A contracting economy typically means a recession, but other economic indicators are likely to mitigate the effects of the slowing economy, says NAR's chief economist.

New eco-friendly home features like EV charging stations are capturing the interest of buyers coast to coast. Here's what you can do to know how to effectively guide these clients.

Whether you're a new agent just launching your business presence on social channels or a seasoned pro who's reengaging with followers after taking a break, engaging new and existing followers doesn't have to be a heavy lift. "Show up, be present first, and comment [on others' posts] with complete sentences," says real estate pro and technology trainer Carrie J. Little.

When you're communicating your good works to your client base, it's important to highlight the people you're helping rather than your fundraising or community service accomplishments, real estate pros say. "I've almost stopped telling people how much money we give because other agents go, 'Well, I don't have a million dollars to give away,'" says broker-owner Anthony Marguleas.

Neighborhoods that connect rich and poor residents give children a better chance at social mobility, with cross-class friendships playing a significant role in pulling people out of poverty later in life, according to a study published in Nature. Economic connectedness has been shown to predict upward mobility more than other factors.

Spending on construction of single-family homes decreased 1.1% in June from May, defying economist expectations and marking the steepest contraction in two years, according to the Commerce Department. The slowdown comes amid rising interest rates and an overall economic contraction.

Author M. Nolan Gray examines how zoning regulations have driven affordable housing shortages and historically led to segregated communities. Gray notes that a lack of zoning regulations in Houston has enabled it to become "America's most affordable and most diverse city" with "an extremely low rate of homelessness."

Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic has said further rate hikes appear inevitable, but refrained from commenting on their size and pace. "I'm convinced we're going to have to do more in terms of interest rate increases. ... Exactly how much and then what trajectory will depend on how the economy evolves over the next several weeks and months. We're going to get a lot of data ... before our next meeting" in late September, Bostic said.

A Wisconsin federal judge has awarded a new settlement payable to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in a mortgage relief services case, reduced by approximately half to $29.2 million, after a $59.2 million award was thrown out by an appeals court last year. The fines are to be paid by the attorneys of two firms that are no longer functioning, the Mortgage Law Group and Consumer First Legal Group.

Opendoor has reached a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission in which the company will pay $62 million over claims Opendoor misled sellers. The FTC says Opendoor's offers to purchase sellers' homes were lower than market value, and the settlement will provide refunds to sellers.