Two new NAR reports reveal the difficulties home buyers are facing across racial and ethnic lines and what can help them on their real estate journey.

Advertisers are scrutinizing spending and stretching ad dollars amid inflation and focusing on contingency plans and flexible contracts so they're well-situated to be reactive to looming issues such as COVID-19 outbreaks and the writers and actors strikes, say experts. Rain the Growth Agency's Robin Cohen says, "Clients are going into Q4 with an assumption that it's been a tough year," and notes linear television, streaming and interactive ads are among the most popular formats.

Pinterest announced Premiere Spotlight ads for home feeds, interactive Quiz and Showcase promotions and a plethora of other features for agencies and brands, including more integration with Adobe Commerce and Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Bill Ready, the platform's CEO, told Pinterest Presents attendees that shoppable content has gotten 50% more engagement this year than last.

The reacceleration of inflation is keeping borrowing costs elevated, Freddie Mac says.

With mortgage rates at historic highs, some lenders are enticing buyers with the option of putting down as little as 1% on their homes. While lenders defend these offers as a means to expand access to credit, skeptics warn of parallels to the subprime mortgage crisis, highlighting potential risks—such as negative equity—and concerns about homeowners' ability to repay loans.

Artificial intelligence has become an integral part of the real estate industry, offering convenience to home buyers and sellers. While AI-powered tools streamline processes and provide valuable insights, industry leaders emphasize the need for oversight and ethical use, ensuring that AI doesn't lead to inaccuracies or misinformation.

The New Jersey real estate professional tackles food insecurity one big idea at a time. Learn about all 10 finalists vying for NAR's Good Neighbor Awards, and vote for your favorite cause through Oct. 1.

Indiana real estate pro Nina Wiseman shares how she changed her professional practices after being attacked by two men whom she was showing an empty property. Listen to "Drive With NAR: The Safety Series."

Vermont's state government is directing $55.5 million toward housing initiatives, aiming to address the state's housing shortage and stimulate economic growth within the next few years. The funding will support various housing projects, leveraging additional private investment and aiming to create 1,100 new housing units across a range of income levels, from affordable rentals to home-ownership programs.

Partly because of recent inflation data, market participants do not expect Federal Reserve officials to signal that they are done raising interest rates at the conclusion of a policy meeting next week. In addition, James Bullard, former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, says officials might need to lift rate forecasts amid economic resilience and persistent inflation.