1. A drone accident masterminded by a maverick real estate agent will make national news.
2. The private secondary mortgage market will be back in full force this coming year (though later in 2014), giving a fresh but sustainable lift to the housing market.
3. Interest rates will be higher, but housing demand will be fierce, squeezing the inventory and driving up home prices.
4. An investment opportunity to buy equity in individual top-producing real estate agents will unfold, like what is being done with stock offerings for individual athletes. Buyer beware.
5. Stung by some contentious investments in the tech sector back in the day, Realogy will come out of its shell and make at least one big technology move.
6. Institutional investors who bought blocks of foreclosed single-family homes will begin unloading later in the year as prices rise, giving the market some much-needed inventory and participants a handsome return.
7. Redfin will have a successful IPO. CEO Glenn Kelman will be wealthy and his investors will be very happy.
8. The amount of venture capital and private equity pouring into the real estate sector will reach record levels, driving innovation and experimentation in new business models, software and hardware.
9. Zillow and Trulia will make a horde of acquisitions. Zillow will make one masterstroke purchase or business model move that will be controversial.
10. HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan will resign (not under a cloud), and FHA Commissioner Carol Galante will replace him.
BONUS prediction: We have not heard the last of making agent performance data transparent.
Happy New Year! May the market be with you.
Brad Inman is the founder and publisher of Inman News.
