Keith Griffith of Realtor.com reported that the New York Attorney General’s antitrust bureau has opened an investigation into Compass International Holdings, the nation’s largest residential brokerage by a wide margin, following its $1.6 billion acquisition of Anywhere Real Estate. Agents from AG Letitia James’s office have reached out directly to leaders at top New York brokerages to collect information, moving the probe past its preliminary stage. Compass stock fell 11.8% to $7.61 on the news (down 28% year-to-date), even as the deal had cleared federal review in just four months earlier this year.

That said, Bisnow reported that the combined Compass-Anywhere entity, which now operates a $10B residential brokerage with roughly 340,000 real estate professionals, could face forced asset sales if the New York probe finds antitrust violations. A Capital Forum analysis cited in the piece showed the combined firms controlled more than 80% of 2024 transaction volume in Manhattan and over 60% in San Francisco, well above the 30% threshold the FTC flags as potentially eliminating substantial competition.

Further, The Real Deal reported that congressional pressure on the deal is also mounting, with lawmakers urging the FTC to scrutinize real estate marketplaces more broadly. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden had warned in December that the Compass-Anywhere combination could limit transparency and inflate broker fees, but the Department of Justice declined to conduct an extended review after Compass hired lawyer Mike Davis to lobby Deputy AG Todd Blanche.

However, RealEstateNews.com noted that Compass shares fell sharply after the report surfaced, with the stock down nearly 15% intraday before recovering to close off about 11% on the session. In an email to the outlet, Compass declined to comment on the story or any potential investigation. The Anywhere acquisition closed in January and led to the rebranded Compass International Holdings.

Finally, Anan Ashraf of Stocktwits reported that Barclays analysts urged investors to view the probe as overreach, calling the share-price reaction “punitive” and seeing a compelling buying opportunity. The firm maintained an Overweight rating on Compass and flagged “meaningful upside potential.” The brokerage’s combined platform includes Corcoran, Sotheby’s International Realty, Coldwell Banker, Century 21, ERA, and Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate.

Mortgage rates 

Joel Berner of Realtor.com reported that the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell to 6.48% for the week ending June 4, down from a nine-month high of 6.53% the week prior, according to Freddie Mac. The outlet attributed the decline to a U.S.-Iran ceasefire that eased energy prices and reduced bond market pressure, taking some of the inflation premium out of the 10-year Treasury yield.

Source: Realtor.com (June 2026)

“This week’s rate reduction is welcome news for would-be buyers who have been reluctant to purchase in 2026 despite market conditions moving strongly in their favor. Listing prices have now fallen on a year-over-year basis for seven straight months, the inventory of homes for sale is the highest it has been since before the COVID-19 pandemic, and time on the market continues to slow. Despite these flashing green lights for buyers, high mortgage rates and low consumer sentiment stemming from the war in Iran have led to only a 2.6% year-over-year improvement in the number of contract signings in May.”

That said, Bankrate reported that benchmark rates in its weekly survey held above 6.5% with the 30-year fixed at 6.51% and the 15-year at 5.82%, both up from four weeks earlier. The 52-week average for the 30-year stands at 6.42% and the 52-week low at 6.09%, underscoring how persistent the mid-6% range has become. Bankrate’s June 5 update later showed the 30-year easing to 6.52%, still about seven basis points above where it sat a month ago.

Further, Hal Bundrick of Yahoo Finance reported that lender-marketplace data from Zillow showed the 30-year fixed at 6.29%, the 15-year at 5.83%, and the 5/1 ARM at 6.10% as of June 4. Refinance rates ran slightly higher, with the 30-year refi at 6.26% and the 15-year refi at 5.72%. The outlet noted rates have been hovering in the mid-6% range as the spring buying season winds down.

However, Alex Lange of The Mortgage Reports reported that mortgage rates edged lower to start the week even as oil prices climbed past $90 a barrel, putting fresh pressure on inflation expectations. The 10-year Treasury yield ticked up to 4.453%, and Freddie Mac’s June 1 weekly average sat at 6.53%. The outlet cited an industry forecast calling for the 30-year to average around 6.25% later this year and the 15-year near 5.875%.

Finally, Trading Economics reported that the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) 30-year fixed rate for conforming loans of $832,750 or less averaged 6.57% in the week ended May 29, easing slightly after five consecutive weekly increases. The next MBA release is scheduled for June 10. For investors, the persistence of mid-6% financing continues to compress cap-rate spreads and keep refinancing math tight on acquisitions underwritten in the prior cycle.

Berkshire Hathaway bets on housing 

Business Wire published the joint announcement that Berkshire Hathaway has agreed to acquire Taylor Morrison Home Corporation for $72.50 per share in an all-cash deal valued at approximately $6.8 billion in equity and $8.5 billion in total enterprise value. The offer represents a 24% premium to Taylor Morrison’s May 29 closing price of $58.50. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026, subject to shareholder and regulatory approval, after which Taylor Morrison will be taken private and delisted from the NYSE.

Greg Abel, Berkshire Hathaway’s Chief Executive Officer, comments:

“Berkshire is acquiring a best-in-class national homebuilder, led by an exceptional team and backed by a trusted reputation for customer experience. Over time, we expect to unify our site-built homebuilding operations into a combined platform enabling us to deliver the dream of homeownership to more Americans.”

That said, Lance Lambert of ResiClub reported that Taylor Morrison, currently the nation’s sixth-largest builder with 12,997 new home closings in 2025, combines with Berkshire’s Clayton Properties Group (9,953 closings) to give Berkshire roughly 22,950 closings annually. By the outlet’s analysis, that would position Berkshire as the No. 4 largest homebuilder in the United States, leapfrogging NVR and trailing only D.R. Horton, Lennar, and PulteGroup.

Further, Diana Olick of CNBC reported that industry analysts read the deal as a signal that the housing market may have bottomed even as elevated mortgage rates, soaring construction costs, and weak consumer confidence continue to pressure the sector. Whelan Advisory founder Margaret Whelan told the outlet sophisticated buyers signaling that valuations have hit their lowest point typically precedes a turn, and Berkshire’s pricing of roughly 0.9 times Taylor Morrison’s tangible book value suggests it views the assets as worth more than the market does.

However, Damilola Esebame of TheStreet reported that the Taylor Morrison deal is the third major public-builder bid of 2026, following Sumitomo Forestry’s $4.5 billion takeover of Tri Pointe Homes and Dream Finders Homes’ unsolicited $704 million bid for Beazer Homes, RBC analyst Mike Dahl told Reuters. The outlet noted that combining Taylor Morrison’s move-up and resort-lifestyle product with Clayton’s entry-level manufactured housing gives Berkshire exposure to price segments most rivals split between specialist competitors.

Finally, Colin Laidley of Investopedia reported that UBS analysts called the transaction a vote of confidence in the valuation of U.S. homebuilders, which UBS notes trade at roughly 10 times forward earnings on average. Taylor Morrison shares surged 22% on the announcement; Berkshire’s B shares slipped less than 1%. The deal is Greg Abel’s first major acquisition since succeeding Warren Buffett as CEO on January 1, with Buffett, now 95 and chairman, telling CNBC’s Becky Quick that Abel “has launched.”