Real estate · Industry brief

Real estate posted an exceptional first half of 2026 with announced deal value reaching approximately $184.2bn across 533 transactions, the highest dollar volume since the first half of 2022, according to Dealogic. The sector was led by the proposed $69bn merger between apartment real estate investment trusts Equity Residential and AvalonBay Communities, demonstrating how transformational transactions continue to drive activity despite softer overall deal numbers in the broader market. [Source: financierwor]

EverBank Financial Corp. and WaFd Inc. (NASDAQ: WAFD) have announced a $3.9 billion reverse merger transaction, with EverBank merging into WaFd Inc. The resulting holding company will retain the EverBank Financial Corp. name and trade on Nasdaq under ticker "EVBK." WaFd Bank (200+ Western U.S. locations) will merge with EverBank NA (40+ locations in Florida, California, New York), with closing expected in early 2027. EverBank investors including Stone Point Capital, Warburg Pincus, Reverence Capital Partners, Sixth Street, Bayview Asset Management and TIAA will collectively own approximately 59.2 percent of the pro forma entity, with WaFd shareholders owning 40.8 percent. Greg Seibly will remain EverBank CEO, with WaFd's Brent Beardall as president and Robert Radway as chairman. Source: RE Business Online. [Source: rebusinesson]

ALTA has updated its TIRS State Compliance Guides for Indiana, North Carolina, and Tennessee to reflect recent regulatory changes affecting title insurers and closing operations. Indiana's revision includes 2024–2026 statutory developments covering foreign ownership restrictions, electronic filing, and unclaimed property reporting. North Carolina's updates address remote notarization procedures and licensing requirements through the 2026 legislative session. Tennessee's guide reflects 2026 legislative changes including licensing, recording requirements, consumer protections, and foreclosure processes. These guides serve as state-by-state regulatory resources for entities establishing title and closing operations across all 50 states and D.C. (Source: ALTA, American Land Title Association) [Source: alta]