"When we don't measure it, track it or think about it, it won't be [profitable]," says Verl Workman, CEO and founder of Workman Success Systems in Salt Lake City. "That which gets measured gets done!"

It's the money a buyer pays to a seller to demonstrate a commitment to purchasing the seller's home. Earnest money is increasingly being leveraged in real estate negotiations to make a home buyer's offer stand out against competing offers. This guide details how earnest money is often handled in real estate transactions and how real estate agents can leverage it and avoid potential disputes.

Leaders should focus on intentions to boost success through making conscious choices, cultivating a sense of purpose and ensuring development for team members, writes LaRae Quy, a former FBI agent and consultant. "Leadership success requires intentional choices to help develop a clear sense of purpose and team development," Quy writes.

Diverse data is essential for effectively reaching multicultural audiences in programmatic media campaigns. Zero-party data, collected directly from consumers, allows for precise audience segmentation by moving beyond basic demographics. This approach ensures that marketing efforts resonate authentically with diverse communities, enhancing campaign relevance and effectiveness.

A 2024 court decision that upheld a New Jersey brokerage's ability to affiliate real estate sales associates as independent contractors (ICs) could help combat further challenges to employment classification status in the industry. Here's how it played out and how you can protect your business.

Interior designers Shannon Askinasi and James Pearse Connelly offer tips to make small bathrooms appear larger, such as replacing shower curtains with glass doors, using large mirrors and chrome hardware to reflect light and choosing monochromatic color schemes. Askinasi suggests floating vanities and patterned wallpaper, while Connelly advises keeping finishes consistent across surfaces.

A firehouse listed for sale in Hamilton, Ohio, went under contract in one day. Though it is zoned for commercial or residential, the buyer plans to convert it into a residence. Arthur Greenlee IV is the listing agent.

Stephanie Downs from The Center for Sales Strategy discusses the differences between open and closed AI tools in sales. Closed AI systems offer tailored and secure responses by using proprietary data, making them more reliable for sales processes, while open AI tools draw from public sources and can produce inaccurate outputs.

The Federal Reserve can take its time deciding on its next move due to a strong economy and inflation that remains over target, Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Philip Jefferson has said. "The performance of the U.S. economy has been quite strong overall," Jefferson said. "I believe that, with a strong economy and a solid labor market, we can take our time to assess the incoming data to make any further adjustments to our policy rate."