Tech firms offering instant cash to home sellers touted simpler, quicker transactions. But the model is floundering in the housing downturn.

Real estate professional Allison Quartuccio of Wisconsin has spent more than a dozen years in the business and shares tips for selling homes in winter, including clearing snow off "for sale" signs, salting walkways and making sure all areas are well lit so buyers can see the property. Quartuccio also suggests playing soft music and turning the heat up a bit so the home is cozy and warm.

Technology's inroads into business doesn't lessen the importance of human interaction. Chip House, the chief marketing officer at Insightly, recommends ensuring a consistent, companywide view of your customers' journey, knowing how to turn analytics into personalized interactions and finding ways to have frequent human interactions with clients.

When changing up dining nooks to make them more welcoming, consider using wall sconces, bench seating or unexpected seating to make the space cozy. Adding in a rug, colorful elements and making the space more "glam" are also ways to make the nook memorable.

Home prices are still rising while mortgage rates have almost tripled over the past year, resulting in a 41% decline in new loan applications from a year ago, according to Q.ai, an artificial intelligence-powered investing platform. Buyers and renters are feeling the burden, and the Federal Reserve may continue to push rates even higher.

Even with economic uncertainty, inflation and increasing interest rates, new housing construction has declined but is within the historical normal range. Data shows that housing starts between April and October decreased 22%, far less than the 41% decline between February and April of 2020.

Many emerging technological advances make selling a home easier and more intuitive, especially when paired with a good marketing plan.

When you go on vacation, you give yourself the mental and physical space needed to gain new perspective and insight—which can be a boon for business.

Rising interest rates in affordable housing is becoming challenging, says Robert Likes, president of affordable housing for KeyBank. In 2023, rents could go up even higher and the affordable housing market will see strains for the foreseeable future, Likes says.

Nearly 58% of voters in Los Angeles approved a tax on multimillion-dollar homes that is expected to raise as much as $1.1 billion annually to go toward affordable housing. Proposition ULA raises the one-time transfer tax to 4% for properties between $5 million and $10 million and 5.5% for those that are more than $10 million.