Nearly two-thirds of Realtors® (64%) volunteer in their communities every month, and 84% reported making charitable donations over the past year, according to the National Association of Realtors®.  

Realtors® who volunteer monthly typically dedicate eight hours per month to their efforts, NAR’s 2026 CARE Report cites. Of those who made charitable donations in the last year, the typical amount was $1,500. 

Additionally, the report shares: 

• 78% of broker-owners volunteer monthly 
• 68% of broker-owners encourage their agents to volunteer 
• 80% of association executives or MLS staff volunteer monthly 
• Realtor® associations donated a median of $14,500 to nonprofits and charitable causes in the past year 

In the past year, Realtors® most frequently contributed to their local communities by volunteering through: 

1. Food banks and meal programs (33%) 
2. Local schools and kids’ sports teams (24%) 
3. Initiatives supporting veterans and soldiers (21%) 
4. Youth mentoring and education (21%) 
5. Caring for animals (19%) 

Their efforts most helped: 

1. Children and teens (32%) 
2. Seniors (24%) 
3. Veterans (23%) 
4. People living in poverty (22%) 
5. People experiencing homelessness (21%) 

Read About Realtors® Who Care in Pennsylvania 

Realtors® are doing their part in Pennsylvania, too. 

Read this year’s Realtors® Are Good Neighbors stories about Realtors® making an impact in their communities across the state.  

Additionally, read about Realtors® Reach Out, an annual initiative where Realtors® commit themselves to community service each October. Over the past 20 years, Pennsylvania Realtors® and local associations collectively raised more than $865,000 and collected more than 75,000 pounds of food, as well as hosted blood banks and donated coats, backpacks and monetary contributions for charitable organizations throughout the state as part of Realtor® Reach Out activities. 

Although only 42% of homeowners live within 10 miles of their immediate family, 61% overall still said that proximity to family influences where they choose to live, according to a survey by Neighbors Bank. 

In fact, 36% said they would pay $250,000 or more to live closer to family, and 69% said a financial incentive would move them closer, including a significant salary increase (46%) or a discount on a home’s price (38%). 

Why don’t homeowners already live closer to family? The top barriers keeping them apart included: 

1. Home prices too high in that area (19%) 
2. Cost of living higher in that area (17%) 
3. Waiting for mortgage rates to go down (7%)
4. Locked into current mortgage or home hasn’t sold (tie, 7%) 

Still, 42% said they would make a trade-off to move closer. The top things they would accept to live nearer to family included: 

1. A smaller home than desired (18%) 
2. A home without preferred features (11%) 
3. Less access to amenities they currently enjoy (tie, 11%) 
4. A home needing more repairs or updates (10%) 
5. A longer commute to work (tie, 10%) 

Pittsburgh ranked No. 4 on Lawn Love’s list of Best Cities Where Eco-Friendly Lawn Care is Taking Root in 2026, standing out for its gardening and green living, as well as its water management. 

Overall, the city scored a total of 52.76, falling just behind Austin (56.47), Los Angeles (55.93) and Tucson (53.99).  

Pittsburgh ranked no. 15 in the gardening and green living category, which considered the number of native plant suppliers, average yard square footage, pollinator-friendly landscaping, composting and more. 

It also ranked no. 17 in the category for water management, which took into account factors such as water usage limitation laws, baseline water stress, rainwater harvesting legality, lawn irrigation cost and drought susceptibility.  

Lawn Love notes that Pittsburgh has the 10^th best access to native plant suppliers. The city also helps combat urban heat by investing in canopy expansion, green roofs and bioswales, and it offers a $40 credit for installing a rain barrel.  

The City of Bridges is also lauded for being home to the second-highest number of living buildings – that is, buildings that operate cleanly by generating their own energy, capturing their own water and healing the surrounding ecosystem. Certified living buildings in Pittsburgh include Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens and Frick Environmental Center.  

“There is a real gap in our education, and it is not about solar technology. It’s that almost nobody has been taught how to actually represent a buyer or seller when there are solar panels on the roof,” explains Christina Mathieson Segura, a speaker at this year’s Triple Play Realtor® Convention and Trade Expo. 

Mathieson Segura began working in solar in 2010 and later became a licensed Realtor® and mortgage loan originator. 

“That’s when the real problem came into focus,” she recalls. “Homeowners who had gone solar were running into serious trouble when they went to sell, and nobody in the transaction – not the agent, not the lender, not the appraiser, not the title company – had been trained on what to do about it.” 

“What makes this session timely for Realtors® is that the federal residential solar tax credit ended for systems placed in service after Dec. 31, 2025, and the only remaining federal incentive runs through third-party ownership – leases and power purchase agreements. That changes what agents will be seeing on listings for the rest of the decade.” 

“My Triple Play session, ‘Solar and Its Impact on a Real Estate Transaction,’ covers how to tell the four ownership structures apart, how to document an owned system so it can actually be valued, what a UCC filing does to an appraisal and a mortgage, what happens when the installer no longer exists and how Pennsylvania’s net metering rules under 52 Pa. Code Chapter 75 differ from New York’s and New Jersey’s.” 

During her session, Mathieson Segura will teach Realtors® what they need to know about solar and its impact on a transaction, from understanding valuation to reading existing solar contracts.  

Her session will be held at Triple Play on Tuesday, Dec. 8, from 9 a.m. to noon. Register for Triple Play online. 

Election Day is tomorrow. Are you ready to vote? 

As PAR’s president, I’m encouraging all of my fellow Realtors® to get out and vote tomorrow. While I know our schedules are busy every day, it’s important to make time on Election Day to make our voices heard and vote for candidates who support Realtor® initiatives. By helping to elect officials who will positively shape our industry, we can help shape policies that strengthen our profession and the communities we love to serve. 

Not sure which candidates are Realtor® champions? 

PAR created a helpful RPAC Election Guide, which highlights candidates endorsed by the Pennsylvania Realtors® Political Action Committee. These endorsements were based on candidates’ commitment to real estate, as well as candidate interviews and recommendations from our local Realtor® associations. 

Make your plan to vote tomorrow: 

• Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. 
• Confirm your polling place online 
• Find out which Realtor®-endorsed candidates will be on your ballot 
• Remember that completed mail-in and absentee ballots must be received by your county election office by 8 p.m. 

Comedian and actress Rhetta toured homes in the Harrisburg and Pittsburgh areas in a recent episode of HGTV’s “Scariest House in America” titled “The Eeriest of the East.” 

Haunts in Harrisburg 

In Lower Paxton Township, Rhetta visited Fox Manor, a former nursing home that sat vacant for seven years before being bought by its current owners, Erin and Greg, 13 years ago. 

Complete with a fox head doorknocker and entryway painted in a shade named “fox fur,” the five-bedroom, four-bathroom home spans 4,032 square feet and was built in 1868. 

From 1965 to 1968, it operated as a nursing home. The owner fell down the stairs from a heart attack and died before a cardiologist purchased it. The cardiologist later also died in the home. 

“Things started happening very soon after moving in,” Erin said in the episode. “Running footsteps. Slamming doors. I can’t come up with any other explanation other than the house is haunted.” 

In addition to eerie sounds, the family has experienced water pouring out of their kitchen cabinets, their dryer bursting into flames, fleeting cigarette odors, disappearing footprints and other strange incidents. 

Morgue in McKeesport 

Rhetta traveled to McKeesport next, a suburb of Pittsburgh, where she met Kate and William, the owners of Hunter Funeral Home, a five-bedroom, five-bathroom home built in 1902. The Hunter family bought the home in the early 1950s and lived in and operated the business until 2024. 

The couple bought the home for 7% below list price and told the previous owner to leave behind whatever he wanted. Among the things he left were embalming tools, a funeral service podium, a casket bier, a death mask and a corpse-washing station. 

Rhetta also saw the old funeral director’s office, the coffin assembly station, the preparation room and a bedroom mysteriously abandoned by a Hunter family member. 

“Every room still looks like it’s meant for people in mourning,” Rhetta said. “If they wanted to set up shop for a funeral home right now, it is turnkey ready.” 

The Eeriest of the East and Scariest House in America

After seeing two additional spooky houses in New York, Rhetta named Erin and Greg’s Fox Manor the Eeriest House of the East. During the recent season finale, Fox Manor earned the overall title of the Scariest House in America, accompanied by a $150,000 makeover from HGTV.

Earlier this year, John Esser and his office, RE/MAX Realty Associates, were recognized as the no. 1 single office in Pennsylvania for their outstanding contributions and commitment to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals in 2025.  

“Our office has been a proud supporter of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, but I want to be clear that this is truly a collective effort,” Esser, a member of the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors®, says. “We have a number of agents within our brokerage who consistently contribute, and it’s that shared commitment that makes the impact meaningful.” 

“What resonates most with us is knowing that the funds raised stay local and directly benefit children and families within our own community. These contributions help provide critical resources, whether that’s hospital beds, medical equipment or life-saving care. Hearing the stories and understanding the real-life impact reinforces why we stay involved. It’s not just a one-time contribution – it’s an ongoing investment in the well-being of countless families.” 

“At its core, real estate is a relationship-driven business,” Esser notes. “Every day, we have the opportunity to guide people through some of the most important decisions in their lives. That naturally extends into being a good neighbor – being present, being responsive and treating people with respect and integrity.” 

“Beyond transactions, it’s about being engaged in the community, supporting local initiatives and helping create a positive environment for those we serve. I believe that how we conduct ourselves professionally should reflect how we show up personally – thoughtful, dependable and community-focused.” 

What advice does Esser offer to others who want to make a change? 

“I would encourage others to simply get involved in a way that is meaningful to them. You don’t have to do everything, but something consistently can make a real difference. We’ve been very fortunate, and with that comes a responsibility to give back. Whether it’s through financial contributions, volunteering time or supporting local causes, those efforts add up.” 

“I also believe that when you lead with generosity and a genuine desire to help others, it not only benefits the community but creates a culture that others want to be part of,” he says. “In many ways, giving back becomes contagious.”  

Sixty-five percent of surveyed homebuyers didn’t know the current mortgage rate, with 45% believing rates were higher than they actually were, according to a recent survey from Neighbors Bank. 

At the time of the survey (July 2026), the average 30-year mortgage rate was 6.49%. Only 35% of homebuyers correctly guessed within this range (6.00% to 6.49%). The rest said: 

• Below 5% (2%) 
• 5.00% to 5.99% (10%) 
• 6.50% to 6.99% (27%) 
• 7.00% to 7.49% (10%) 
• 7.50% or above (8%) 
• Not sure (7%) 

Notably, 45% of respondents said they believed mortgage rates were higher.  

Of these would-be homebuyers, 54% said they’ve delayed their search, and 18% have paused their search entirely, waiting for rates to improve. 

What rate would push them to buy? On average, they said 5% is the rate that would make them feel comfortable purchasing a home, and 34% said they would buy immediately if rates dropped to their target.  

The 21^st Century Road to Housing Act has more than 50+ provisions across federal agencies, with HUD responsible for most of them, according to Elayne Weiss, senior policy advisor at the National Association of Realtors®. “Now it’s about implementation,” she said. Weiss recently spoke to PAR members during the Fall Business Meetings.

“This is a once-in-a-generation type of bill, and we’re excited to see that this bill passed in July,” she said. “Some of these core ideas have been developed over the years. It’s an example that ideas don’t die; effort and persistence really paid off.”

The bill has a comprehensive approach to increasing housing supply and improving affordability by:

• Cutting government red tape
• Creating new tools and resources for communities
• Improving federal programs and financing
• Encouraging housing innovation
• Expanding homeownership access
• Supporting veterans.

“The bill will help local communities with new construction and make the federal government a better partner to help address barriers in homeownership,” Weiss said.

To create more federal support for new housing, the law allows communities to use a portion of Community Development Block Grant funds to build affordable housing, while a new pilot program supports converting vacant or abandoned commercial and industrial properties into homes. And it increases FHA multifamily loan limits to better reflect construction costs and gives certain projects in Opportunity Zones additional consideration for HUD grants.

In addition, the law streamlines federal environmental reviews for certain federally supported housing activities, potentially reducing delays and costs.

The law addresses manufactured and modular housing, helping to improve financing for manufactured homes and home improvements. It also suggests HUD address barriers in FHA construction financing to provide more financing options.

Weiss said agencies must act on the law through rulemaking, guidance, notices and program design before benefits reach communities. “Nearly half of all actions are due within the first year, making early action a priority,” she added. “And all new grant programs need future appropriations to launch; the law itself is budget neutral.”

NAR predicts HUD and other agencies will first implement the low- or no-cost changes. HUD has indicated that it is prioritizing manufactured housing provisions and CDBG-DR, both of which require rulemaking.

NAR believes the next changes to be addressed will require notice-and-comment rulemaking. And the last are the new competitive programs, which can’t be launched until they are funded.

Weiss suggests Realtors® can make a difference by:

• Weighing in during rulemaking
• Engaging in guidance and program design
• Getting involved in the housing frameworks task force
• Encouraging federal lawmakers to fund new programs
• Urging staffing for agencies like HUD and USDA
• Starting locally to assess what their community needs to access new federal funding

Weiss’ PowerPoint is available online.

NAR has additional resources about the 21^st Century Road to Housing Act. In addition, the National League of Cities, in partnership with the American Planning Association, has released the Housing Supply Accelerator Playbook.

Katey McGrath, a member of the Greater Philadelphia Association of Realtors®, is 1 of 20 Realtor® professionals accepted into the National Association of Realtors® 2027 Leadership Academy. 

McGrath serves as the vice president, partner and director of operations at Elfant Wissahickon Realtors® and is a longtime volunteer leader at both the local and state levels. She’s been with EWR for more than 25 years and is also treasurer of GPAR. At PAR, she’s a member of the Professional Standards Committee, Standard Forms Committee and Legislative Feedback Panel, and she will join the Public Policy Coordinating Committee next year. 

Additionally, McGrath is on the Bright MLS Board of Directors, and she helped charter the Women’s Council of Realtors® Philadelphia, serving as its founding president. 

“I’m honored to be part of this class and grateful to the colleagues at EWR, GPAR and PAR who have shaped me as a leader,” she shared. “Homeownership is one of the most powerful ways families build stability and wealth, and communities get stronger. I’m looking forward to learning from Realtors® across the country and bringing ideas home to Philadelphia and Pennsylvania.” 

“Pennsylvania Realtors® have a long tradition of showing up for their communities, at home and in Harrisburg,” she added. “Serving alongside volunteers from across the commonwealth has taught me that good policy starts with listening to our members and the families they serve. I’m proud to carry that Pennsylvania perspective into the national conversation.”  

During NAR’s 10-month Leadership Academy program, McGrath and her fellow accepted Realtors® will learn about the history, structure and inner workings of NAR, which will better prepare them to serve in leadership positions at all levels of the association. Since its establishment in 2008, more than 300 participants have graduated from the program, going on to chair NAR committees and volunteer groups, serve as state association presidents, be NAR regional vice presidents and more.