AJ LaTrace

Director, News Reporting

AJ has covered real estate for the last decade as a reporter and editor for publications including Vox Media's Curbed, Chicago magazine and Business Insider. At Business Insider, AJ led the brand's coverage of how everyday people invest in real estate as a means of gaining financial independence, and he reported on big-picture trends and pain points in the broader U.S. real estate market. AJ is based in Chicago, where he also moonlights as a small-time landlord.

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Dream of homeownership still alive with young buyers
Millennial and Gen Z buyers have a higher tolerance for elevated mortgage rates, and many believe it’s a good time to buy, a Realtor.com survey found.
February 22, 2024
Former Zillow exec expands mortgage site Tomo into home search
CEO Greg Schwartz says Tomo will stand out by offering “negotiation insights,” which include personal information about home sellers.
February 20, 2024
Why United’s CEO isn’t interested in ‘shiny’ downline models
United boosted agent count in 2023, but not with rev share or stock incentives. CEO Dan Duffy shared his thoughts on why the flat-fee model is a win for agents.
February 20, 2024
Investors buying a bigger share of affordable homes
While overall activity softened last quarter, real estate investors flocked to Chicago and cities in California in the hunt for lower-priced properties.
February 16, 2024
Anywhere revenue took a hit in Q4, dipped 18% in 2023
Net losses for the year improved, however. CEO Ryan Schneider pointed to debt reduction and settlements as wins, and spoke favorably about buyer agreements.
February 15, 2024
The real estate companies going all in on Super Bowl Sunday
Homes.com will run three new ads during the big event while Opendoor will livestream a real homeowner doing a virtual walkthrough during halftime.
February 7, 2024
‘Lifeline’ grants aim to increase homeownership
Freddie Mac and Chase have made recent changes to their down payment assistance programs which could help more low-income buyers enter the market.
February 6, 2024
NAR ends January with 1.515 million members, a loss of 38k
This marks the third straight month with a drop, but the association’s chief economist said membership is “holding on much better than market dynamics suggest.”
February 5, 2024
Why brokerage mergers are about buying ‘hope’
A consultant and former Anywhere exec breaks down the actions investors should take when looking to acquire or merge with other real estate firms.
February 4, 2024
Redfin sweetens the deal for buyers who sign agreements
The new “Sign & Save” program offers buyers a rebate if they sign a buyer agreement with Redfin and go under contract on a home within six months.
February 2, 2024
Mortgage rates dip slightly as Fed continues its pause
Rates have remained relatively stable since December, with the average 30-year mortgage rate posting a modest decline this week.
February 1, 2024
Most buyers are suspicious of competing offers
According to a new survey, the majority of buyers are concerned about transparency in the homebuying process.
February 1, 2024
State of New York takes an interest in eXp assault, harassment cases
Allegations of sexual misconduct tied to eXp "raised a huge red flag" for the NY comptroller's office, which has a financial stake in the company.
January 30, 2024
Home prices continued to rise in November
Prices improved 5.1% annually, the latest Case-Shiller report indicates, but a small dip between October and November ended a streak of monthly gains.
January 30, 2024
Offerpad providing new incentives for agents who bring clients
The iBuyer has introduced two new tiers in its agent partnership program, which provide up to 4% in referral fees and access to more sell-side deals.
January 29, 2024
Layoffs at eXp? 35 employees ‘venturing into new opportunities’
In a LinkedIn post, eXp’s EVP of People implied that nearly three dozen people had been laid off. The company later acknowledged "a small reorganization."
Updated January 26, 2024
Pending home sales see healthy bump after record lows
The uptick in pending homes is a “promising” sign of life in a market that has been sidelined by low inventory and high home prices.
January 26, 2024
Zillow retained its lead in Q4, Homes.com came in fourth
Traffic data from Comscore showed Zillow with twice as many visitors as second-place Realtor.com, while Homes.com appeared to lose some ground.
January 26, 2024
Anywhere CEO ‘wouldn’t trade positions’ with any leader mired in lawsuits
Ryan Schneider spoke to Real Estate News about his company’s decision to settle in the commissions cases and his thoughts on NAR and the year ahead.
January 25, 2024
ENRG Realty offers a new take on revenue sharing
The newly launched firm — the brainchild of former eXp and Real execs — tweaks the downline model and is intended to “professionalize the industry.”
January 23, 2024