Market News June 26

Market Updates

Today's Market News:

Affordable Housing Bill Reaches Final Lap


Earlier this week, the U.S. House voted 358-32 in favor of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act — a bill expected to lower costs for homebuyers and limit investors' buying power in the single-family market.

The Act is the result of bipartisan cooperation within Congress. It would remove regulatory barriers to enable more housing construction and cap investors' ownership of single-family properties at 350 units.

After months of debate, the bill advanced out of the Senate earlier this week by a vote of 85-5.

The Act had been scheduled for signing on June 24th. However, President Trump has indicated he will withhold his signature until Congress also passes the SAVE Act, which would require voters to provide proof of citizenship and photo ID to vote. The two bills are now linked in ongoing negotiations.1

Just In: More Consumers Prefer Buying to Renting


For the first time since 2023, most consumers are saying it's better to buy a home in the current market. According to the latest Bank of America Homebuyer Insights Report, conducted in partnership with Bank of America Institute, 53% of respondents now favor buying over renting or moving in with family (47%).

The survey also revealed positive shifts in consumer sentiment toward home ownership.

  • 90% of respondents say a home is a valuable investment, up from 79% in 2025.
  • 94% say homeownership provides stability, up from 83% in 2025.
  • 32% say they're more confident in their ability to buy a home this year, up from 27% last year.
Other survey results discovered that buyers are more willing to compromise this year, when compared to 2024-2025. More prospective homebuyers are open to moving — even if it means paying a higher interest rate for a more affordable area, better location, or if their dream home becomes available.2

Share Your Listings' Sun Scores with Buyers


Natural sunlight is an essential feature for many home buyers, but it's one of the hardest things to judge, even though you may have visited a listing several times. A property with a sunny morning outlook could be shady all afternoon, and vice versa.

However, nearly 70% of people say that the amount of sunlight in their home affects their satisfaction with their living situation, and 11% say it's not negotiable — sunlight is mandatory.

Now you can check out a property's daily dose of sunlight ahead of time with the help of Shadowmap, a suite of applications that track and report available sunlight 24/7. Simply enter a property's address and watch a 3D video that illustrates how and when its inhabitants will enjoy sunshine.

Not only does sunlight provide aesthetic charm and mood-boosting serotonin...it can power a home's solar installations.

Shadowmap also offers a specialized application that's ideal for agents, as you can provide prospective buyers with a 3D preview of a listing's sunny hours. You can book a demo by visiting Shadowmap's Property Platform page.3

When It Comes to Home Sales, AI Isn't as Smart as It Thinks


Setting a price for any listing is never easy, no matter how precise your CMA may be. More recently, some agents discovered that AI is affecting pricing, and not always in a positive way.

Earlier this year, celebrity broker Ryan Serhant posted a video that complained that ChatGPT had ruined a $50 million deal. Both the seller and buyer of the property asked ChatGPT if the stated price was right. The seller was told to increase the price, while the buyer was told it was overpriced.

Serhant was eventually able to salvage the deal after explaining AI's limitations to both parties. His take on AI:

"It doesn't know the future, it can't predict the future. It doesn't know intentions, doesn't know emotions, doesn't know what buyers are circling, doesn't know off-market comparables, doesn't understand, fully, replacement costs, and doesn't actually optimize for the deal."

While you may use one or more AI tools to help with comparative and market analyses, you'll want to take over from there. Only you understand the nuances of the local real estate market, including property features that affect pricing.4

Don't Be Afraid to Recycle Your Social Media Content

Even if you've gotten into the habit of posting social media content on a regular basis, you may sometimes run short of ideas (or new listings). If this is a source of stress, here's some good news ... there's nothing wrong with reposting, especially if a post was popular the first time around.

Don't worry that a few followers will have seen these before, as there's a pretty good chance that most of them haven't seen it, or won't remember it. Also, keep in mind that social media algorithms decide which non-followers will see your content, and this is impossible to predict.

Here's another reason to repost content that doesn't date. People notice what matters to them now. For example, someone who saw your post with tips for first-time buyers may not have been considering home ownership a few months ago, but now has valid reasons to do so. The same goes for your posts that discuss how to prepare a home for sale.

Other ways to choose which posts to recycle include:
  • Content that generated likes, shares, comments and engagement.
  • Seasonal and holiday content. These can include tips for preparing your home for an upcoming season.
  • Any post that ended up getting you a new client or, more importantly, a sale.
Need more assistance with social media or marketing? Contact me for assistance, and an introduction to the library of marketing materials that we can share.5

Sources: 1cnbc.com, 2newsroom.bankofamerica.com, 3shadowmap.org, 4cnbc.com, 5lightersideofrealestate.com