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- Temple, TX, tops the list of markets where buyers have the highest leverage
Temple, TX, tops the list of markets where buyers have the highest leverage
Plus: Sharran Srivatsaa steps down as Real President
š Cheers to baby Friday! In todayās 721-word newsletter ā a 3-minute read, weāre diving into Real Brokerage leadership changes, NARās escalating legal battles, and a look at Texas cities where homebuyers hold the most power. Letās get started!
1. Sharran Srivatsaa steps down as Real President, transitioning to Board
The Real Brokerage, yesterday announced that Sharran Srivatsaa will transition from his role as President of Real to join the company's Board of Directors, subject to corporate approvals, effective June 1, 2025.
As a Board member, Sharran will focus on representing the voice of Real's agents and ensuring that the company continues to prioritize agent success and industry innovation.
The industry veteran recognized for his expertise in scaling brokerage operations was named to the position in December 2022, a job new to Real at the time.
2. Judge in brokerage antitrust case faces recusal bid over political donations
Howard Hanna Real Estate Services has accused a Missouri judge overseeing a critical commission lawsuit of having a conflict of interest and is demanding that he recuse himself from the case.
As part of the Gibson commission suit, the brokerage said in a court filing on Monday that a plaintiffsā attorney, Matthew Dameron, donated to the campaign of Judge Stephen Boughās wife and should not be part of the case.
In 2019, Dameron and his wife donated to the committee to elect Andrea Bough. She was elected and currently serves on the city council in Kansas City, Missouri.
In the filing, Howard Hanna notes that Judge Bough recused himself in a case against a gun manufacturer for the same donation.
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3. Catch up quick
š Care.com is moving its HQ to Dallas from Austin. (DMagazine)
š°ļø Report: A typical homeowner stays in their house for 11.8 years. (Redfin)
š¤ What first-time home buyers want in 2025. (Realtor.com)
š« Trump government halts $1B program that maintains aging affordable housing. (Newsweek)
š° Renting becomes a sign of wealth as many opt against home buying. (Redfin)
āļø Bill targeting squatters would hand Texas landlords more eviction power. (Yahoo)
š Fun read: Franklin BBQ ranked best in Texas for the 4th straight year. (SouthernLiving)
4. Temple, TX, tops the list of markets where buyers have the highest leverage
Fourty-four of the nationās 200 largest metropolitan housing markets had more active homes for sale at the end of February 2025 than they did in February 2019, before the pandemic.
According to ResiClub, many of these marketsāwhere homebuyers have the highest negotiating powerāare primarily located in the Gulf Coast (Texas included), and Mountain West regions. These areas saw substantial housing booms during the pandemic, leading to steep price increases and strained affordability.
Temple, TX, tops the list with active inventory roughly 76% higher than 2019 levels. Other Texas markets where homebuyers have the most leverage and highest percentage of active inventory above pre-pandemic levels include McAllen (36.9%), Waco (35.6%), and San Antonio (32.9%).
5. NAR to vote on Clear Cooperation Policy as legal threat looms
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) is poised to decide the fate of its controversial Clear Cooperation Policy (CCP) in the coming weeks and the decision comes under the shadow of a potential legal challenge.
Attorney Michael Ketchmark, the lead plaintiffsā counsel in the Gibson Commission lawsuit against real estate brokerages, told Inman News that his firm is closely monitoring NARās vote and will determine its next steps based on the outcome.
Ketchmark said he'll consider legal action against brokers who vote to maintain the rule.
āItās my expectation that after this meeting, when this comes to a NAR vote overall, that theyāll do the right thing and remove that policy and let the free market continue to work. If they refuse to do so, and the committee votes in favor of this policy, and it goes on and the changes arenāt made, weāll take the depositions of the people involved and figure out exactly why they did that and what was the motivation behind it, and then make a decision at that point on how to proceed.ā
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