SEBAR Legal and MLS News Update

2026 Letter of the Law

Seller Disclosure From The Investor's Perspective

NEW! Watch Asking For A Friend | February 2026

Source: Michigan REALTORS® (MR)

Fair Housing Month signifies a recommitment to advancing equitable opportunities and expanding homeownership.

Fair Housing Month signifies a recommitment to advancing equitable opportunities and expanding homeownership. Download the following resources listed below to help state and local associations commemorate Fair Housing Month:

Source: National Association of REALTORS® (NAR)

Michigan is in the middle of a growing housing crisis. There simply aren't enough homes in Michigan.

Michigan lawmakers have a package of bi-partisan bills that address the major causes of our housing crisis - regulation and re-tape. These bills are aimed at providing more attainable housing for Michigan families without the extra burdens of government spending or new programs.

Source: Michigan REALTORS® (MR)

The housing market is changing fast—are you keeping up? A new podcast, “NAR REALTOR® News Change Agents,” from the National Association of REALTORS®, takes listeners inside the most-pressing conversations facing the real estate industry. “Change Agents” will feature candid conversations with the industry’s most influential leaders, brokers, CEOs and real estate standouts. The debut episode, launching March 4, will feature Leo Pareja, CEO of eXp Realty, who will discuss the value of professional real estate expertise and the international real estate market.

Full Story: NAR REALTORS News Now

Leo Pareja on the Changing Speed of the Real Estate Industry

Source: NAR CEO Nykia Wright (NAR)

THE NECESSARY EVOLUTION OF LOCAL CONTROL

For decades, zoning laws were meant to organize communities–separating homes from factories and ensuring neighborhoods functioned smoothly. But over the last 60 years, zoning has evolved far beyond those original goals. In many places, rules about lot sizes, housing density, and approvals have become so restrictive that they limit housing supply and push prices far above the actual cost of construction.

Michigan Housing Readiness legislation, House Bills 5529-5532 and 5581-5585-aim to address that problem. The goal is not to eliminate local control, but to minimize a handful of zoning rules that most directly drive-up housing costs while preserving the broader authority local governments have over planning and land use.

Under the proposal, communities would still control zoning districts, master plans, site plan reviews, special use permits, development standards, and design rules. Cities and townships would still decide where housing can go and what it should look like. The changes simply focus on removing some of the most expensive barriers to building homes.

Large minimum lots increase the amount of land and infrastructure needed for each home, which raises the price. The legislation would establish a minimum lot size of 1,500 square feet and allow the market to determine what size lots are needed. Other zoning rules-such as setbacks, height limits, and design standards-would still apply.

Density in many areas is illegal. The bills would allow duplexes in single-family zones, permit assessor

dwelling units (ADUs) such as backyard apartments, and modestly reduce setbacks in areas near metropolitan regions where housing demand is high. These charges would increase housing options while maintaining neighborhood character.

The bills tackle other cost drivers. Minimum house-size rules could no longer exceed 500 square feet, allowing smaller and more affordable homes. Manufactured homes built to federal HUD standards could not be excluded from residential zones. Parking mandates would also be reduced, limiting requirements to one space per unit in multifamily housing-since excessive parking can significantly increase development costs.

They address the regulatory slog of development. Long and uncertain approval timelines can stall projects for years. One proposal would require site plan reviews to be completed within 60 days unless additional studies are necessary for health or safety. Another change would reform the “protest petition” process that allows small groups of neighbors to trigger supermajority votes against development. The new rule would require a larger share of the surrounding neighborhood to sign on before such a petition takes effect.

The intent of the bills is simple; preserve local planning authority while removing a handful of outdated rules that make housing unnecessarily expensive. By updating those regulations, Michigan communities could make it easier to build the homes people need while maintaining the character of the places where they live.

Source: Brad Ward, Esq. Michigan REALTORS® (MR)

A Bipartisan Breakthrough on Housing:

How NAR Helped Lay the Groundwork

The House just passed a major bipartisan housing bill aimed at tackling affordability and supply. After years of groundwork and relationship building, NAR helped lay the foundation for this moment, proving once again that advocacy is a long game. In a special episode recorded live at the President’s Circle conference in Las Vegas, Shannon and Patrick explore what the bill actually does and whether it marks the beginning of a broader bet on housing in Washington.

Source: National Association of REALTORS® (NAR)

Mortgage Rates Drop to 3.5-Year Low,

Offering Buyers a Timely Boost

Price softness is likely welcome news for buyers, and it comes on the heels of another market-friendly development for both buyers and sellers: a 3.5-year low in mortgage rates.

The Freddie Mac 30-year fixed rate slipped to 6.01% this week—it’s lowest level since September 2022—and it’s down from 6.85% just one year ago. That’s enough to boost purchasing power by roughly 9%, or $36,000 for a median-home buyer, a very helpful trend if it sticks around through the spring buying season.

Source: Realtor.Com

Your new power team: multi-agent systems

Many real estate pros are already using agentic AI tools for lead capture, content creation and automated outreach. The next step is connecting them—transforming isolated automations into a coordinated, intelligent network that runs your business like a high-performing digital team, writes Sharon Love Bates, director of emerging technology at the National Association of REALTORS®. Brokerages can deploy MAS across multiple offices, states or teams, ensuring consistent processes and data integrity everywhere.

Full Story: NAR REALTOR® News Now/Tech & Innovation

Source:National Association of REALTORS® (NAR)