These technologies block scammers, secure sensitive documents and shield your browsing history from being exploited, among other valuable benefits.

Owning a real estate company is a goal for many agents. Whether it's a large brokerage with thousands of agents or a boutique firm, it takes time, patience and perseverance to operate one successfully.

When going through a digital transformation, leaders should make sure to keep employee morale high during all stages of the transformation, writes consultant Greg Kihlstrom. "With so many challenges facing teams undertaking digital transformation initiatives, there are many risks, including a loss of morale that may threaten the project altogether," Kihlstrom writes.

Mitchie Curran of Mitchies Munchies, a cake maker in Las Vegas, gives tips on attracting attention on social media that include keeping handles and photos the same across media channels, making all posts relevant to your business and responding to customer comments. "Social media is a two-way street," Curan says. "Interact and engage."

REALTORS® encourage the Biden administration to keep housing supply, affordability at the top of its legislative agenda.

Hotel and interior design experts offer tips for staging primary bedrooms with touches of luxury.

Being bold with color and hiding televisions and light fixtures are among design tricks experts use to make space look modern.

Virtual reality and automation are among technologies that are shaping the real estate industry for agents and buyers, according to Mashvisor CEO Peter Abualzolof. "Amid closure policies, many agents and property owners had to resort to virtual property tours as the best alternative to live showings," Abualzolof writes.

Many Americans are opting to live in single-family rental homes as inflation and higher mortgage rates make it more difficult to afford homeownership. Rents for these properties are up from last year, but September data from John Burns Real Estate Consulting shows that buying a single-family home would cost $888 more per month than renting. Major players in the market for rental homes include Invitation Homes, American Homes 4 Rent and Tricon Residential.

The heads of the Federal Reserve banks of New York and St. Louis have endorsed increasing the benchmark interest rate to at least 5% and holding it there through at least 2023. "Markets are underpricing the risk that the [Fed] will have to be more aggressive, rather than less aggressive, in order to contain the very substantial inflation that we have," St. Louis Fed President James Bullard says.