24 products that make the ultimate smart home Innovations catering to the evolving needs of homeowners are having an impact on what modern buyers seek in a property. Understanding and highlighting these features is key in the competitive real estate market, where the demand for smart, efficient and secure homes is ever-increasing. Full Story: REALTOR® Magazine (2/22)
Best Practices in Sales & Marketing
How to use Instagram as a lead generator More than 2 billion monthly active users make Instagram a major business opportunity, especially as it lets brands connect with people who are looking for their products without interrupting unrelated content. Strategist Michelle Gifford notes that Reels, Stories and Feed each have a distinct algorithm and that different types of posts, like audio content, carousel posts and live videos, can shine at different stages of the content funnel. Full Story: Social Media Examiner (2/22)
Research confirms that we like to talk about ourselves—a lot—with some people turning down money to stop doing so, writes Jeff Haden, a keynote speaker and ghostwriter, who urges leaders to use this information to perform some "social ju-jitsu" using open-ended questions to get to know more about your direct reports. When your team feels like you understand and support them, the research shows they'll like you and want to keep working for you, Haden notes. Full Story: Inc. (tiered subscription model) (2/22)
KKR expects more CRE activity by private investors this year Private investors could help fill financing gaps in commercial real estate, with KKR estimating that commercial mortgage-backed securities issuance will increase by nearly one-third this year compared with 2023. KKR's real estate credit pipeline has reached $15 billion, and KKR's Matt Salem noted that "we are bringing multiple deals to our equity investment committee each week." Full Story: Bloomberg (2/22)
Technology & Innovations
AI cannot 'tap into the human experience' The use of AI in creative work is helpful up to a point, writes Craig Allen, Callen founder and chief creative officer, but can never replace the fearlessness, humor and silliness necessary to connect with audiences on a human level. "The best advertising is able to tap into the human experience, something AI by nature cannot do," Allen writes, noting, "I always push my creative team to find the angle that is weird and off-beat." Full Story: Muse by Clio (2/21)
Senators seek extension for homeless-student aid spending Senators are rallying support to extend the spending deadline for the $800-million aid allocated in the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act to address homeless students' needs. Citing a surge in student homelessness and logistical challenges, the bipartisan effort urges an additional year to allocate funds, with advocates highlighting the positive impact on student outreach and support but emphasizing the ticking clock of the current spending deadline. Full Story: Education Week (2/22)
Legislation & Regulation
Bank economists' business lending optimism rises The Business Credit Index, a gauge based on bank chief economists' outlook for business lending, has risen to 26.9 in the first quarter. That reading is up 19.8 points from Q4 of 2023, but still at a level indicating that credit conditions are expected to deteriorate during the next two quarters. Full Story: American Banker (2/21)
Mr. Cooper leak exposed data on about 2M customers U.S. mortgage company Mr. Cooper left a Google Cloud storage bucket open and exposed the details on about 2 million of its customers, according to a research team at CyberNews. The leak followed a data breach two months earlier and included names, loan numbers, emails and phone numbers. Full Story: CyberNews (2/22)
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The National Association of REALTORS® is America's largest trade association, representing more than 1.5 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. REALTOR® Magazine is the official magazine of NAR, bringing expert insight to real estate trends, tools, and business strategies.
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