2025 was packed with real estate news, from tariffs and the economy to industry debates over private listing networks. We were here, reporting on all of it.
Here are the five national news stories that gained the most traction with our readers this year.
No. 1 – NAR: Affordability gap persists despite improvements in housing supply
After years of record-low housing inventory, the market started to look up in 2025. This May story about improved affordability and supply was our most-read of the year.
No. 2 – NAHB: Builder confidence drops in May on tariff uncertainty
Builder confidence fell sharply this spring, dropping to its lowest level since November 2023, the National Association of Home Builders reported. The decline came as builders were rattled by tariffs, among other concerns.
No. 3 – NAR: Staging a home can increase sale price by up to 10%
Homes that are professionally staged not only attract more attention from potential buyers — they also sell faster and for more money, according to the 2025 Profile of Home Staging from the National Association of Realtors®.
In April, eXp Realty introduced a seller advisory form that aimed to educate sellers on the alleged downside of withholding listings from the MLS.
No. 5 – Matthew Gardner’s Q1 2025 market insights
For his first quarterly analysis of the year, prominent real estate economist Matthew Gardner shared insights on the first three months of 2025 — including takes on tariffs, immigration, brokerage acquisitions and mortgage rates.