One of the real estate axioms that lenders, buyers, and sellers have believed for years is that falling interest rates spur home purchases. Lately, however, that premise is being tested by the increasing distance between home prices and incomes.

As we approach the holidays, there is an abundance of real estate news to be thankful for. Here are the top 5 trends benefitting buyers, sellers, agents, and lenders.

It's no secret that real estate has been slow to embrace many of the technological advances that are now commonplace in other professions. This is due in part to the traditionally heavy dependence on people - agents, brokers, and others - to do the heavy lifting.