These were the most noteworthy industry news stories that are likely to influence how the business unfolds in 2020.

Technology: Virtual staging and wire fraud also were among the most buzzed-about topics in real estate—but you, our readers, cared about something else the most.

Home & Design: There’s a cyclical nature to design trends: Those that burn hot tend to flame out quickly—and then experience a revival at some point down the line. This year, many fads of decades past returned to life.

Law & Ethics: Transactional items such as disclosures, as well as home inspections and social media risk, also ranked high as topics worth learning more about in order to protect your business.

Sales & Marketing: Though the low-inventory environment has influenced quicker transactions, boosting the marketability of a lingering listing is your top sales concern. And we have plenty of recommendations to achieve that goal.

Brokers: Emerging home styles, evolving technology, and selling challenges meant real estate brokers and managers spent the year learning how to train their agents to keep them ahead of the competitive curve.