Housing Equality & Policy
All Policy & Current Issues
September 9, 2024
A few weeks after the new NAR rules went into effect, Redfin agents report some homebuyers and sellers are confused about fee agreements and who is responsible for paying the buyer’s agent. Once they understand the guidelines, most sellers are still willing to cover the buyside commission–but negotiation has become more common in some markets […]
August 5, 2024
America’s high-fire-risk counties saw a net inflow of 63,000 people last year, driven by migration to Texas. High-flood-risk counties saw a net inflow of 16,000, driven by migration to Florida. Texas and Florida have attracted a lot of people in recent years because they offer low taxes, relatively affordable housing prices and are building more […]
August 2, 2024
Buyer’s agent commissions have declined since the NAR settlement announcement; the average stands at 2.55%, down from 2.62% at the beginning of the year. Changes mandated by the NAR settlement must be complete by August 17; we could see further declines after that. In dollar terms, the typical buyer’s agent earns $15,377 per deal, up […]
July 10, 2024
Redfin’s chief economist and First Street’s head of research give homebuyers advice on how to think about climate disasters, insurance and home values when deciding what to buy Natural disasters are increasingly threatening to the housing market, as many homes are at risk of becoming damaged, uninsurable or less valuable. Redfin’s research has shown that […]
June 27, 2024
Starter homes are affordable to a Black family earning the local median income in 10 major U.S. metros: Detroit, St. Louis, Baltimore, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Warren, Columbus and Kansas City. For white families, starter homes are affordable in 32 major metros. In San Francisco, a Black family earning the local median income would have […]
