Trumark Homes Acquires Washington-Based Homebuilder JK Monarch

by Phil Hall | Mar 20, 2026 | Current News & Events, Real Estate News, WRE News Exclusive

Trumark Homes, the San Ramon, California-based homebuilder, announced it is expanding into the Pacific Northwest with the acquisition of Sumner, Washington-based homebuilder JK Monarch. According to Trumark, this acquisition will expand the company’s footprint in the...

Lisa Pendergast to Step Down from the Leadership of the CRE Finance Council

by Phil Hall | Mar 20, 2026 | Commercial Real Estate News, Current News & Events, Real Estate News, WRE News Exclusive

The CRE Finance Council (CREFC) announced that President and CEO Lisa Pendergast is planning to retire on or about Aug. 3 after a decade of trade association leadership. Prior to her CREFC role, she held senior positions at Jefferies, Royal Bank of Scotland, and...

Buffalo Mayor Floats 25% Property Tax Hike for Closing City’s Budget Deficit

by Phil Hall | Mar 20, 2026 | Current News & Events, Real Estate News, U.S. Housing Market, WRE News Exclusive

Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan is warning city residents that they could soon face a 25% property tax hike. WIVB reports the upstate New York city faces an estimated $109 million deficit, with significant gaps in resources. “We’re down about 50% of the garbage trucks we...

Chicago Boosts Hotel Tax, Making it the Nation’s Highest

by Phil Hall | Mar 20, 2026 | Commercial Real Estate News, Current News & Events, Real Estate News, WRE News Exclusive

Chicago is now home to the nation’s highest hotel tax after the City Council unanimously voted on Wednesday to create a Tourism Improvement District and raise the tax on hotel rooms within that district to 19%. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the current combined...

Maine Home Values Increased in February While Sales Declined

by Phil Hall | Mar 20, 2026 | Current News & Events, Real Estate News, U.S. Housing Market, WRE News Exclusive

Fewer homes were sold in Maine during February while home prices continued to rise. According to data from the Maine Association of Realtors, 691 homes were sold statewide last month, an 8.84% decrease. Amid the decline in sales activity, home prices surged by 3.47%...