All the online tech tools you use on a daily basis—even Google—are capturing your personal data and that of your clients. And new enhancements in AI are helping cybercriminals find new ways to infiltrate that data. Listen to "Drive With NAR" for best practices in online safety and cybersecurity.

Conducting showings in a group or colisting homes doesn't alone necessarily make you less of a target for criminals. Safety procedures are just as important for teams as individual agents. Use REALTOR® Safety Month to make personal security part of your team's culture.

Social media data drives business strategies for 86% of business executives and 93% say that data will be their primary source of business intelligence going forward, per research from Sprout Social and the Harris Poll. "[Social media is] integrated into every corner of an organization, with an innate ability to influence ... beyond marketing [and] into customer care, employee engagement and recruiting, product development and even finance and investor relations," says Sprout Social's Jamie Gilpin.

Splashing a color on the home's fifth wall is becoming the "it" factor.

After $800 million of real estate acquisition shrouded in secrecy for years, "California Forever" has made itself known with a website. The Silicon Valley billionaires' project in Solano County between San Francisco and Sacramento promises "a new community, good paying local jobs, solar farms and open space," but they will need voters' help on zoning matters.

Choosing a rug that is too small is a common design mistake in bedrooms, according to experts. "It's not only the design and color of your floor covering to consider when choosing a rug, the size, shape and position of a rug in any room can make a big impact on the overall aesthetic of a space, especially in the bedroom," says Daniel Prendergast, Iconic Rugs' design director.

Meta "click-to-message" ads within WhatsApp, which directs Instagram and Facebook users to brand conversations, has taken in $9 billion in revenue and its Channels feature acts as a "private broadcast service," with the potential for additional monetization, says Alice Newton-Rex, WhatsApp's head of product. Newton-Rex says that generative AI will be a core part of messaging and calls North America the app's "fastest-growing region."

A community of tiny homes built to provide affordable housing and a path to homeownership has been mired in controversy due to an eviction proceeding.

Financial Stability Board chair Klaas Knot has cautioned G20 leaders about mounting economic challenges and shocks as rising interest rates hinder global recoveries, particularly in vulnerable sectors like real estate. Knot emphasized the need for vigilant monitoring of financial risks, tighter regulation of non-bank institutions, and consistent implementation of 2017 global bank capital rules to mitigate potential stresses in the market.

In the second quarter, commercial real estate loan modifications surged, with over $4 billion in collateralized loan obligations receiving adjustments, a significant increase from about $1 billion in the first quarter, according to DBRS Morningstar. The rise in modifications comes as borrowers increasingly seek extensions on their repayment terms due to a difficult property market.