NAR has announced that it will provide its members with no-cost access to the Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR®) designation course, helping REALTORS® communicate their value to buyers in this ever-evolving real estate landscape. The ABR® course, a $295 value, focuses on "the key information and skills you need today when working with buyers, so you can be prepared to articulate and demonstrate your value and help buyers understand written buyer representation agreements," says NAR President Kevin Sears. From late February through the end of the year, members can complete the course via a live interactive webinar or online at their own pace.

You can play a critical role in helping homeowners identify inefficiencies in their property and evaluate upgrades to reduce energy use.

Accessibility issues, data use, social media marketing and artificial intelligence have put the legal aspects of advertising in the spotlight during recent years and mean that agencies and brands need to build those considerations into campaigns from the start. MediaPost's Christopher Wlach writes that lawyers in the C suite can help streamline business strategies.

Stainless steel still dominates in kitchen appliances, but manufacturers are daring to dream in different colors. Your choices are growing, from colorful refrigerators and cooktops to coffee makers and mixers.

Cheryl Eisen is the creative force behind the elegant spaces of celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Jeff Bezos through her New York-based staging company, Interior Marketing Group. Her exceptional home styling has gained recognition on reality TV shows like "Million Dollar Listing New York," acclaimed series "Succession" and popular films including Jennifer Lopez's "Hustlers."

In this interview, Tony Edwards, Nareit's senior executive vice president, discusses the evolution of the REIT sector, key legislative goals over the years, the continuing impact of the pandemic and why more private real estate could come to the public market over time.

Real-time, hyper-realistic personalization, stronger connections between physical and digital shopping and enhanced online user experiences are among the benefits brands will see from advancing 5G technologies, predict members of the Forbes Agency Council. Faster speeds and lower latency will enable the delivery of richer multimedia content and AI-enabled digital ads in real-time, while increased security will boost mobile commerce.

The results were "very interesting," says Michelle Walker, broker-owner of STL Buy & Sell, REALTORS®, in St. Peters, Mo., and opened her eyes to the training she needed to provide. Walker explains her motivation to face hard truths in "REALTORS® Up Close."

The Federal Reserve has released hypothetical scenarios for its annual stress test that industry experts say is meant to prevent a repeat of losses faced after the collapse of Archegos Capital Management in 2021. Thirty-two banks will be tested against a severe global recession with heightened stress in commercial and residential real estate markets and in corporate debt markets. Banks may be subject to a global market shock component, a counterparty risk component or both.

Commercial real estate foreclosures have risen, numbering 635 in January, which was about twice as many as a year ago and a 17% increase from the prior month, according to Attom. The increase could reflect an end of forbearance programs and borrowers finding it more difficult to refinance in an elevated interest rate environment.