Real Estate Roundup: November 25, 2025
Leonard Steinberg, Compass Agent
Every day, a flood of news headlines, data points, lawsuits, and economic predictions claim to explain where the housing market—and the broader economy—is headed. But step back from the noise, and a more interesting story emerges: one about shifting regulations, evolving consumer behavior, changing lifestyles, and the enormous influence real estate continues to have on almost everything.
This month’s roundup uncovers what’s happening behind the scenes—from crypto regulation to gold-plated design trends to the unexpected consequences of well-intentioned housing laws.
Crypto, Compliance & the IRS: The End of a Loophole Era
Beginning with the 2025 tax year, digital asset brokerages must issue Form 1099-DA, revealing both gross proceeds and—starting next year—cost basis for crypto trades.
For years, gaps in reporting allowed many investors to avoid declaring crypto activity without setting off alarms. That window is closing. The IRS is now treating crypto much more like stock transactions, ending what some describe as a quiet tax-evasion workaround.
RealPage, Rent Models & What Happens When Algorithms Touch Housing
RealPage reached a settlement limiting how it can use private data to recommend rent levels to large landlords. The scrutiny reflects a broader shift: regulators are becoming far more concerned about algorithmic price-setting in the housing market—especially when rents are already strained in many cities.
When Design, Climate & History Collide
In Paris, zinc roofs are heating up to scorching temperatures—158°F and above—during increasingly common heatwaves. The city’s signature rooftops, once a symbol of beauty, are now climate liabilities. Meanwhile, copper roofs—with their naturally reflective qualities—are becoming attractive again, blending heritage with sustainability.
The theme is echoed closer to home: Historical Societies often teeter between honoring the past and trapping communities in it. Bedford, NY is a rare example of getting it right—maintaining charm while allowing evolution. Preservation without progress, after all, leads to stagnation.
Luxury’s Strange New Chapter
From Miami’s surging $1M+ sales to RH’s return to more traditional style, luxury markets are rewriting their playbook. And the definition of “luxury” itself is shifting:
The threshold for a luxury home in the U.S. now starts around $1.3M, up more than 60% in a decade.
The very wealthy are increasingly seeking homes that are smaller but uncompromised—“Mini-Me” versions of their larger estates: fewer rooms, but the same level of comfort, design, and amenities.
Even interior style trends for 2026—warm textures, vintage pieces, artisanal craftsmanship, and the end of glossy white everything—reflect a desire for authenticity over flash.
The Hidden Consequences of Housing Regulation
One of the most misunderstood stories this year involves NYC’s rental market. Headlines tout a 7–20% jump in median rents, but the explanation was largely missing:
A new law shifted broker fees from tenants to landlords. Landlords simply baked those costs into the listed rents, making it appear that rents had spiked overnight.
The result?
Tenants aren’t paying more in year one—in fact, their net cost is similar.
But renewal tenants will pay more when those elevated rents remain.
The law, intended to reduce housing costs, may ultimately increase them.
Another example of good intentions meeting the realities of economics.
The Economy: Eleven Americas, Not Two
We often hear about two economies: the “haves” and “have-nots.” But the truth is far more nuanced. Today’s economic landscape includes at least eleven distinct groups—from the jobless poor to the asset-rich 0.01%.
The biggest differentiator? Ownership.
Those who own real estate, equity, businesses, or intellectual property experience the economy fundamentally differently from those who rely solely on wages.
And with the U.S. housing market representing over $55 trillion in value (residential alone), real estate remains one of the most powerful forces in the nation’s financial system.
Final Thoughts
Across every story—economic, cultural, environmental—one theme connects them: Real estate is at the center of it.
It reflects our values, exposes our tensions, drives our economy, and shapes our future. Understanding it requires more than headlines—it requires context, nuance, history, and a willingness to look beneath the surface.
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Featuring
Leonard Steinberg
Compass Agent
