Every professional involved in the real estate industry should understand and be able to talk fluently about the MLS's true purpose and value.

Most home buyers will have to update an existing property if they want a greener lifestyle. Do you know the financing options that can help your customers make energy-efficient upgrades a reality? Listen to "Drive With NAR" as two real estate pros explain green loan products.

Sales strategies are often focused on talking to as many prospects as possible to hone in on when they will be ready to buy, but understanding why clients spend money with you will open your awareness to different tactics to close sales. Significant themes outlined by Loyd Ford, president and chief strategic officer at Rainmaker Pathway Consulting Works, included better-presented value or package deals, trust and credibility and time-sensitive needs.

A TikTok app for sharing still photos has entered development, suggest code, copy and logos AssembleDebug at TheSpAndroid blog discovered. Social media expert Andrew Hutchinson noted that, while the platform could have a hard time competing with Instagram's established service, still photos could enhance TikTok's recent expansion into in-stream commerce.

Generation Z consumers are using Instagram and TikTok as their preferred search engines for local results, with Google coming in third, according to a survey by marketing technology vendor SOCI. "Across all demographic groups, social media platforms are rising in the ranks as tools for search. While Google Search and Google Maps still dominate, Facebook makes a strong third place showing," SOCI says.

Without pervasive roadblocks to commercial real estate transactions, many neighborhoods could thrive and generate new income.

Permitting for new housing last year fell 11% for the second straight year of decline, while multifamily housing starts fell 9% year-on-year, according to an analysis by Point2. The trend was widespread, touching 70% of all metro areas, although the recent National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index notes cause for optimism as mortgage rates ease below 7% and single-family homebuilder confidence improves.

Chalk-finish paint, limewash and milk paint are listed among eco-friendly wall finishes embraced by interior designers.

Mary Evilsizer of the Southern Nevada Centers for Independent Living highlights the dual hurdles for renters, particularly those with disabilities: affordability and meeting landlords' criteria, including the common requirement for an income three times the rent.

City Council members in Hereford, England, are moving forward with plans to convert a closed public toilet in the city center into a sleeper pod that would provide a bed, shower and toilet for one person experiencing homelessness. The city has already deployed similar pods in another area.

Executives of three regional banks have said the lenders are largely insulated from exposure to the pressured commercial real estate sector because of their business models. Fifth Third Bancorp CEO Tim Spence said the bank "will continue to assess forward-looking client vulnerabilities based on firm-specific and industry trends and closely monitor exposures where inflation and higher rates may cause stress," an approach that has allowed for proactive management of credit risk.