Listing agents and their clients have a duty to ensure everyone's safety on the property.

After almost three years of pandemic life, homeowners understand the significant value of having a yard. Here are eight ideas for getting creative with outdoor space.

Agent Ira Jelinek guided his clients to this Toronto two-story home after the couple viewed more than 10 properties. The house "was really close to the lake, and they saw an opportunity to fix up the house a little bit and make it their own," Jelinek said.

Georgia real estate agent Scott Stallings helped the professional golfer with the same name locate an invitation to the Masters Tournament that was mistakenly sent to the agent's home. "It was just nice to see someone doing the right thing," said the golfer, who has invited Stallings to play a practice round at the Masters.

From downsizing to buyer's remorse, wealthy home buyers are facing many of the same struggles as other consumers in the new year.

This barn conversion in the British countryside showcases an efficient layout and steel kitchen hub. "You see so many conversions where the barn is divided up into various rooms, thereby losing the character of the whole space, but we wanted to keep it as honest as we could," said owner Jeremy Offer.

Furniture designer Sophie Colle chose a pink color scheme for her New York apartment, taking much of her inspiration "from the world around me." The result is a customized representation of the designer's personality and skills.

The protocol helps DIY smart-home devices talk to one another—even if they're on different platforms—creating a more seamless experience for the end user.

Physician Jim O'Connell, president and a founder of the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, and author Tracy Kidder discuss the homeless people issue in Boston and elsewhere. "If you want to solve homelessness in Boston, you've got to take a look at the real estate market," Kidder says.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says it has established a repeat offender unit to "focus on ways to enhance the detection of repeat offenses, develop a process for rapid review and response designed to address the root cause of violations, and recommend corrective actions designed to stop recidivist behavior." The move, which the CFPB signaled last year, will focus on large banks, and Director Rohit Chopra has identified some companies that he says could be deemed repeat offenders.