Wall-mounted vanities offer a subtle twist to help open up tight bathroom spaces. Will this trend last?

Mayi de la Vega says lessons from her parents, who fled to Miami from Cuba, helped her persevere and succeed. Now she's focused on leading others and giving back to the Cuban American community.

Highlighting any eco-conscious features of a property is a key way to help listings move faster. A study by Freddie Mac finds that an energy efficiency rating can increase the sales price.

The work-from-home trend has placed office amenities among the top-requested features of people searching for homes, and high-rise buildings are adding common work spaces to meet demand. "It's something you have to do today; it's an amenity, like a pool," said Ric Campo of Camden Property Trust.

A survey by Rocket Mortgage found that 83.11% of millennial loan borrowers favor some type of cancellation of student loans, and 79.6% would consider buying a home in the near future if they were to obtain loan forgiveness. The survey found that 64.3% of borrowers still owe money on $40,000 to $60,000 worth of student loans.

Tulsa, Okla.; Cambridge, Md.; and Des Moines, Iowa; are among real estate markets that have maintained affordability amid the broader rise in home prices. Winston-Salem, N.C., and Houston have also maintained a cost of living that is lower than the U.S. average.

Real estate technology startup Transactly has acquired TC Solutions, a transaction coordination company. "This acquisition significantly increases our ability to serve agents, teams and brokerages in the larger market of Washington state," says Transactly CEO Bryan Bowles.

Maria Foscarinis, founder of the National Homelessness Law Center, explains the history of the federal response to homelessness, citing the Great Depression, the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and steps taken in the 1980s to reduce federal involvement in addressing the issue. Foscarinis calls for supporting the Ending Homelessness Act, Housing is a Human Right Act and Rent Relief Act, all pending in Congress.

Vermont is providing $2.22 million in federal grants to support six mixed-income housing developments in the state. "Bringing together public and private partners, the program makes a big difference in our redevelopment and revitalization efforts throughout all corners of the state," said Gov. Phil Scott.

From flood insurance to transportation and infrastructure, it's critical for real estate professionals to understand and advocate for policy initiatives that build strong communities on the federal, state and local levels. Two REALTORS® who've walked the halls on Capitol Hill and in their home state of Illinois tell the Drive With NAR podcast how they started pushing initiatives protecting property rights and promoting a vibrant business environment.