News

What’s Behind the Move?

The Southeast MLS Alliance has recently expanded its regional data-sharing network with the addition of realMLS, extending coverage into northeast Florida. This move is expected to significantly improve listing data access, reduce friction, and increase property exposure and referral opportunities across state lines.

A Regional Powerhouse

The alliance now represents over 118,000 subscribers across multiple metropolitan markets in the Southeast, including Charleston, South Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Georgia. With realMLS on board, the alliance has strengthened its presence in the region, providing agents and brokers with greater access to listing data across participating MLS systems.

A Commitment to Transparency and Efficiency

Nicole Jensen, CEO of realMLS, emphasized that expanding into Florida aligns with the organization’s focus on improving access to data and reducing friction for users. “This opportunity for realMLS to join the Southeast MLS Alliance aligns with our commitment to transparency, efficiency, and better outcomes for agents and the consumers they serve,” she said.

Breaking Down Barriers

The expanded network is designed to provide agents and brokers with increased exposure of properties and more referral opportunities across state lines. According to Joseph Cullom, CEO of CHS …

Real estate valuations have traditionally leaned heavily on historical data as one of the most important factors used to determine the appraised value of homes. This data includes comparable transactions and cap rates from prior years, along with historical real estate market data. However, there are a few areas that the past-anchored valuation system fails to build into the appraisals, leaving an appraisal gap that is becoming difficult to ignore in 2026.

Major Climate Events

An important lesson that has been discovered more recently in the real estate industry is that not all properties in climate-impacted or high-volatility markets fit standard comps. This means that the insurance industry has had to make adjustments around forward-looking models that factor in major climate events like flooding and wildfires.

• As a result of recent climate incidents, many insurers have pulled out of high-risk markets, and transaction volume has dwindled.
• As a result,

**Unlocking the Power of High-Performing Real Estate Agents with Movoto Advantage**

As the real estate market continues to evolve, innovative solutions are emerging to connect top-performing agents with motivated buyers and sellers. In a bold move, Lower acquired Movoto in 2025, paving the way for the launch of Movoto Advantage, a limited-access subscription program designed specifically for high-performing solo agents.

**A Vision Realized**

John Berkowitz, former Movoto CEO and current president of real estate at Lower, first outlined this vision to HousingWire last year. The goal was simple yet ambitious: leverage Lower’s network to connect more consumers with top local real estate agents and mortgage professionals. With the launch of Movoto Advantage, it appears that vision is now a reality.

**The Power of Certainty**

At its core, Movoto Advantage provides agents with certainty in a fast-paced sales cycle. By connecting them directly with motivated buyers and sellers through warm live transfers, agents can focus on what they do best: delivering exceptional service to their clients. This program operates within Lower’s Movoto real estate marketplace, initially rolling out to independent agents who rank near the top in their markets by transaction volume and have a history of closing deals, strong client …

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has issued a proposed rule aimed at reforming anti-money laundering (AML) and countering the financing of terrorism (CFT) programs under the Bank Secrecy Act. The proposal seeks to reduce compliance burdens by promoting risk-based and reasonably designed programs, creating greater consistency in evaluating financial institutions for effectiveness.

Reducing Red Tape

The proposed rule is intended to refocus compliance obligations on perceived effectiveness, distinguishing between program design failures and implementation deficiencies. This approach would shift the emphasis from paperwork volume to actual illicit finance threats, allowing financial institutions to identify and evaluate their own risks more effectively.

Increased Transparency and Oversight

The proposal also clarifies expectations for independent testing and audit functions, ensuring that examiners do not substitute their subjective judgment for financial institutions’ risk-based and reasonably designed AML/CFT programs. FinCEN would play a more central role in AML/CFT supervision through a new notice and consultation framework with federal banking supervisors regarding significant supervisory actions.

Criticism from Transparency International

While welcoming the proposal, Transparency International U.S. expressed concerns about the potential weakening of oversight and risk-assessment features. The organization noted that the proposal could make it harder for regulators to step in when financial institutions …