Borrowing costs tick up again as the Federal Reserve's inflation policy has economists bracing for even higher rates in the future.

Energy efficiency and sustainable home features are becoming more mainstream, but few agents truly understand them. In an episode of Drive With NAR, two REALTORS® who have built their businesses in green real estate share steps they took to break into the sustainability market, how green homes are changing and what other pros need to know about rising demand for these properties.

Agents working out of the office should continue to maintain regular office hours and set realistic goals, experts say. Other best practices include getting dressed for work to help the mind switch into "work mode" and investing in technology and resources to support the business.

This oversimplified view suggests that things are out of control. And is that what you want your customers to think about your business? Real estate coach Jared James offers ways to reframe the conversation.

The affordable housing shortage, once a problem largely limited to coastal markets, has spread across the country, with Freddie Mac estimating that 3.8 million housing units are needed to keep up with household formation. A complex interplay of forces has contributed to this problem, including tighter regulations for new-home building, rising land and construction costs and a shortage of labor and supplies.

Bespoke Real Estate in New York has found success by focusing on listings exceeding $10 million and using data analysis to find the best buyers and sellers. The firm, founded by brothers Cody and Zach Vichinsky, has also reduced its seller's commission to 1%.

Welcome Homes offers buyers a platform that custom designs new-build homes in addition to arranging financing and even closings. The startup has launched its platform in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

Eric Donoho was taking an adventure in 2018 to reconnect with himself after a failed suicide attempt. While visiting Nepal, he discovered a dire need he could fill for local Nepalese children—while also rebuilding his own life.

Flexibility in defining "affordable mission-driven housing" as supported by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is a key tool in supporting homeownership, especially for renters. "While the loan volume, role and prominence of Fannie and Freddie has changed and evolved in their rich history, one constant has been their prioritization of mission driven affordable housing transactions," write Evan Blau, Cassia Schaeffer and Katelyn Squicciarini, attorneys at Cassin & Cassin.

Montana's newly created housing advisory council is tasked with finding ways "to increase the supply of affordable, attainable workforce housing" in the state. "Burdensome, restrictive and unnecessary regulations have left Montana with a longstanding shortage of housing that continues to drive up the prices Montanans pay for their home," Gov. Greg Gianforte said.