NAR unveiled the sixth iteration of its "That's Who We R" national advertising campaign, offering consumers a firsthand look at what REALTORS® can do for them. Be on the lookout in the coming weeks for radio, TV and digital ads showcasing NAR members' commitment to the REALTOR® Code of Ethics, access to specialized resources and unmatched expertise in the markets and communities in which they work. As part of the campaign, season four of the NAR-produced docuseries "First-Time Buyer" is also now available to stream on Hulu and FirstTimeBuyer.realtor.

Though real estate professionals tend to focus on serving home buyers and sellers, there may be more business opportunity in the rental market amid tight For Sale inventory.

Networking as a small-business owner can help you find investors, customers and new talent to hire, as well as grow your business. If your networking efforts have been falling flat, try activating your community to find people who haves similar values, finding out where your customers are networking or doing it virtually through LinkedIn or other social media networking groups.

Research, representation and respect are three key elements of successful multicultural marketing, according to a survey of SmartBrief readers. "Successful multicultural campaigns ... understand and incorporate cultural insights that are relevant to the target audience," says Plan C Agency's Giancarlo Pacheco, while Dunn Marketing's Laura Dunn advises demonstrating an "authentic desire and effort to learn about, understand and actively communicate with your audience."

Millennials are worried they'll inherit properties in need of major renovations and repairs, which could further hamper affordability, a new survey shows.

Experts predict that rising available inventory and a pullback in interest rates could spark homebuyer activity in the coming months. "Even though interest rates aren't back at the historic lows they once were at during and after the pandemic, the fact they have pulled back from recent highs will surely entice new entries to the market," says John Graff, Ashby & Graff Real Estate's CEO.

There is going to be some distress in real estate debt markets, but "we will see banks and other lenders continue to work with borrowers to work through the situation," says Gil Borok, Colliers U.S. CEO. Meanwhile, a repricing of assets is helping to achieve buyer-seller equilibrium, potentially leading to more deals. Borok also discusses how the office asset class is faring now that more firms are mandating a return to in-person work.

When experiencing a crisis or loss of trust, the first thing small-business owners should do is acknowledge the mistake to customers to avoid a build-up of negative feelings toward the brand. Transparency, open communication and encouraging customer feedback can all repair broken trust.

City Council members in Denver have approved legislation that bans the removal of homeless encampments while temperatures are below freezing. Council member Sarah Parady, who sponsored the ordinance, says local hospitals report treating dozens of people for frostbite because they were forced out of their shelters.

Confidence among American consumers rose in January to its highest level since late 2021 amid easing concerns related to the economy, jobs market and inflation. The Conference Board's sentiment gauge reached 114.8, up from 108 a month earlier, while a measure of current conditions was the highest since March 2020. However, separate confidence data shows consumers planning to rein in spending on major purchases such as cars and larger household goods.