COVERAGE INFORMATION:
California Department of Real Estate (DRE) NEWS CLIPS service coverage:
Monday through Friday (except state holidays) each week includes electronic format articles retrieved from newspapers or news services that report real estate related news in California and some national services. Coverage is for California newspapers that are available electronically via the Internet - and any significant related breaking news.
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Copyright © , California Department of Real Estate
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Friday, May 22, 2026
Top Stories
What the AvalonBay, Equity Residential megamerger means for the apartment industry and rents
DIANA OLICK, CNBC
The biggest ever merger of real estate investment trusts — the combination of Equity Residential and AvalonBay, announced Thursday — has investors and analysts alike left with dropped jaws. The all-stock merger will have a market capitalization of about $52 billion and a total enterprise value of approximately $69 billion, according to a release. It will create one of the largest real estate companies in the U.S., with more than 180,000 rental apartments.
Home buyers hammered as war-fueled bond rout drives rates higher
PRASHANT GOPAL, EZRA FIESER, MICHAEL MACKENZIE, San Diego Union-Tribune (Subscription)
The era of ultra-cheap mortgages that reshaped American housing for a generation shows no signs of coming back. In fact, every signal from the $31 trillion Treasury market indicates that rates may rise even more.
National News
Mortgage Rates Hit a Nine-Month High in Blow to Prime Buying Season
NICOLE FRIEDMAN, Wall Street Journal (Subscription)
Mortgage rates this week rose to the highest level since August, more bad news for home shoppers during what is usually the busiest time of the year for home sales.
US single-family housing starts tumble in April
LUCIA MUTLKANI, Reuters
U.S. single-family homebuilding dropped sharply in April and permits for future construction fell, suggesting the housing market could remain subdued for a while as the Iran war drives up mortgage rates and an oversupply of new houses persists.
Home Purchase Cancellations Are No Longer on the Rise As Demand Ticks Up
DANA ANDERSON, Redfin News
Contract cancellations inched down this spring as homebuyers and sellers gain a clearer sense of housing-market conditions after several years of volatility. More sellers have come to terms with the fact that it’s a buyer’s market in most of the country, and they’re increasingly willing to lower prices and/or provide concessions to keep deals together. Buyers, for their part, have grown more accustomed to high housing payments, with pending home sales rising, and may be less likely to back out due to sticker shock when they see their final monthly payments.
California News
How California’s Next Governor Would Tackle Rent, Insurance and Housing Costs
ADHITI BANDLAMUDI, KQED San Francisco
When it comes to affording rent or a home mortgage in California, every candidate in the race for governor seems to have a personal stake. As the affordability crisis literally drives residents out of the state, the candidates have made housing a central point of their campaigns. That’s a sea change from previous elections, said Laura Foote, executive director for YIMBY Action.
California legislators re-try to ‘loophole-proof’ starter home law
RICHARD LAWSON, HousingWire (Subscription)
California SB 1116 passed the Senate 37-0 and heads to the Assembly. It strengthens eligibility and development standards, measures height in feet, limits setbacks and requires local ordinances to be submitted to Housing and Community Development for compliance review
City leaders consider bolstering affordable housing fund to bring back developers
CHRIS MALONE MENDEZ, The Real Deal (Subscription)
San Francisco leaders are trying a dual-pronged approach to revive the city’s frozen housing pipeline by pumping more public money into affordable projects and easing the financial burden on private developers.
Industry News
Zillow-Compass Fight Raises Bigger Questions About The Future Of Mortgage Lead Distribution
CZARINNA ANDRES, National Mortgage Professional
A growing legal battle between Zillow, Compass, and Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED) is exposing a much larger industry shift that could eventually reshape how mortgage purchase leads are generated and who controls the borrower relationship before a loan originator ever enters the conversation.
Zillow asks court for restraining order to restore MRED data feed
AMIE FISHER, Real Estate News
Zillow filed a motion asking an Illinois District Court for a temporary restraining order to "immediately reinstate" the portal's access to MRED's listing feeds and prevent the MLS and Compass from furthering their alleged "group boycott conspiracy" against Zillow.
Real Estate Technology
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Property News
Grateful Dead’s former Marin studio hits market for $4.4 million
ZARA IRSHAD, San Francisco Chronicle
One of the Bay Area’s most iconic rock hotspots has landed on the market for the first time in more than a decade. During its time as a music hub, the building hosted artists such as the Grateful Dead, Huey Lewis, Van Morrison and Jefferson Starship. The downstairs bedroom even served as storage space for instruments used by the Beatles ahead of their final San Francisco performance at Candlestick Park in 1966.
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