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025 shook the housing market with unprecedented legal battles, mergers, and acquisitions. HousingWire reviews the year’s headline events. The most striking moves began in March when Rocket announced a $1.75 billion purchase of Redfin. Rocket said the deal would streamline the entire home‑buying journey—from search to closing—mirroring Zillow’s “Housing Super App” vision. Analysts noted that Rocket’s mortgage strength and Zillow’s search dominance could coexist, but the outcome of this titanic rivalry remains uncertain after the July completion of the deal.

    Beyond Rocket‑Redfin, other players reshaped the portal landscape. In May, Lower, a retail lender, bought Movoto from OJO Labs. Lower’s strategy diverges from pure tech; it aims to strengthen local ties between agents and loan officers, a goal highlighted by Movoto CEO John Berkowitz in July. This partnership seeks to boost both sides of the transaction pipeline.

    While the ultimate winner of the portal wars is still undecided, the competition between Rocket, Zillow, and newcomers like Lower is set to influence the industry for years. HousingWire’s recap underscores that 2025 will be remembered for these high‑profile deals and the shifting dynamics they created.