The winter market is heating up, with existing-home sales posting their largest annual increase since June 2021. Here are the latest housing indicators to watch for your business.

Inclusive marketing is gaining momentum, writes Helen James, CEO of Forsman & Bodenfors London, despite recent setbacks in diversity initiatives at major companies. Brands like Sephora and Vanish are leading with authentic campaigns that resonate with diverse audiences, and technology is being leveraged to ensure inclusivity. "The future of marketing is inclusive, not because it's current but because it's necessary," James writes.

Through the skillful use of adjustments, appraisers can account for changing market conditions in the valuation process.

Single-family homes have experienced rent growth, with prices up 4.4% in December on a year-over-year basis and 40.6% higher than five years ago, a Zillow report said. "As of December, single-family rents were 20% higher than multifamily rents, which is the greatest disparity between these two subsets since Zillow began tracking this data in 2018," according to the report.

The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that commercial/multifamily mortgage debt outstanding increased by $47.7 billion, or 1%, in the third quarter of 2024, reaching $4.75 trillion. Life insurance companies led the growth with 44% of the quarterly increase and and a rise in their commercial mortgage holdings of nearly 3%, while banks grew their balances by only 0.3%. Multifamily mortgage debt increased by $29.8 billion, or 1.4%, to $2.12 trillion, marking the ninth consecutive quarter of growth in this sector.

The proptech market has experienced a turbulent start to 2025, highlighted by the acquisition of Divvy Homes by Brookfield Properties for $1 billion, less than half of Divvy's peak valuation. Divvy struggled with operational challenges and economic pressures, despite having received significant investment. Meanwhile, CBRE has acquired Industrious, reflecting a trend toward institutional partnerships and consolidation in the sector.

North Dakota real estate pro Arlin Fisher and his wife, Sarah, harness the pain of their own loss to bring comfort to those facing hardship.

When we feel like change is imposed upon us, we often react with fear, anger or worst-case scenario thinking or alternately with excitement and acceptance, which means leaders who are making changes need to communicate them clearly, listen to concerns and make the transitions as smooth as possible, writes organizational psychologist Meredith Wells Lepley. "You go first. Take the initiative to regularly check in with people impacted by the change one-on-one," Wells Lepley advises.

Nearly 50 lawmakers in Rhode Island have urged Gov. Dan McKee to declare homelessness a public health emergency, citing a lack of services during winter and a high rate of chronic homelessness. State Sen. Tiara Mack says the declaration would allow housing service providers to get more resources and funding, noting that "housing is health care."

President Donald Trump has urged Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to significantly reduce interest rates. Trump has said he knows rates "much better" than the Fed and wants them to come down "a lot," but the Fed is expected to hold rates when it meets next week.