While you don't need to know all the answers to everything, one aspect of being an excellent agent is being prepared for client queries. Anticipating the question and having a great answer with solid reasoning behind it instantly sets you apart.

The networking, education and support that the Women's Council of REALTORS® provides are often a boon to business for active and engaged members.

Good negotiators research, prepare, and balance civility with authority, say brokers from the small-business lending sector. Experts outline how to make deals with salespeople on prices and with workers on compensation.

SMS messaging is the least trusted form of business communication for 72% of consumers, Sendbird and Arion Research report. During the past year, 49% ignored messages, 43% silenced notifications and the rate of unwanted messages grew for 34%.

Whether channeling a more natural or coastal vibe, more renovators are using color in the hopes that their kitchens leave a more lasting impression.

Listing agents Carol Lome and Brayden Irwin of Royal LePage Real Estate Services, Johnston and Daniel Division, were able to help clients attract multiple offers and receive $605,000 over asking. "We knew it was a very desirable location, but there also hadn't been anything on the market for quite some time," Irwin said.

Startup Showdigs' Listing Shield is marketed to residential property managers who want to identify fake listings. "The platform uses a combination of algorithms and human reviewers to detect and remove fraudulent listings as quickly as possible," according to the company's website.

Small businesses have been targets of fraudulent subscription invoices disguised as emails from reputable companies, writes technology journalist Kurt Knutsson, who details scams that claim to be from Geek Squad and PayPal. To avoid such scams, keep track of subscriptions, pay attention to billing practices and watch for threatening language, Knutsson notes.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said the historic Roosevelt Hotel will be the next hotel to be turned into a shelter for asylum seekers. The hotel will provide as many as 1,000 rooms for migrants expected to arrive in the city over the new few weeks, he said.

Total family wealth in the U.S. has reached $140 trillion, and baby boomers control about half of that tally, setting the stage for a massive wealth transfer that will be distributed unevenly to younger generations. Much of the money will be transferred within the top 10% of households, and the trend toward "giving while living" means that the trend is already unfolding.