Top 10 Real Estate News: America's Most Interesting Real Estate News

A look at America's real estate news, including higher interest rates and baby boomers' domination of the US housing market. Top 10 Real Estate News is featured at TopTenRealEstateDeals.com.

POMPANO BEACH, Fla., Sept. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- America's Top 10 Real Estate News

Feds Raise Interest Rates - Defy President Trump 
In an effort to curb inflation that picked up again last month, the Federal Reserve hiked benchmark interest rates for the first time since 2023. The Fed's flagship rate now ranges from 3.75% to 4.00% after a 0.25% increase.

Although President Trump has been calling for lower interest rates for months, the rate increase was unanimously approved by the Fed's policymakers, who also hinted that another rate increase would occur before the year is out.

Baby Boomers Dominate As Both Home Buyers & Sellers
The generation that has dominated much of the US economy since the 1960s now has the largest share of both US home buyers and sellers. Buyers between the ages of 61 and 79 represent 42% of home buyers and also make up 55% of all sellers. And since boomers often have large or 100% equity in the homes they currently live in, they frequently pay cash when selling and then purchasing a new home.

Foreigners Bypass US Homes
According to information from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), foreign buyers are losing interest in purchasing US real estate, continuing a multi-year decline since 2017. Foreign purchasers bought 67,100 properties, a total of $45.3 billion worth of existing residences in the US, between April 2025 and March 2026, the second-lowest number since NAR started monitoring foreign buyer activity in 2009. The median purchase price was $465,000, which is a 19.1% drop.

America's Tallest Residential Tower South of NYC
With two opulent penthouses that have their own zip code in the sky, Cipriani Residences is completing construction of its Brickell tower. The 1931 Collection, a two-unit penthouse atop the 950-foot skyscraper, is the largest residential structure south of Manhattan. With the larger unit listed at $33 million and its companion at $19.8 million, the total cost of the penthouses is almost $53 million.

Florida Home Sales Increase 11 Consecutive Months
In July, Florida's housing market hit 11 straight month of year-over-year sales gains. Single-family sales rose over 5% and condos climbed 11%. More buyers are entering the market even without better mortgage rates, and housing inventories are tightening.

Where Americans Really Want To Live 
It's not Florida, Texas, or California where Americans want to move. According to an online platform that helps people to move, South Carolina is where many Americans would like to move. The Palmetto State has topped the list for seven straight years. Idaho and Florida were the second and third choices.

America's Best City For Retirees
Niche.com has released its annual Best Places to Retire report. The website considered a number of factors that are important for retirees, such as the weather, housing costs, crime rates, and access to entertainment and medical care. Florida grabbed eight of the top 10 spots, with Rio, Florida, located between the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon near Stuart, Florida, at #1 and Highland Beach, Florida, located near Fort Lauderdale, at #2.

New GOP Proposal Would Create Portable Mortgages
Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (Republican, NJ) has introduced the Making Ownership Viable for Everyone (MOVE) Act, legislation that would make portable mortgages accessible, allowing homeowners to transfer their existing mortgage rate, term, and balance to a new property. The MOVE Act would require Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, entities that buy mortgages from lenders, to begin purchasing portable mortgages.

Million-Dollar Home Sales Surge In Florida
Sales of million-dollar homes and condos surged throughout Florida in July. Closed sales of Florida condos and townhomes priced at $1 million or more increased by more than 31% from 2025. Single-family house sales over $1 million increased by more than 27%. Sales of $500,000 to $1 million condo and townhomes also had a strong month, with sales up 24% from a year ago.

Top 10 Wealthiest US Suburbs
Based on a report from the 2024 American Community Survey, the average household income in the Westchester County suburb of Scarsdale, New York was $612,591, making it the wealthiest suburb in the United States. In second place, with average household income of $439,594, is West University Place, a suburb of Houston. Eight of the 10 wealthiest US suburbs are in three states: California, New York and Texas.

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Top 10 Real Estate News

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