The National Association of REALTORS® influenced a significant clarification from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, with the entities confirming that buyer's agent commissions will not count as part of the interested party contributions limits. This guidance follows a nationwide settlement facilitated by NAR concerning commission lawsuits, ensuring that despite changes to how agent compensation is listed on MLS, sellers can still cover buyer agent fees as per local conventions.

As NAR has maintained throughout the litigation, nothing in NAR's current policies (including the MLS Model Rule) has increased costs for buyers or sellers. This settlement would preserve the choices consumers have regarding real estate services and compensation. After the new rule goes into effect, listing brokers and sellers could continue to offer compensation for buyer broker services, but such offers could not be communicated via the MLS.

The settlement expressly provides that sellers may communicate seller concessions—such as buyer closing costs—via the MLS provided that such concessions are not conditioned on the use of or payment to a buyer broker. Get more facts about NAR's settlement agreement at facts.realtor.

Advertisers can now promote LinkedIn members' posts via the Thought Leader influencer program, which it introduced last year as a more limited version, and will get to see other organizations' ad collections soon. LinkedIn members post data like their employment and educational history, making targeting easier.

Professionals call out outdoor design trends for spring that are best avoided, including the use of fiddle-leaf figs, outdoor rugs and too many neutral tones.

Ongoing litigation over short-term rentals in a Pennsylvania HOA of 3,660 homes reflects a national trend in which boards are faced with balancing part-time residents' desire to make money from their properties and the interests of full-time residents who want a 100% "residential" community. In 2022, residents voted to limit the number of times a home can be rented out annually to 10, but the amendment hasn't been implemented because of the lawsuit, leaving some residents feeling unsafe, hurt, upset and confused.

The smart lock landscape in 2024 showcases an array of options tailored to enhance security and convenience in modern homes.

True servant leadership is about giving, not taking—but taking in a colleague's perspective before giving your own is the best gift for you both, writes Leadership Freak blogger Dan Rockwell. Silence your desire as a leader to fix things so you don't disempower colleagues, Rockwell suggests, while people skills coach Kate Nasser says that in order to connect, you must engage, inspire, manage and lead.

As an association, NAR will help you adapt to coming practice changes. As a skilled professional, you'll play a vital role in communicating the truth about these changes to consumers.

Advocacy groups at the recent Pittsburgh People's Assembly for Fair and Equitable Housing counseled university students about their options if they are struggling to make rent. Jala Rucker from the Northside Coalition for Fair Housing emphasized the importance of the right to legal counsel for low-income renters facing eviction.

U.S. consumer sentiment fell slightly in March but remains relatively high, according to the University of Michigan's latest consumer sentiment index, which dropped to 77.9 from 79.4 a month earlier. Consumer sentiment reached an all-time low in June 2022 and was as low as 61.3 as recently as November, but rose rapidly in late 2023 and has largely remained flat this year.