percent — with investors pricing in near-zero risk as they aggressively acquired properties. Institutional buyers, private equity firms and syndicators alike structured deals that only made sense if rents climbed significantly year after year and if exit opportunities remained favorable.

Debt was so cheap and readily available that risk management became an afterthought for many players. The strategy was simple: Buy at a premium, push rents as fast as possible and refinance into long-term debt before the music stopped.  

Then, the music stopped.  

By mid-2023, the financial landscape had undergone a dramatic shift. The Federal Reserve’s aggressive rate hikes sent borrowing costs soaring, with the 10-year Treasury yield surpassing 4 percent — a key benchmark for commercial real estate financing. Suddenly, that once-affordable financing wasn’t just more expensive — it was, in some cases, two to three times the original cost of capital.  

That’s where the real pain began.  

A vast portion of the multifamily market had been built on bridge loans — short-term, interest-only financing designed to hold properties temporarily. At the same time, investors executed value-add strategies or refinanced into long-term debt.

Those bridge loans, which often had initial rates in the 3 percent to 4 percent range, are now coming due. However, with permanent financing rates now in the 7 percent to 8 percent range (or even higher for less-than-pristine assets), many investors are finding themselves underwater, unable to refinance at terms that make sense.  

The result?  

A flood of distressed sales, capital calls and even outright foreclosures. Some investors are trying to raise new equity just to survive, but many deals are simply unsalvageable. The underwriting assumptions from just two years ago no longer hold.

Rent growth has slowed, operational expenses have increased due to inflation, and net operating income (NOI) projections have fallen short. In many cases, these properties are worth significantly less than what they were purchased for, leaving investors with few options beyond selling at a loss or handing the keys back to lenders.  

But here’s the thing: The problem isn’t just higher interest rates. It’s the systemic over-leverage that was built into the market during the boom. Many operators justified aggressive purchase prices with unrealistic assumptions — assuming cap rates would never rise, assuming rents would climb forever, and assuming they could always refinance their way out of trouble.  

Those assumptions have now unraveled.  

What we’re witnessing is a forced deleveraging cycle, one that will reshape the multifamily landscape for years to come. And for those who truly understand what’s happening, this is where the biggest opportunities — and the biggest risks — are unfolding.  

Where the smart money is moving next  

The smartest players in the game aren’t sitting on the sidelines — they’re adjusting their sails while others are caught in the storm. In real estate, just like in a volatile stock market, fortunes aren’t made by following the herd when times are good; they’re made by those who position themselves ahead of the next big move.  

Institutional buyers who were priced out in the frenzied bidding wars of 2021 and 2022 are now returning to the table, but this time, they hold the upper hand. They’re armed with cash, waiting patiently to acquire distressed assets at 20 percent to 30 percent discounts from peak pricing.

It’s a classic case of Warren Buffett’s philosophy at work: Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful. Currently, many overleveraged owners are feeling the squeeze, while those who kept their powder dry are stepping in to pick up the pieces.  

However, while institutional players have the advantage of deep war chests, some of the most strategic operators are making their moves not just by writing big checks, but by structuring deals creatively. They’re using preferred equity to inject fresh capital into struggling assets, negotiating assumable debt transactions to lock in older, lower-rate financing and structuring seller carrybacks that keep deals alive in an environment where traditional financing is difficult.

Think of it as a game of financial chess — those who understand how to use these advanced strategies aren’t just surviving, they’re thriving.  

The wildcard: Developers  

If the market were a poker game, developers would be the players holding a risky hand, waiting to see how the next few rounds play out. The cost of capital has skyrocketed, labor shortages continue to plague construction timelines, and many projects that made sense in 2021 now look questionable under today’s financing terms. Across the country, new construction has slowed dramatically because higher debt costs have rendered pro formas that once looked profitable on paper unprofitable.  

And yet, the most seasoned developers aren’t walking away from the table — they’re just playing differently. Instead of relying on conventional financing, they’re partnering with capital sources that have a long-term vision and understand that real estate is a marathon, not a sprint. In many ways, the current moment in development is akin to a gold rush, where only those with the right equipment and a deep understanding of the terrain will strike it rich.  

One of the key factors separating winners from losers is location. While national trends indicate a slowdown in development, select markets still exhibit demand-supply imbalances that render specific projects viable. Some regions continue to experience in-migration trends that bolster demand for housing, while others face such severe undersupply that even higher borrowing costs can’t dampen long-term returns (Yardi Matrix, January 2024).  

In short, the game is changing, and those who adapt are setting themselves up for incredible opportunities in the next cycle. This isn’t just about weathering the storm — it’s about emerging from it stronger, more prepared, and ready to capitalize when the tide turns.  

Why residential agents need to pay attention  

You might be thinking, I sell homes, not apartments. Why does this matter?  

Here’s why: The same financial currents pulling multifamily investors under are shaping the behavior of buyers and sellers in your market right now, whether they realize it or not. Residential agents who understand these larger forces won’t just survive the shifting market — they’ll thrive in it. 

1. Interest rates are pushing renters back toward buying  

For the last two years, rising mortgage rates kept many would-be buyers on the sidelines, forcing them into the rental market. But as multifamily landlords struggle with higher debt costs, they’re passing those expenses on to tenants. Single-family rents are rising, and in many markets, it’s becoming cheaper to buy than to rent again.  

What this means for you: Agents should actively target long-term renters who were previously hesitant to buy but may now find ownership the better financial move. This is the moment to educate them with rent vs. buy comparisons that take current rent inflation into account.  

Action step: Market to high-end renters — especially those in newly built apartment complexes — who may be seeing renewal rates jump by 10 percent or more. These are prime candidates for homeownership, especially with down payment assistance or creative financing options.  

2. Investment buyers are pivoting from multifamily to single-family rentals (SFRs)  

Many of the same investors who were flipping apartment buildings two years ago are now shifting their attention to single-family rental portfolios. They’re looking for homes in strong rental markets, and they’re engaging in bulk deals to deploy capital that’s no longer viable in multifamily properties.  

What this means for you: If you’re only considering individual homebuyers, you’re missing out on an entire subset of investors who are actively seeking rent-ready single-family homes.  

Action step: Position yourself as the agent who understands the shift. Study which areas in your market are attracting institutional and mid-sized investors. Learn how to package deals for bulk buyers — even small landlords are now looking to acquire multiple homes instead of just one.  

3. A wave of motivated sellers is coming, and it’s not just commercial owners  

We know that over-leveraged apartment owners are struggling, but the same issue is also affecting single-family landlords who purchased at the peak. Some of these owners took on risky loans, overpaid for properties or relied on Airbnb income that hasn’t panned out. Now, they need out.  

What this means for you: Motivated sellers create off-market opportunities for both investors and end-user buyers. The agent who can identify and bring these deals together will be the one to dominate.  

Action step: Use data tools to identify distressed landlords. Look for properties that were purchased in 2021-22 with adjustable-rate financing or Airbnb properties with declining occupancy rates. Cold outreach to these owners could unlock hidden listing inventory.  

4. Luxury and second-home buyers are moving capital out of multifamily  

High-net-worth buyers who previously allocated capital toward multifamily syndications are rethinking their portfolios. They’re still investing in real estate, but many are diverting funds into luxury primary homes, second homes and short-term rental properties instead.  

What this means for you: The buyers who once chased 10 percent multifamily returns are now looking for safer, tangible assets and a luxury home in a prime location fits the bill.  

Action step: Re-engage past clients who were hesitant about luxury real estate. Many are sitting on cash that was initially earmarked for investment properties. Show them why buying in select high-end markets now could be a strong move.  

5. The agents who see this first will win big  

The domino effect of multifamily distress is creating once-in-a-decade opportunities in the residential space. Buyers who thought they were locked out are re-entering, investors are redirecting capital and distressed sellers are surfacing.  

The question is: Will you be the agent who understands the shift and gets ahead of it? Or the one playing catch-up?  

What comes next  

The next 12 to 18 months won’t just be a sorting-out period — they’ll be a full-blown shake-the-tree-and-see-who-hangs-on kind of moment in real estate.  

Think of it like musical chairs. The music played nonstop from 2020 to 2022, and everyone was sprinting to grab as many chairs (deals) as possible. But now? The music has slowed, some chairs have vanished, and suddenly, a bunch of investors and operators are realizing they don’t have a place to sit. Those who were overleveraged, ran on wishful thinking, or bet their entire strategy on perpetual price appreciation? They’re in trouble. And the ones who understand how to navigate this new reality — with creative deal structuring, sharp asset management and smart capital positioning — are about to thrive like never before.  

Residential agents, your world is changing, too, whether you like it or not  

Let’s get one thing straight: if you’re a residential agent and you’re not paying attention to what’s happening in multifamily, you’re flying blind into the biggest shift in real estate we’ve seen in over a decade.  

Why? Because every macro move in commercial real estate has a direct, street-level impact on your market. Investors are repositioning, homeowners are reevaluating, and even first-time buyers are being influenced by these larger forces. The agents who get this will be the ones who grab market share while everyone else is still trying to figure out why their usual playbook isn’t working.  

I’ve seen this movie before. And let me tell you — the people who win big in this business are the  ones who understand the entire real estate landscape, not just their little corner of it. That’s  exactly how my national sales organization closed roughly $2 billion in aggregated sales last  year — by seeing the trends before they hit the headlines, by making moves while others were  hesitating, and by positioning our agents and investors to capitalize on what’s next.  

The big money in real estate is made in the transitions  

Let’s talk real estate cycles for a second, because this is where the magic happens. Everyone loves to talk about how much money was made in 2021-22 when everything was booming. But here’s the truth: the biggest fortunes in real estate aren’t made when everyone is winning.  They’re made in the transitions — when the market shifts and the old playbook stops working.  

That’s where we are right now.  

The agents who wake up to this reality first are going to absolutely dominate the next decade.  The ones who keep doing what worked three years ago, hoping for different results? They’re going to get steamrolled by the competition.  

This is your wake-up call. Are you ready to see the whole board?  

The future belongs to the agents who think bigger, move faster and aren’t afraid to adapt. You don’t have to become a commercial broker. You don’t have to start underwriting apartment complexes. However, if you want to stay ahead, grow your business and be the agent investors and high-net-worth clients turn to, you must understand how these shifts impact your market and start adjusting your strategy.  

Because the agents see where the market is going before the rest of the industry reacts?  They’re the ones who win big.  

So the only real question left is: Are you one of them? 

Dr. Jeff Richmond shifted from music scholar to real estate titan. He and his wife, Lexy Sanchez, made a strategic move to eXp Realty in 2016 and founded “The Community.” Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn and Instagram.

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Challenging times for brokerages — and especially indies, leaders say

New insights from the Inman Intel Index survey show how life is different these days — and often tougher — for indie brokerages than it can be for their big-brand competitors.

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Agents and executives at indie brokerages take a lot of pride in their business models, their independence and their ability to nimbly respond to new challenges.

But their leaders also acknowledge that today’s market conditions are a bit tougher for their preferred way of doing business, new results from the Inman Intel Index survey suggest.

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Leaders at privately owned independent brokerages are more likely to report downward pressure on their commission rates, weaker confidence in their business models and greater reluctance to prepare for higher transaction levels than their counterparts in bigger real estate networks, according to results from April’s survey.

And their differing paths through this market also have implications for brokerage hiring, recruiting and M&A decisions, Intel found.

For this report, Intel, in April, sought the perspectives of more than 100 broker-owners, executives and investors at real estate firms across the country. 

Their perspectives on a wide range of questions were then broken down by their brokerage’s affiliation — franchises and other big brands on the one hand and private indies on the other.

The full findings are available in this week’s report.

Diverging experiences

Since the NAR settlement rules went into place last August, a number of real estate professionals have reported that declines in their compensation rates have been real, albeit fairly small.

But the latest Intel survey finds that commissions have been a bit steadier for brokerages that are part of a larger network.

  • 37 percent of surveyed leaders at brokerages affiliated with franchisors or publicly traded brands reporting commissions have decreased at least slightly since the new rules went into effect.
  • Compare that to 52 percent of private indie leaders who have made the same observation.

The reason for this difference is unclear.

But as a result, leaders of private indie firms are more likely than others to name “margin compression” as their top concern, while brokerage leaders in bigger networks point to recruiting and macroeconomic factors as more pressing headaches.

There’s also some evidence in the survey that those brokerages affiliated with bigger networks may be in a better position to respond quickly to a potential upswing in transaction activity, when it arrives.

Leaders at firms in large networks are more likely to say they’ve increased headcount over the past year — and more likely to say that’s likely just the start of their hiring efforts.

  • 35 percent of leaders surveyed at bigger brand brokerages said they had a higher headcount in April than at the same time last year. Only 18 percent of private indie leaders said the same.
  • Meanwhile, 74 percent of leaders at big-brand-affiliated operations told Intel that they expected their company’s headcount to be higher next year than it is today, compared to 53 percent of private indie leaders who provided the same response.

Generally, brokerage leaders said they felt that their businesses were well-positioned for the market challenges they face today. But leaders at firms affiliated with bigger brands were more likely to report that they were especially confident in their business model.

  • 41 percent of surveyed leaders in bigger brokerage networks expressed total confidence in their business model, a bit higher than the 30 percent of surveyed leaders at private indies who said the same.
  • Still, most leaders in both groups felt their business model was adequate for today’s market conditions. Only 13 percent of leaders from big networks and 12 percent of leaders at private indies reported having low confidence in their business models.

Through the lens of these two very different experiences and outlooks within the same down market, brokerage leaders also described differing expectations for how their firms would proceed in the year ahead.

Implications for deals

Intel also asked brokerage leaders about how actively their leadership teams are fielding mergers and acquisitions today, and how active they expect negotiations will be a year from now.

Across the board, smaller brokerages were less likely to be actively discussing M&A.

  • Only 37 percent of surveyed leaders at private indies said that M&A was even remotely on the radar in April, compared to 70 percent of leaders at brokerages with bigger brands.
  • 16 percent of leaders at private indies told Intel they expected M&A talks at their brokerage to be likely 12 months from now, compared to 41 percent of leaders at bigger firms.

Of those brokerage leaders who said M&A is an active consideration in the year to come, most were primarily interested in acquiring other brokerages, not being acquired or merging with another firm. But smaller indie brokerages were open to a wider array of potential deals — including selling.

In most cases, the possibility of their ownership selling was not expected to be due to an impending retirement of the broker-owner. 

  • Twice as many respondents at private indies said that they expected their owner to stay on in a leadership role if the brokerage was sold, compared to members of the same group who expected their owner might retire.

Broker-owners and executives at small private indies were also more likely to see M&A as an opportunity to expand market share within their existing territory, and no more likely than larger-network firms to eye an expansion into new markets.

Methodology notes: This month’s Inman Intel Index survey was conducted April 17-May 2, 2025, and received 428 responses. The entire Inman reader community was invited to participate, and a rotating, randomized selection of community members was prompted to participate by email. Users responded to a series of questions related to their self-identified corner of the real estate industry — including real estate agents, brokerage leaders, lenders and proptech entrepreneurs. Results reflect the opinions of the engaged Inman community, which may not always match those of the broader real estate industry. This survey is conducted monthly.

Email Daniel Houston

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Trending: Google goes all-in on AI — are you ready?

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Each week on Trending, digital marketer Jessi Healey dives into what’s buzzing in social media and why it matters for real estate professionals. From viral trends to platform changes, she’ll break it all down so you know what’s worth your time — and what’s not.

AI is no longer a side tool — it’s the system. At Google’s I/O and Marketing Live events, the company unveiled a flood of updates that touch everything from how we search to how we shop and create. Combine that with fresh insights from Deloitte, smarter Threads features, and Instagram advice direct from Adam Mosseri, and it’s clear:

The platforms are shifting. The way we show up on them has to shift, too.

For real estate professionals, this week’s updates are less about reacting and more about preparing — building visibility, testing tools and showing up with a voice that connects.

Google goes full AI tidal wave — from search to shopping to cinema

If it feels like Google dropped an entire surfboard of AI updates this week, you’re not wrong. At I/O and Google Marketing Live, the tech giant announced sweeping changes that embed AI across nearly every touchpoint.

On the consumer side, AI Mode will soon supercharge Google Shopping with expert-style product research, virtual try-ons, smarter discovery and auto-checkout features triggered by price drops.

For advertisers, Performance Max now includes channel-level reporting, ads are coming to AI Overviews and search results may soon feel more curated than ever.

Then there’s Veo 3 — Google’s new video generator that handles everything from character dialogue to animal sounds with shockingly realistic results. It even lip-syncs. 

Also new: Imagen 4 for image generation and Flow, which lets you build full cinematic experiences from written prompts — all inside Gemini’s Ultra plan.

For real estate professionals, this is a preview of how your marketing toolbox is about to expand — and complicate. AI-generated video, AI-assisted search and auto-research tools aren’t science fiction. They’re showing up in how clients find homes, compare listings and even experience virtual walkthroughs.

You don’t need to learn everything overnight. But it’s time to start watching the waves — because Google just changed the tide.

Deloitte confirms it: Consumers follow creators, not brands

According to Deloitte’s 2025 State of Social report, the average consumer follows nearly twice as many creators as they do brands on social media. The takeaway? Influence is personal, and increasingly, it’s not coming from logos.

The report also found that 3 in 4 consumers believe creators are shaping how brands behave online, and 56 percent trust creators more than traditional advertising.

For real estate professionals, this is a cue to act more like a creator, not just a marketer.

People want insights, storytelling and a human voice. They’re not following you just to see listings — they’re following to learn, connect and get a sense of how you operate. So the more your content reflects you, your values, your voice, your expertise — the more likely people are to stick around.

Whether you’re hosting walkthroughs, sharing neighborhood stories or weighing in on market shifts, think like a creator with purpose, not just a brand with a message.

Switching lanes on Instagram? Don’t start over — start smarter

Thinking about changing up your Instagram content? Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, says there’s no need to start a brand-new account. Instead, ease into the pivot.

His advice:

  • Post a video to let followers know what’s changing
  • Archive old content instead of deleting it
  • Use test Reels to help the algorithm catch on

For real estate professionals, this is a reminder that reinvention doesn’t require a reset.

Whether you’re shifting from listings to lifestyle or starting to spotlight market education, bring your audience along and give the platform time to learn your new direction. Plus, the older your account is, the less likely it is to be suspected of being a bot. (A problem all new accounts must overcome in the beginning.) 

Threads tests accounts without Instagram

Until now, creating a Threads account required an Instagram login — but that might be changing. Threads is testing the ability to sign up without tying your identity to Instagram, potentially opening the door to users who’ve been on the fence.

For real estate professionals, this signals a broader audience and more flexibility.

If Threads continues to grow independently, it could become a more open platform for niche content, opinions and hyperlocal updates — especially for those who don’t want to blend business and personal profiles.

Threads adds link tracking — and 5 slots to fill

You can now add up to five links in your Threads bio, and better yet, Threads will provide basic analytics to show how each one performs.

For real estate professionals, this is a chance to get strategic with traffic.

Think: a home search link, newsletter signup, tour calendar, lead form and buyer’s guide — all in one place. And now, you’ll know which ones are driving clicks.

Threads ads are now manageable via third-party tools

Threads is quietly rolling out the ability for third-party platforms to create and manage Threads ads — a key move for brands and marketers already managing content across multiple apps.

For real estate professionals working with ad managers or content teams, this streamlines paid strategy.

While Threads is still mostly organic and conversation-driven, this update hints that a more scalable ad infrastructure is coming. If you’re investing in paid reach, it might be time to test what works here.

TL;DR (Too Long, Didn’t Read)

  • Google rolls out AI across the board — from video generators to virtual shopping assistants and search-integrated ads
  • Deloitte says creators now outpace brands — most users follow more influencers than companies, and they trust them more, too
  • Instagram says don’t start over — pivot smarter — post a heads-up video, archive old content and test your new direction
  • Threads loosens ties with Instagram — accounts without Instagram attached might be on the way, now you can add five tracked links in bio and manage ads through third-party tools

The digital landscape is tilting toward personalization, creator influence and AI-everything. If your strategy still relies on brand polish over human presence, you’re going to feel the gap. The platforms are evolving fast — but the opportunity lies in staying grounded: Clarity in your message, consistency in your presence and the courage to adapt before it’s trendy.

Jessi Healey is a freelance writer and social media manager specializing in real estate. Find her on Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, or Bluesky.

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EXp, Weichert win preliminary commission settlement approval

The companies settled in a case known as Hooper. Their settlements have been the subject of months of legal wrangling over allegations that they shopped around for the best deal.

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After months of legal wrangling, a judge on Friday granted preliminary approval to antitrust commission settlements from eXp World Holdings and Weichert of North America.

The approval came via a 14-page ruling from Judge Mark Cohen, of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. Cohen wrote in the ruling that the “proposed settlement agreements satisfy the criteria for preliminary approval” and that they appear to be “the product of intensive, thorough, serious, informed, and non-collusive negotiations.”

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A final approval hearing is scheduled for Oct. 28. News of the preliminary approval was first reported by Real Estate News.

Preliminary approval of the eXp and Weirchert settlements is significant because, more so than other antitrust commission deals, these two companies’ proposals were engulfed in controversy from the beginning. EXp first announced a settlement last October, agreeing to pay $34 million. Weichert settled a month later.

Both companies settled in a case known as Hooper, which was filed in Georgia.

However, not long after eXp announced its settlement, homesellers in Missouri who were behind a different case known as Gibson pushed back. They argued that eXp, and later Weichert, used a tactic known as a “reverse auction,” which is essentially shopping around among similar class action lawsuits for the one that will yield the best deal. The Missouri homesellers wanted to force the two companies back to the negotiating table and to have the case transferred out of Georgia and into Missouri.

EXp and Weichert objected to the homesellers’ characterization of the settlements and opposed attempts to transfer the case.

Legal wrangling over the two companies’ alleged “sweetheart deals” continued for months, and in March the Georgia judge refused to transfer the case to Missouri.

In Friday’s ruling, Cohen also determined that he had jurisdiction over the case.

In addition to eXp and Weichert, Cohen also granted preliminary approval on Friday to settlements involving Mark Spain Real Estate Atlanta Communities Real Estate.

Read the full order granting preliminary approval here: 

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Judge denies attempt to toss most of ex-Vegas Realtor CEO’s lawsuit

Former CEO Wendy DiVecchio filed suit in February, saying she was wrongfully terminated and her reputation damaged after a prolonged and mysterious investigation that hasn’t been made public.

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A judge on Thursday denied requests by the Las Vegas Realtors and former members of its leadership team to dismiss most claims made in a lawsuit filed by the group’s former long-time CEO.

The lawsuit stems from allegations of election tampering that led to a lengthy suspension, investigation and eventual termination of Wendy DiVecchio, who says she was wrongfully terminated in January.

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DiVecchio alleged that she was unfairly investigated in a proceeding that dragged on for months and has never been shared with her or the broader Las Vegas Realtors community.

Judge Mark Denton didn’t elaborate on his brief ruling, which came 10 days after a hearing in court earlier this month.

DiVecchio’s legal team called the ruling a win and said it looked forward to deposing the defendants named in the ousted CEO’s lawsuit.

“Despite the defendant’s bid to squash this case, Judge Denton found in our favor on every count and we are very much looking forward to deposing these defendants in the near future,” Rich Dreitzler, lead attorney for Wendy DeVecchio, told Inman in a statement. “The LV Realtor’s board are still hiding behind unproven allegations and we are now one step closer to the entire truth coming out.”

The lawsuit names former Las Vegas Realtors presidents Merri Perry and Josh Campa, as well as former board members Shane W. Nyugen, Britney Gaitan, John Fleckenstein, Susan Brock, Geoffrey Lavell, Chantel Tilley, Krystal Sherry, Kathryn Bovard and Chief Operating Officer Daniel Harris. 

In March, 10 of the 12 defendants in the case — all but Merri Perry and Joshua Campa — filed a motion to dismiss eight of the nine causes of action from DiVecchio’s complaint.

The defendants said in their motion that DiVecchio hadn’t provided enough evidence to support most of her claims.

“The Complaint takes a classic shotgun approach. It does not contain specific allegations that link each individual Defendant to the claim(s) asserted against him or her,” the defendants wrote.

Campa filed his own motion to dismiss the case in March.

In that filing, he argued he couldn’t be held liable for DiVecchio’s termination because he resigned from his position as LVR president Jan. 2, just after his term began and three weeks before DiVecchio was informed that she was fired.

He also said he couldn’t be held individually liable for her termination as a single member of the board of directors, and that DiVecchio didn’t provide evidence of a conspiracy by multiple people to illegally alter her contract.

“Here, the Complaint alleges that Campa was the 2024 President-Elect of LVR, meaning it is legally impossible for Campa and LVR or Campa and other LVR members to conspire,” Campa wrote in his request to dismiss the case. “Accordingly, this claim fails as a matter of law and must be dismissed with prejudice.”

The motions to dismiss referenced the investigation, but they didn’t provide any details about the investigation’s findings.

DiVecchio has denied all wrongdoing and told Inman in an interview that she has never received an explanation for why she was fired and her reputation damaged.

“I was never allowed to read that report that they did for the investigation. I was not offered a copy. I was not offered a reason that that investigation came up with for me to be let go.”

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