A longtime real estate agent shares the surprises, challenges and considerations of opening her own company.

For broker Rory S. Coakley, offering a range of services is only logical, increasing client satisfaction and adding income opportunities for the brokerage and its agents.

Professional soirees can lead to revenue by bringing in potential clients and establishing your brokerage as a staple in the community.

To be a good leader, you must communicate clearly and concisely and strike a balance between being a hard-charging leader who moves quickly and a more mellow executive who doesn't draw attention to themselves, says Khozema Shipchandler, the CEO of Twilio. "Nobody likes a prima donna or a blowhard. But if no one knows what you're doing and contributing, that's not great either because then it's kind of hard to advance in your career," Shipchandler says.

Investment in top-tier platforms for marketing analytics can help optimize campaigns through multi-channel attribution, customer insights and other tools. Tanuja Bahirat tried out the leaders and picked seven, including HubSpot Marketing Hub, CleverTap and Ansira Brand-to-Local Growth Platform, all of which excel in different areas.

Interior designers highlight key trends for spring, including the use of jewel tones, colorful stones and rich wood tones. Natural materials are trending, while layered lighting and organic shapes are becoming essential elements in home design.

The government's push to sell off some of its office properties could add uncertainty to the market, and Nathan Edwards of Cushman & Wakefield notes that many of these buildings are aging and might need significant upgrades to meet current standards. In many cases, assets may be transitioned to the private sector. "We'll likely see heightened interest in new Class A assets as employers seek attractive office space with amenities to entice workers back into the office," said Darrell Crate, president and CEO of Easterly Government Properties.

The Interior Department and Department of Housing and Urban Development are set to oversee a task force to study which federal lands might be appropriate for affordable housing construction. The task force is part of a push by the administration to address the housing shortage, although development in some areas could also face challenges from zoning laws and other issues.

The Federal Reserve is expected to maintain interest rates when it meets this week and will release economic projections reflecting the impact of President Donald Trump's policy agenda. Economists have revised their expectations for growth and are anticipating increased inflation due to new tariffs. "A 'soft landing' is still likely," said Beth Ann Bovino, chief economist for U.S. Bank. "Still ... we are starting to see several shocks. Trade wars ... Consumer expectations signaling recession fears and inflation fears."

Last month the special servicing rate for commercial mortgages increased significantly, rising by 45 basis points due to a combination of factors, including a higher special servicing balance and a lower overall loan balance, according to Trepp. The office and retail sectors were major contributors to this increase, with office rates reaching 16.19% and retail at 11.26%.