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They not only collect and conserve rainwater but save money, too. Well-placed rain barrels can cut utility costs by collecting free water for gardening, lawn watering or even washing the car. Your clients are taking note of this valuable feature, so know what to tell them.

The era of a handful of cities dominating the startup scene and the venture capital that goes along with it is over as Richmond, Va.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Fayetteville, Ark.; and similar cities encourage entrepreneurship, says Steve Case, whose new book, "Rise of the Rest," documents the shifting innovation landscape in the U.S. "We have seen more interest in different communities in terms of what's going on with startups. ... We've seen more investors, both locally and nationally, backing companies," Case says.

The Hispanic community plays a huge role in the world of housing—on the business and the client side. Learn how this homebuying cohort led the recovery after the Great Recession and during the pandemic.

Home construction, appliance manufacturing and retail are among industries that are experiencing follow-on effects of a broad slowdown in the housing market. Fewer home sales can drag on consumer spending for items such as furniture, according to Bank of America.

Construction spending dipped 0.7% nationally in August, according to Associated General Contractors of America data, though multifamily spending rose 0.4% from July. "Steeply rising interest rates have crushed demand for single-family housing and threaten developer-financed projects, while newly enacted federal legislation will soon boost investment in power, manufacturing and infrastructure construction," said Ken Simonson, the AGC's chief economist.

Scammers are targeting real estate as more transactions and communications are conducted remotely, and they prey on relaxed online security. Follow these best practices for strengthening your cybersecurity to help you and your clients avoid becoming victims of real estate schemes.

SoLa Impact follows a private funding model to develop affordable housing in California and owns 1,500 units in Los Angeles. "Fundamentally, it comes down to being able to standardize your development and your construction process, being able to radically simplify it," founder Martin Muoto says.

Federal Reserve Vice Chair Lael Brainard and Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Charles Evans sounded a somewhat cautious note as they discussed the path ahead for rising interest rates. Brainard has referenced evidence that shows inflation might be slowing, while Evans has expressed hope of "getting to a place where policy can plan to rest and evaluate data and developments."