WebCE's Weekly Wrap-Up: June 27, 2025
WebCE Staff
By
June 27, 2025

What do a $1 home, a billion-dollar niche, and a brewing legal battle over online listings have in common? They're all part of this week’s real estate shake-up, where agents are rethinking strategy, platforms are under pressure, and buyers are gaining ground. From pricing experiments to demographic goldmines, the market is shifting—and fast.
Beyond real estate, major players in finance and tech are making bold moves. BlackRock bets big on Texas, the SEC considers loosening the path to IPO, and Intuit unleashes AI agents to automate the back office. Meanwhile, cybersecurity stories serve as both warning and blueprint, as insurers face mounting threats and leaders are urged to embed security deep into company culture.
Let’s dive in.
Top News of the Week
Compass sues Zillow as fight over privately marketed listings heats up (CNN)
“On Monday, the real estate brokerage sued home-search website Zillow, accusing it of engaging in an anticompetitive conspiracy to maintain its dominance over digital home listings. Compass’ lawsuit marks a new phase in the battle between real estate’s largest brokerages and home search engines over control of home listings. If Compass’ lawsuit succeeds, it could transform how and where real estate listings are shared online.”
BlackRock rolls out Texas ETF as Lone Star State draws capital, companies (Reuters)
“BlackRock (BLK.N), opens new tab on Tuesday launched a Texas-focused exchange-traded fund (TEXN.O), opens new tab, as the asset manager aims to tap into the state's growing reputation as a magnet for companies, capital and jobs in the United States...BlackRock said the iShares Texas Equity ETF will invest in companies headquartered in the state. Such funds are popular for offering low-cost, tax-efficient access to regional or sector-specific growth in a single trade.”
Exclusive: US Exchanges, SEC in Talks to Ease Public Company Regulations (Reuters)
“U.S. exchange operators are in talks with the Securities and Exchanges Commission on easing regulatory burdens for public companies, as they seek to encourage more richly valued startups to list, according to four people familiar with the matter. These deliberations, the details of which are reported here for the first time, involve the SEC, Nasdaq and the New York Stock Exchange.”
Insurance Sector Should Be on the Lookout for ‘Scattered Spider’ Hackers (Carrier Management)
“Actors that bear the hallmarks of Scattered Spider are now targeting the insurance industry,” John Hultquist, chief analyst at Google’s Mandiant. “They have a habit of working their way through a sector. Insurance companies should be on the lookout for social engineering schemes targeting their call centers.”
Beazley Report: U.S. Executives Misjudge Their Cyber Preparedness (Claims Journal)
“This contradiction underestimates today’s cyber and tech threat landscape, which is increasingly dynamic and unpredictable – as the recent high profile ransomware attacks on major retailers have made alarmingly clear,” the report states. “Failure to recognise this reality leaves businesses exposed, unprepared and increasingly vulnerable to today’s fast-evolving digital threats.”
Create a Company Culture That Takes Cybersecurity Seriously (Harvard Business Review)
“Human-centered security approaches offer significant potential for sustainable information security within organizations. It can encourage, for instance, every employee being concerned about secure passwords, suspicious and attentive about possible email threats, sure not to leave their computers unlocked, and careful not to talk about sensitive business issues in public.”
AI in Insurance: Overhyped Trend or Game Changer? Discover Insights from 100 Insurance Leaders (wipro)
“Our research reveals a split in AI adoption. Although all companies have started integrating AI, 54% remain in the exploratory stage with restricted use. Meanwhile, 46% of businesses are at the forefront with advanced implementation processes. The gap will narrow as innovations, global competition, and autonomous AI solutions challenge algorithms and reduce reliance on large infrastructure investments.”
Real Estate Agents rethink pricing strategies as buyers gain leverage (Real Estate News)
“There is growing evidence that the housing market is slowly but surely shifting away from sellers and beginning to favor buyers, according to a pair of new real estate agent surveys. The latest agent survey from Real Brokerage reveals that transaction activity is slowing and market leverage is moving decisively toward buyers. A new monthly agent survey from John Burns Research and Consulting (JBREC) and Keeping Current Matters (KCM) also offers new commentary and analysis that illustrates the shifting real estate market.”
Intuit Rolls Out AI Agents for QuickBooks (CPA Practice Advisor)
“According to Intuit, the AI agents complete day-to-day tasks, including managing customer leads, tracking payments, sending invoices, and reconciling a business’s books.”
10 Strategy Reads That Meet the Moment (MIT Sloan Management Review)
“The toughest part of strategy today isn’t choosing a framework — it’s adapting to relentless change. In this collection of must-read articles from MIT Sloan Management Review, leading thinkers offer clear, actionable guidance on how to sharpen your strategic focus, navigate uncertainty, and build lasting competitive advantage in a shifting landscape.”
Top Podcast of the Week
Serve the Fastest-Growing Real Estate Demographic with Dan Ihara
The Millionaire Real Estate Agent
44 Minutes
“What if I told you that every day in America, 11,400 people turn 65—and that behind those numbers lies one of the greatest untapped opportunities in real estate? We’re pulling back the curtain on a niche market hiding in plain sight: helping seniors and their families navigate the transition of a lifetime. Today, we’re joined by someone who has built a billion-dollar business doing exactly that.
Our guest is Dan Ihara, a true expert in senior relocation, generational wealth transfer, and what it means to bring real clarity and confidence to people facing big life changes. Dan’s story starts in Honolulu, winds through six career pivots, and lands in the field of real estate planning for older adults. Along the way, he’s not only closed more than 1,500 transactions—he’s also pioneered a model that leverages education, empathy, and a commitment to serving families across generations.
In this conversation, Dan breaks down his entire playbook—from building partnerships with retirement communities, to running high-impact seminars, to providing resources that make the process less overwhelming for everyone involved. If you’re searching for a way to stand out, serve a growing market, and do business with heart, Dan’s model is one to study. Let’s dive in and learn what it takes to become the family’s trusted real estate planner.”
Weekend Wind-Down
“A Newark, New Jersey real estate broker raked in more than half a million dollars yesterday on a listing asking just $1. The colonial-style home, located in a quiet suburban enclave of the city, was on offer for a mere seven days.
Brendan DaSilva made headlines last week when he listed his own three-bed, two-bath investment property on the outskirts of Newark for that pocket-change sum. His plan, as reported by NJ.com, was to let the market decide on a fair price.
“Thankfully, it worked out very well for us,” DaSilva told The Post, saying he received three $550,000 offers.”