Industry Relations Forecast 2026: Mortgage Rates, MLS Wars, and Industry Consolidations
Dec 31, 2025
Rob and Greg dive into bold predictions for the housing market in 2026, debating the future of mortgage rates and home prices. They discuss potential legal battles over NAR settlements and private listings, along with the reshaping of brokerages through consolidation. Expect significant shifts in portal strategies and predictions about NASDAQ trends and cryptocurrency fluctuations. The duo also highlights the evolving landscape of MLSs and the challenges brokers may face amid emerging litigation.
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Modest Rebound In Home Sales
- Existing-home transactions likely tick up modestly as rates ease and inventory rises at the start of the year.
- Rob Hahn expects 4.3M transactions driven by slightly lower rates and more listings available.
Bond Market, Not Fed, May Drive Mortgages
- Mortgage rates may decouple from the Fed and instead follow the bond market's direction.
- Greg Robertson argues bond yields, not Fed actions, could determine mortgage-rate moves next year.
Hedge With Hard Assets
- Consider diversifying into hard assets if you fear monetary expansion and inflation.
- Greg Robertson recommends assets like gold and real estate as stores of value against printed money.