Everything you need to know to launch your real estate career and set yourself up for success in today’s competitive market.
On October 26, 2026, four of the biggest names in residential real estate launched Open Real Estate. Keller Williams, HomeServices of America, Real REMAX Group and AGNT (eXp Realty and NextHome) are the founders. Four more brokerages have already signed on as participating members. The pitch is simple. Enter a listing once, and it flows…
Zillow launched the Zillow Claude connector on October 19, 2026. It’s free, it takes one click, and it’s useful for fast lookups. But it is not a CMA tool. It doesn’t see your MLS, and it sends consumers toward Zillow’s own agents and loan officers. The quick take What the Zillow Claude connector is, and…
Agents are using AI-altered listing photos as a marketing tool, and many use it enthusiastically to sell the house. That tool is now a compliance issue. State laws, MLS rules, and NAR guidance are all moving the same way. If you upload photos to any MLS, read this before your next listing goes live. This…
Connecticut’s private listing law took effect October 1. If you list a one-to-four unit home in this state, you now market it publicly or you get a signed opt-out form. There’s no third option. That wasn’t the only change this fall. Since mid-September, Zillow lost its first court round against MRED and Compass. Zillow Preview…
AI renovation liability is becoming a real risk for buyer’s agents. A quick ChatGPT prompt during a showing — “can you show me this kitchen opened up and renovated?” — feels like a clever way to help a hesitant buyer see the potential. But it can create serious legal exposure for the agent, the brokerage,…
Here’s the answer up front: No, we are not post-portal. Zillow still commands more home search traffic than its next several competitors combined, and no private exclusive network, ChatGPT app, or Google carousel has changed that. What has changed — dramatically, in the last 18 months — is where the search starts. The portal is…
If you’re on a team right now, thinking about joining one, or quietly wondering whether to leave one, here’s the question that matters more than your split: would this team survive a bad year without its leader personally selling? If the answer is no, you’re not on a team. You’re an employee of a top…
Connecticut just became the third state in the country to pass a law restricting private listings and unlike the NAR policy debate or the Zillow-Compass platform war, this one isn’t optional guidance. It’s state law, with real penalties attached. (Inman has the full rundown if you want the industry-wide view.) If you’ve been following the…
First off, I still firmly believe that your sphere of influence and warm referrals are the right foundation for most agents. A client who comes to you through a trusted introduction converts at a rate that no cold internet lead program can match. That’s not a philosophy — it’s math. But this is 2026, and…
If your brokerage is enrolled in Zillow Preview, your pre-market listings are about to get significantly more eyes. If you represent buyers, your search strategy just changed. On May 5, 2026, Zillow and Realtor.com announced that Zillow Preview listings will automatically syndicate to Realtor.com — beginning this summer. Two platforms. One pre-market window. No extra…
If you’ve been on the MLS lately, you may have noticed a new button appearing on some listings: Submit Offer. That’s ShowingTime’s Offer Manager — and it’s rolling out across MLSs nationwide. Before you click it for the first time at 9pm on a Sunday with a buyer waiting, here’s what it actually does, what…
Every year, NAR surveys nearly 5,000 REALTORS® about where their business actually comes from. The 2025 Member Profile — covering 2024 transaction data — contains one of the most clarifying data sets in the industry on this question. As we move into 2026, the numbers haven’t shifted enough to change the argument. But they’re worth…