Home buyers don't appear to be catching a break with borrowing costs this fall. Rates are nearing a historical average high that hasn't been reached in more than 52 years.

Competition in the real estate business is high, and it's important to think creatively about setting yourself apart. Highlighting your status as a REALTOR® who follows higher ethical standards and has access to exclusive tools can create a differentiator that draws attention from prospects. Watch the latest "Level Up" video for best practices.

Real estate is sometimes fun and games. REALTOR® Magazine wants to know about your funniest or most embarrassing memory while working with customers in the field. Give us the details and your story may appear in the print magazine's "In the Trenches" section. Don't be shy!

Research shows people trust a company whose CEO has a presence on social media, and experts recommend executives be personable and authentic while maintaining boundaries of privacy, especially around their family. "People don't just buy a brand," says Michelle Kennedy, CEO of Peanut. "They want to know more about who's behind it and how they live. Do they represent the values that they say they do? I think that is very important."

Developing a brand community is a key way for business-to-business marketers to forge trust and engagement via a sense of belonging, writes Bill Davies, head of content at Distillery. "This shift, from thinking of an audience to considering a community, is a powerful one, moving customer marketing away from reach-focused one-way communications to a two-way dialogue," Davies explains.

The calming color combo Ray Booth of Ray Booth Interior Design used in singers Faith Hill and Tim McGraw's living room in their Bahamas home is on trend for 2024.

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) projects that multifamily and commercial lending will reach $442 billion in 2023, down 46% from last year. "Questions about supply and demand dynamics for some properties, the rise and volatility in interest rates, and the low number of transactions and coinciding lack of price discovery have all contributed to a marked decline," says MBA's Jamie Woodwell.

Louisiana real estate pro Jennifer Richardson vowed to remove trash and weeds from neglected roadway medians around town. She turned to social media for help and amassed 100 volunteers.

Robyn McLeod talks about how she evolved as a team leader to improve her relationships with co-workers who were often combative with each other. Stop holding one-to-one meetings behind closed doors, come up with goals with your team, and find ways to recognize individual achievements, McLeod says.

Many are asking whether homeless people truly want shelter, and experts say the answer is yes, though trauma and other factors can complicate their choices. "There is dignity in being able to choose where you are and how you experience your situation," said Sunny Wonder, deputy director of Council for the Homeless.

The Federal Reserve's latest "Beige Book" report, released Wednesday, indicates U.S. economic activity remained mostly unchanged over the past month and a half. Labor market tightness continued to ease and prices increased at a modest pace, with five of the 12 regional Fed districts reporting modest growth and four describing modest contraction. The Fed report also highlighted the divide between "hard" data suggesting a strong economy and anecdotal accounts from the districts portraying a far-softer environment.