Amidst a tumultuous period in the real estate industry, NAR's massive advocacy machine has never stopped working for you. Over the last year, REALTORS®:

• Secured a reduction in FHA mortgage insurance premiums
• Got the FHFA to rescind proposed hikes on upfront mortgage fees
• Protected real estate pros' status as independent contractors

Listen to "Drive With NAR" as two members steeped in advocacy talk about the true value of being a REALTOR®.

Yes, regardless of whether it is an agency or non-agency relationship, the obligation is triggered once the MLS participant works with that buyer and has taken her to tour a home. Get more facts about NAR's proposed settlement agreement at facts.realtor.

Leaving buyer clients alone in a home could be grounds for an ethics complaint.

Laura Cubillos of Padilla offers ways for PR professionals to leverage technology to serve clients better and develop strategies. Use tools to identify specifics about your target audience, measure campaign success with a focus on deeper metrics and back up the power of generative AI with real-world skills and knowledge, Cubillos writes.

Disputes over worker classification in real estate are growing, but REALTORS® in New Jersey, along with NAR's support, may have a solution to squash future issues.

A historic small town in California settled in the 19th century is now being sold for $6.6 million. Campo, which served as a military town in World War II, is listed by Top Gun Commercial Real Estate and includes the entire downtown area with seven commercial buildings, 21 residential buildings, a thrift store, a post office and a lumber yard.

Among baby boomers who rent their homes, 80% now say that renting is a better option than buying in the current market, up from 63% a year ago, according to the Bank of America Homebuyer Insights Report. This generation also appreciates the advantages of renting, such as not having to deal with maintenance issues or other stressors.

Google has announced that its TV services, including Chromecast and select TVs, will function as smart home hubs with the launch of Home APIs and plans the upgrades later this year.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is freeing up $3.3 billion early to address the state's homelessness crisis. The funding will go to counties and private developers for construction of behavioral health treatment centers as part of an overall $6.4 billion plan to build 4,350 housing units with a further mandate for counties to direct two-thirds of revenue from a tax on millionaires to housing and related programs.

In a persistent high interest rate environment, the construction industry is no longer focusing on when rates may come down but rather on hopes the Federal Reserve won't raise rates further. In that scenario, observers say, a steady situation could be considered a positive that sustains the recent rebound in business.