Market News December 19

Market Updates

Fed Chairman Describes Housing Concerns


Last week's Federal Reserve meeting ended with the announcement of a 25-point interest rate cut, which is the third of 2025. This puts short-term interest rates within the 3.5-3.75% range.

However, the Fed's economic forecast hinted that additional rate movements could have to wait until the labor market improves.

During a post-meeting press conference, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said that a 25-basis-point cut wasn't expected to make a big difference to the housing market. He mentioned that the homeowners who snapped up ultra-low rates during 2021 and 2022 are still discouraged from making a move. Powell added that the central bank doesn't "have the tools to address a structural housing shortage."

In addition, since last week's rate cut was expected, it probably won't encourage any major rate reductions. While 30-year rates have hovered around the lowest levels of 2025 in recent weeks, they remain above 6%.1

Road to Housing Act Axed...For Now


The House of Representatives has removed the ROAD to Housing Act from the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), delaying significant federal housing reform.

The ROAD to Housing Act — formally known as the Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act of 2025 — contains provisions that include housing supply expansion, more access to home ownership, disaster recovery, program reform, veterans' housing, and rural housing.

Advocates for the measure described ROAD to Housing as the most significant federal housing legislation in over a decade. Senator Elizabeth Warren commented: "The fight to get the ROAD to Housing Act signed into law isn't over — but if House Republicans continue to block legislation to cut housing costs in 2026, then Democrats will pass it ourselves when we take back Congress."2

What To Do If Someone Borrows Your Listing Photos


Recent conversations within Reddit's REALTOR® community have been started by agents who have spotted their listing photographs on other websites. Some were "borrowed" by other agents who don't understand copyright law, or who are unaware of NAR and MLS guidelines.

If someone copies your photographs of listings from your business website, social media, or MLS listing, it's a direct violation of the NAR Code of Ethics' Article 12 and Standard of Practice 12-10. These provisions obligate REALTORS® to present a "true picture" in their advertising and prohibit presenting "content developed by others without either attribution or without permission".

Your local MLS doesn't approve, either, as it has explicit rules that prohibit using another agent's listing photos without permission. Violations can result in fines and disciplinary action.

If you ever spot your photographs on another site, here are recommended actions.

  • If you're employed by a local or national real estate company or brokerage, report the theft to management.
  • If you're an independent agent, contact the agent and request that the photos be taken down. Include proof that the photos are yours, such as a copy of a contract held with a photographer. (If the photos are for a former listing that you no longer manage, copyright law still protects you.)
  • Contact the appropriate MLS and local REALTOR® Association and report the theft, together with proof the photos are yours.3

Watch Out For AI-Fueled Holiday Scams


You already know that some scammers specialize in real estate transactions, such as title company-related thefts. Unfortunately, other scammers are currently busy with additional, holiday-related schemes. Some will use AI to help them impersonate company representatives and family members.

Here are details of several scams making the rounds.

Disappearing deals. Email inboxes are flooded with limited-time holiday discounts. Many are legitimate, but some aren't. Last year, 62% of Americans admitted that they have clicked Buy immediately instead of researching the deal, and some encountered fake sellers or malware links.

Pleas for assistance. During the holidays, we're often focused on family. Scammers know this and will send panicky pleas for cash that appears to be from family members. If relatives have posted videos on social media, their voices may have been cloned with an AI tool, making the scam especially convincing.

Tariff-based theft. Scammers are cashing in on tariffs, as some consumers don't understand how they work. They're emailing fake bills for unexpected import charges, or texts that claim a package is stuck in Customs until a tariff-related fee is paid.

Here are some scam-busting tips to share with your clients and colleagues:

  • If a scammer is pretending to be with a well-known company, look up their number online. Do NOT call the number within an email, especially if the message contains poor grammar or spelling, or appears to be created by amateurs.
  • Tariff scams may appear to be from a government agency. These agencies will NOT text, call, or send you a message through social media.
  • Most telephone scammers can be easily identified. If you're not sure they're scammers, ask for a callback number. Legitimate businesses will comply; scammers will either hang up or try to keep you on the line.4

Schedule a Month of TikToks Ahead of Time

Since TikTok's popularity is still growing, you'll want to keep your posts consistent. But thinking up new video ideas, writing script notes, and actually filming each post may seem like a full-time job. Learning how to schedule your videos up to 30 days ahead of time can help you streamline your TikToking and improve your posts' performance.

Here's how to schedule your TikToks from your computer or laptop's browser:
  1. Log in to your TikTok account and click on the 'Upload' button on the left side menu or the right-hand corner.
  2. Upload your TikTok video, write your caption, choose your cover photo and location.
  3. You can edit your TikTok video, add music, and use TikTok templates.
  4. Preview your video so you can see how it appears on the feed, on your profile, and on the web.
Now it's time to schedule when your post will go live.

Scroll down to find 'Settings.'
  1. Tap the 'Schedule' button to schedule your TikTok post in advance. You can choose your preferred time and date.
  2. Advanced settings allow you to select your audience, whether users can comment/duet/stitch, and to add a disclosure for AI-generated content.
  3. Once your post is scheduled, you'll find it within your TikTok profile and TikTok Studio.
Keep in mind that you can't edit a post after you've scheduled it. If you want to make changes, you'll need to delete the scheduled post and replace it with a new video with your changes.5

Sources: 1realestatenews.com, 2nationalmortgageprofessional.com, 3linkedin.com, 4merckcu.com, 5buffer.com