What a whirlwind week! From Texas to Connecticut to California, I have poured my heart out in events with people who get it. And they've poured their energy right back into me. See that smile on my face? It's there, despite five-hour flight delays, missed connections, and lost car drivers in the pouring rain. I'm smiling because it was worth every ounce of effort, because I keep finding myself in a room full of my people:

The ones who don't work just to sell more stuff:
But the ones who show up because of the stuff they're made of!

Let me tell you a story.

What gives your work purpose?

I hope it’s not market share alone.

I use that phrase all the time, because frankly, why would you go to work just to rack up some stats that, let’s be honest, someone else will rack up higher in the future — even if it’s after you retire? Making money is easy. There are certainly far easier ways to do it than being a speaker or real estate broker or leader in turbulent times. Market share is nice, but what a boring reason to come to work, obsessed with something nobody will ever remember you for, after you’re gone. Crushing the competition makes for a nice sound bite, but doesn't sound like the chicken soup for the soul I signed up for in my life.

There's so much more to life than your unit count, average sales price, margin and stock price.

You Can Decide What Matters

This week was all about defining the future.

Not just the future of our work, but the future of who we wanted to be at work. Each of my audiences courageously spent the days visualizing the kind of leaders they wanted to be known for, using words like vulnerable and trust and curious and courageous and fun and optimistic. I can't think of more fulfilling terms to define one’s growth!

We explored ways of investing not in "artificial" intelligence but the "authentic intelligence" of a mindset that creates strategies which lift up whole markets, not just one or two companies. People shared their biggest insights on panels and sat at lunch tables offering cheerful suggestions to people they’re told are "their competition" (or worse).

I want to be in rooms like THAT any day, no matter what it takes!

As I shared with audiences this week: I'm honestly worried about what's happening in our business today.

People are too angry, too offensive, too vested in being right at any expense. It’s leaving them unable to do good in the meantime. They’re too often willing to let the ends justify the means. And much is being lost along the way. Increasingly, we lack leaders whose initial instinct is to work together, like we know how. They’re driven by finding reasons to set ourselves apart. Few remember how much we’ve accomplished, or can still become, by working collaboratively — even while competing effectively.

I’m endlessly optimistic about the future

Thankfully, lots of such people still exist.

I recall two moments in particular: The first was a single-word answer to the question: What’s the most important contribution of a leader today?

“Values,” said the CEO of an international service brand without hesitation.

He didn’t say authority or strategy or venture capital or accountability. He said values because he knew none of that other stuff will work if you cannot get people aligned in the first place.

The second was a kind compliment from a President of a State Association of REALTORS. “Thanks for reminding us to just be kind to each other.” She didn’t say, “If people would just agree to do it one way,” or “If the market would just change.” She knew that for things to change, WE must change. If things aren’t as bright as we’d like, we must increase our own light first.

Sadly, you won't hear them on conference stages or read about them in media headlines or see them twitching on social media or financial television. That's not the kind of message that stirs algorithms and sells clicks.

But you’ll find them in your corner office. The local meeting room. Across the table at the Association meeting. In the seat next to you at the seminar. They don’t believe business is a battle. They know big problems can be solved by sharing options, not defending positions.

Those people are sitting next to you.
This week I travelled across the nation and found plenty of them.
The ones who still GET IT. And hope you do, too.

So as the week wraps up, all the challenges of the road fade as I recall that in the best of times and toughest of times,

I find myself surrounded by people who know that the most important asset in this business isn't all our stuff.

It's the stuff we're made of.

Stay always inspiring, my friends!

—M

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So happy Friday and let’s go!

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First: You are All The Intelligence You Need

I spent some time in Cleveland this week facilitating a group of incredibly smart, ambitious and creative executives creating the next-best-version of their organization. The creativity began at dinner the night before (where I was reminded that great ideas happen anywhere, not just boardrooms or browser windows. Stepping out of the usual spaces brings fresh signals to our thinking: “As I was walking here, I thought….” and “Around the corner, I saw a store doing this …” and “In the Uber from the airport, the driver said that…” Suddenly everything becomes inputs to your design thinking, even though they don’t show up on BI dashboards or Powerpoint slides.

The next day demonstrated the power of inspiration on strategy.

The building itself became catalyst to “seeing over the horizon.” The space triggered strong aspirations right from the start: participants turned the awe-inspiring surroundings into hopes for the discussion to create “powerful, magnetic visions” that would drive innovation for years.

As we surrounded ourselves in flip charts, sticky-notes, diagrams and electronic presentations we saw the power of physical immersion, not just electronic interactions: The group’s experiences, observations and insights were translated into signs and signals more powerfully than a chat prompt might draw from spreadsheets and internet-intelligence. At one point, we stepped back from a wall covered in handwritten ideas. I remarked that we’d created our own “meaning map” like a LLM does in an AI system. All it took was ten questions to spark a hundred ideas, from which we could “ask” questions and draw connections. The unlocks we discovered from that exercise would have been harder, if not impossible, lacking our direct personal presence with the content and each other.

It was incredibly energizing!

Second: Good News Friday Headlines Recharge Us

This week’s batch includes great positive accomplishments in our lives recently, reminding us that thinking about the future starts with recognizing the good foundations upon which we (and the whole world) stand today:

1. Global driving-deaths fell 21% last year, despite adding 1 billion vehicles to the world since 2011. Smarter vehicles, safer infrastructure, stronger laws and improved enforcement are saving lives, says the WHO.

2. Global hunger declined for a third consecutive year, with 43 million fewer people at risk than in 2022. The UN says progress is greatest in Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, demonstrating how food, agricultural and social policies have transformed the world in less than a century.

3. Amazon deforestation declined 38% during the first half of 2026, reaching a 10-year low; more evidence that smart environmental enforcement can work alongside economic growth policies in the developing world.

4. Less-invasive prostate cancer treatment now match surgery-level results, says an Imperial College 10-year study of 3,500 men. New procedures also reduced risks of urinary problems and sexual dysfunction by nearly half.

6. A GE Aerospace hybrid-electric airplane broke the 30,000-foot barrier, said NASA, who sent the modified aircraft aloft for over two hours in an important step toward cleaner commercial aviation.

7. California awarded over $100M in funds for five permanent senior and veteran-focused housing projects in Sacramento, featuring 100 modular homes and related support services.

8. The United States committed $5 billion to AI-powered scientific research said the Department of Energy. Projects will focus on chronic diseases, accelerated drug development and longer-lasting construction materials. Microsoft added $40 million in computing credits to support the participating researchers.

Finally, a Word from the Wise to the ‘Bots

This week an online marketing discussion on AI-generated marketing slop posed the question:

Is AI writing in real estate getting out of hand?

Spot on, I’d say. And plenty of research points this out. First, consumers really don't want “AI-powered” things beyond tech stuff, says the Journal of Hospitality Marketing and Management study:

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👆 (To watch the full webinar at the top of the page, make sure you’re signed in.)

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3 Action Steps to Get Started on this Plan Today

1. Pull a list from your MLS of homes sold 10 to 12 years ago. These homeowners have reached the median tenure before selling again, and the majority of the agents who worked with them have likely left the business. Reach out now before anyone else does. Why it’s A Favorite Business Builder: By focusing on 2 listing appointments a week, you can still have great success without the burnout.

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We know how to handle challenges. It’s what we do for a living. Tough times can lead industries and people astray.

But we can always stage a comeback: for the better.

Let me tell you a story.

When you’re down and out

Real estate knows a thing or two about being down and out.

We go through cycles all the time, not to mention pandemics, lawsuits, and technology disruption. And yet, for the majority of my career, we’ve quickly gotten over our shock and returned to what I’d call the “natural gravity” of an industry that wakes up every day with good intentions in its heart.

For customers — and for each other.

Which makes it hard to believe that lately - perhaps since the pandemic(?) the industry seems angry all the time. Fighting. Breaking things. Breaking ourselves. I’m not a psychologist, but as a philosopher, I call it a “certain sense of life.” You know mine: The constant battle to find the inspiring side, and not let problems hurt, at least not too deep down.

So when I see the industry hurting — and mostly because it’s hurting itself more than external forces — I try to recall what we used to do when someone in the industry had a problem.

How we used to react to problems

Twenty-five years ago, I was part of a REALTOR® association in the northeast that woke up to find that one of its members had been diagnosed with a terrible illness. She had two children in school and ran a small brokerage with a few agents in her office. She had been a REALTOR® for more than twenty years, and she was always there for everyone, not just her office. You could always find her volunteering to teach classes to new agents, participating in Board committees, advocating for legal issues, and helping partners play a role in our industry.

That morning, she woke up with everything broken.

Like many REALTORS® back then, she didn’t have the kind of health insurance we take for granted these days; often, entrepreneurs went without coverage entirely. Nor did she have other sources of income apart from getting up every day and making calls, showing homes, listing houses, and helping consumers. She wasn’t wealthy enough to take months off to battle her illness or sit around waiting to recover. Even her agents, while there for her spiritually, wouldn’t be enough to survive financially. She was facing disaster.

And then, her real estate community found out. And jumped into action!

Some “competing brokers” stepped in to help with her agents offering guidance and supervision during times of absence. They opened their doors to their meetings, technology, and staff. They didn’t try once to recruit her agents away.

Dozens of agents offered to handle her showings, open houses, transaction tasks, and the to-dos it takes to be in sales. Nobody asked for a referral fee.

As for us vendors - my firm was an affiliate of the Board - decided to do our part, too. We helped organize a fundraiser and called in hundreds of favors. A free hall. Donated catering. Free police details to handle traffic. Dealers for a casino night. A free DJ. Gifts for raffles and an auction. Volunteers to run the event.

Nobody asked for a dime, and we all put in the hours on top of running our own businesses.

That evening, so many people showed up, the hall was overflowing, and cars waited a mile just to drive up and make a donation.... all with a smile on their faces.

We raised a ton of money - enough for that agent to take all the time off she needed without risking her home, her business, or her children’s education. We were covered by the press, and others came forward, offering home care, transportation, school tutoring, food and supplies, and home maintenance support. And much, much more.

A Tale of Two Industries

How our board of REALTORS® reacted remains one of the PROUDEST moments in my life. At that moment, I knew I was part of something MUCH bigger than the fight for listings, the competition to recruit agents, or the legal battles over taxes. I was part of a community that KNEW what it meant to do the right thing, stand up for what matters, and treat each other with decency and kindness.

An industry that practiced in PRIVATE what it practiced at WORK: When there’s a challenge, we work TOGETHER to make it better.

This year, I have had a chance to see both sides of the industry in action. The daily onslaught of misspoken social media and industry-media letters that hide more than they say. The lawsuits, arguments, and half-stories told from conference stages. It’s heartbreaking.

I’ve also seen the other side, too. The ones who aren’t trying to be “right” because they’re too busy trying to “do good” in communities all across America. Putting something more than market share alone at the forefront of their business.

The everyday acts of kindness, from agent to agent, without the need for a referral, fee, or recruiting pitch. The brokers from one part of the country who air-drop into another region hit by a hurricane or fire. People who make their social media posts an opportunity to post something nice, encouraging, fair, and kind.

That’s who we are. Those are my kind of people. Aren’t they yours, too?

It’s time for our industry to return to our positive sense of life: The one where the answer to problems is in all of our best interests, not just one side’s position, on any issue. Where we re-affirm who we still are and who we want to be, by showing how we treat people we disagree with; not just the ones who agree with us.

And not turn every day into lawsuits.

We know how to sit on opposite sides of the negotiating table, without considering each other the enemy. Isn’t it time to stand side-by-side at the forefront of our industry’s future?

That’s who we are.
Hard on problems; soft on people.
That’s who we’re meant to be.
Advocates for consumers - and each other
That’s what makes what we do more than “market share.”
We make differences.

Not just lawsuits.

Let’s normalize being that kind of real estate industry once again.

—M

This is just a reminder that on Friday, we’ll have our next INSIDERS Webinar!

Join Matthew Ferrara for an exclusive Always Inspiring INSIDER Mastermind where you’ll uncover the latest trends driving today’s home buyers and sellers, understand how your competition is evolving, and identify opportunities to strengthen your business before the market leaves you behind.

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For decades, we've heard real estate is “stuck in the past.” We were told, “It should be as easy to buy a house as calling an Uber!” Since same-day delivery hit the economy, consumers demand instant access to listings, immediate showings, and mortgage approvals in two clicks. For as long as I can remember, our industry has been told to get with the future, full speed ahead.

Today, you can say with confidence: Challenge completed!

In fact, today’s real estate consumer experience has never been better.

Especially compared to what they face after they buy or sell a home.

Let me tell you a story.

Faster than a driverless Uber

I recently purchased an investment property.

On Tuesday, our neighbor asked if we’d buy their home. They’d do the deal FSBO. We toured their home and told them we’d buy it, but only if they got themselves representation. That’s my job, after all! I explained how today’s transactions are much more complicated than they were when they bought 20 years ago. They said they knew someone, and they’d ask for help.

We shook hands, and I left satisfied we’d begun a good deal, and they’d get the help they deserved.

The next day, I suggested we meet in their kitchen to work out the final price and terms. “Let’s do it in person,” I suggested, rather than sending documents back and forth through an impersonal platform. “Bring your agent,” I said, “and let’s create a win-win over a cup of coffee.”

We met, reviewed market data together, and pencilled out everyone’s concerns on a blank piece of paper. We worked through the list and finalized the price and terms. Then, we shook hands. Our agents would send the paperwork out that evening.

On Thursday, we reviewed docs and signed the P&S on Friday morning. Three days earlier, I’d texted our mortgage broker, who pulled most of the financing paperwork together using digital connections to payroll, bank accounts, taxes, and credit reports. We logged in, signed the application, and uploaded a few stray PDFs from my smartphone.

By Monday, escrow was open, and the inspector and appraiser were booked. Ten days later, everything was done. By the third week, we were cleared to close. We picked a closing date that gave the sellers time to pack at their leisure. We learned that it was important when we met in person; it wasn’t a formal deal item. We made it our gift to them in what was an emotional sale of their vacation home.

Maybe that’s why they even left us their golf clubs :)

Not everyone has downloaded the app

Here’s where the real fun begins.

Overall, we were ready to close as fast as we wanted. Faster, I’d say, than had Uber itself disrupted the housing industry. That’s because our industry has worked hard to achieve this kind of convenience for over the 35 years I’ve been here. Yet we hardly receive the credit we deserve. Kicking real estate agents around is a favorite pastime for the press, know-it-all neighbors, and social media.

We don’t help ourselves, either, spending too much time making noise about interest rates, inventory shortages and brokerage/portal wars. When consumers hear anything, it’s too often from the perspective that the industry is a bit of a mess.

Meanwhile, nobody bothers to ask the question:

As compared to whom?

We know that real estate is a complex transaction. It’s not a car ride completed in a few minutes. Properties are unique, unlike hotel rooms that look exactly like all other hotel rooms in a market. Our closing documents are typically larger than those $4 e-books we can download to our Kindles.

In other words, real estate isn’t anything like Uber or Expedia or Amazon. And yet, we’ve worked hard to make it like them. And we did a pretty good job!

Three weeks and counting

In fact, I’d say other industries could take a lesson from the modern real estate industry.

One of the minor changes we’re making to the new house is replacing the front door. After 20 years, it doesn’t fit snugly. Changing the door should be fast and easy, you’d think. There’s a big-box-home-improvement-company on every corner in America. They should be able to “uber-one” into the home in a few hours.

Or so you’d think.

Not so fast, homeowner

To buy a door these days requires an appointment with an estimator (for a $40 fee). They’ll measure it for us, because my iPhone doesn’t come with a measuring app (it does.) Also, most doors in 20-year-old neighborhoods could be tricky sizes (they aren’t). Yet nobody in the store could “guess” at the cost, so we had to make an appointment.

A week later…

After the door was measured, we had to schedule a second appointment to pick the material, handle, lock, and frame. That required the careful tutelage of the company’s Door Expert (that’s what we call him). So another week passed until the next available appointment, where we finally discovered how much it would all cost and we could —

Make a third appointment to have the door installed!

If only a REALTOR could sell us a door

Some people claim all REALTORS do is open doors. Truth be told, we’d have been thrilled if our REALTOR could have sold us a door! Buying the home took only 21 days. Imagine if the Door Expert had undertaken the same innovation as the housing industry has over the past decade. It probably would have been replaced before closing!

The real lesson for the housing industry

We need to spend more time sharing the good news about what’s working better than ever in our business!

Enough with the focus on rising inventory, longer days on market, or higher-than-once-upon-a-time interest rates. Forget about external competitors or brokerage lawsuits. The real story is showing consumers how far we’ve come since the last time they bought or sold (which is an average of more than a decade).

They have no idea how cool their next housing experience is going to be!

That’s the app consumers need today

There’s a great story to be told to consumers today, and I promise you it’s not about private listing schemes or undoing decades of industry cooperation. Forget about trying to wrestle data away from the portals consumers love, either. They couldn't care less what mistakes we think we made twenty years ago because they’re more interested in selling just one home every ten years.

I’m in the industry and was massively impressed at the speed and convenience of our last transaction. My mortgage broker, agent, inspector, appraiser, and title company put the pieces together almost seamlessly. I talk to these people all the time, but experiencing it firsthand made me realize how much our industry kicks butt!

And how much more we better start talking about it.

How many are hesitating to enter the market because the last time they applied for a loan, it was a pile of painful paperwork? How many first-time buyers are misinformed by TikTokTwerkers harping about inventory shortages and assume there’s nothing for them to afford? Meanwhile, we’ve got more inventory than in a decade (and we’d have even more if we’d stopped trying to hide some of it).

Our industry is light-years ahead of what they believe because it has been a decade or more since they experienced it firsthand. We’re delivering an uber-experience. And most of it still happens around a kitchen table without an AI chatbot involved!

You’ve done your job, real estate pros.

I bought a home unexpectedly in just three weeks. Meanwhile, I’m still waiting for a simple home repair, though everything is sitting in stock. There’s a story to be told there, and it’s your job to do it!

It’s time to put to rest the old tale of an industry that’s stuck in the past. Show the world what you can do; Dare them to experience it themselves. And if they still don’t believe you, look ‘em straight in the eye…

... and show them the door!

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PS: Here are ten stories to tell consumers about the modern housing industry 👇👇

Here are some of my favorite storylines that will “show” people how buying or selling a home today is nothing like the last time they did it. Combine these storylines with a real-world success stories, and you’ll start bringing hearts and minds back to the marketplace.

Use these themes to prompt your personalized versions for social media, newsletters, and more. You can even copy and paste them into your favorite AI to generate drafts, then bring them to life with your personal experiences!

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Let me tell you why.

(You can listen to this week’s article below, too!)

Birth of Country, Birth of This Newsletter

July 4th is not only the celebration of the birth of America. It’s the birth of this newsletter, too.

Long-time readers will remember that Always Inspiring arose as part of my personal journey back to good health, by giving myself the task of writing to you a couple times a week. By writing about all the good things I see happening in this industry, from people like you, combined with the recurring Good News Friday wrap-ups and sharing of best practices, we created this place where the inspiring parts of our industry and world get the attention they (and we) deserve.

By July 2023, we went from 58 views per newsletter to 2000+ views and more than 2700 readers. Today, we’re over 7,000 readers, 230 articles, plus e-books, videos and regular webinars (have you checked out the recent recordings?)

So, happy birthday to us, and America. We’ve both come a long way.

… and the Property Part still matters

Some people say that the work of Always Inspiring would fit any audience. I think that’s true: focusing on the positive, optimistic approach to creating a great career, serving clients, and making a difference has always been part of my life’s philosophy.

But the fact that I get to do this work in the real estate industry isn’t an accident.

When I got my degree in philosophy, one of the most fascinating books I read was John Locke’s Second Treatise on Government. That’s where the phrase “life, liberty and estates” was first coined, to describe the rightful work of government to protect these core values for citizens. Only later did Thomas Jefferson expand the idea to “… and happiness” which wasn’t a bad idea; but it left an important piece out of the discussion.

Because life and liberty are very hard to secure without the right to property.

When our country was young, one of the most important codifications of law came from property rights fiercely protected in our Constitution's 5th and 14th Amendments. The "Due Process Clauses" explicitly state that no person can be deprived of "life, liberty, or property, without due process of law". We’ve always considered property to be on par with life and liberty because only when we can be in full control of the things we produce - the results of our hard work - can we consider ourselves free to live any life, and pursue any objectives we desire.

Or dream.

Which is why I think we came to equate home ownership with the American dream.

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What real estate professionals do matters

For over 35 years, I’ve shared a consistent belief that what we do matters. It’s important, not just helpful. Our careers are noble, not merely productive. That one day in the life of a real estate professional, something clicks and —

We stop prioritizing deals, and focus instead on every opportunity to make a difference.

Like Locke and Jefferson and other leaders across our history, we see our purpose driven by ideals, not just output.

It’s why we have built an industry around cooperative competition rather than cut-throat behaviors.

We’ve created associations where people can come together and learn, laugh, and lead the industry through good times and bad.

We’ve designed multiple listing services where openness and transparency have lifted all members, by creating network effects and multiplying our efforts. Somewhere between 70-90% of sales in our industry incorporate some form of co-broke effort: two professionals from different companies decide that it’s better to work together rather than fail apart.

So you can see why I’m so passionate about real estate, because I truly believe in its positive effects: Every closing is just another way to help someone pursue and secure their life and liberty through the use of property.

What a privilege, then, to be a REALTOR® who plays a part in nearly 20% of America’s GDP….

…. and makes a difference in the dreams of millions of friends and neighbors every day.

Looking Back, Looking Ahead

On birthdays, we often take time to look back and reflect. On our country’s 250th birthday, we have many stories and accomplishments to celebrate, and many reminders of what makes our nation great. We’ll display our flag and marvel at fireworks and listen to great reminders of the ideals that call us to manifest our best.

You can do that for yourself, too, by simply recalling the lives you’ve impacted over the years of your career. The people you’ve helped, mentored, and collaborated with, not just because it was your job, but it was the right thing to do.

Back in July of 2023, I wrote:

Those sentiments are more important today than ever. At a time when the industry is seemingly intent on tearing itself apart through lawsuits and accusations and political manipulations, it’s critical to remember what we’re here to do.

In Locke’s Second Treatise on Government, he writes:

“The great and chief end, therefore, of men’s uniting into commonwealths, and putting themselves under government, is the preservation of their property.”

I think it could easily have said, “of uniting into industries” and “putting themselves into cooperation” because for more than 100 years, that’s how our real estate industry has made a difference.

So this weekend, when you put your hand over your heart and salute the Flag and watch the fireworks to celebrate our country’s birthday, be sure to give yourself a little credit too. The Spirit of 1776 is replenished every time you, me and everyone else in our wonderful industry help someone get the keys to much more than a house:

To their dreams!

Happy Birthday, America.

— M

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Matthew’s on vacation this week, and that means I’m doing some organizing and cleaning up in the “back room” while he’s away. AND I’ve uncovered some treasures for you from deep in the archives, I thought I might share.

Enjoy!

Here’s a compilation of Timeless Tips From the Archive:

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A Blast from the past: Matthew’s Mindset Playlist on Spotify

A few years ago, we pulled together a playlist of the songs that Matthew plays to get ready to go on stage. Enjoy this blast from our past (we totally forgot about it until today).

Tune in next week for our regularly scheduled programming with Matthew. In the meantime, give us a heart or share with anyone you think would enjoy my list of faves.

- A

(Listen to this week’s article by playing the clip above.)

Why do you do what you do?

Over the past few weeks, I've been tired.

One reason is the crazy schedule I've been keeping, helping friends stay positive, focused and on track in a tough market. It's a lot of work, and I love every moment of it. It’s what I was designed to do.

But it has me thinking: barely two years ago I promised myself I wouldn’t overdo it again. It’s tough when you love your work; you know what I mean. Still, I’ve got to remain healthy.

So I’ll take a little vacation….

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Except for the Brain Drain

Will a few days off be enough? As of this morning, I wasn’t so sure.

The other reason I’m so tired lately is the “Brain Drain” in the housing industry. More accurately, it’s a heart and brain drain, a kind of inverse-vibe spreading across the industry that’s dampening our usual spirit for lifting people up, achieving dreams, and creating abundance. I’ve dedicated 35 years to improving this industry because I believe in the mission:

We don’t sell homes, we help change lives.

Unfortunately, not everyone prioritizes that ideal. Or maybe some people have gone scorched earth because the market is difficult, and their payments are due. I couldn’t say, other than don’t read the industry headlines today on a full stomach.

Are we under attack from lions coming over the hill? Banks entering the business? Algorithmic ibuying schemes? Another big lawsuit? Nah… We’re just addicted to biting our own tails in an industry that always has a boogeyman. It’s hard to recall that just two years ago we worked together against the big lawsuit; six years ago we held hands (six feet apart) during the pandemic. Now that there isn’t really an outside enemy, we’ll make them up from the inside: MLS, portals, competitors…

How quickly the industry forgets about its health, too.

I don’t mind fighting a good fight; But nothing good is being proposed, only bad and worse. We’re hurling lawsuits at each other because we don’t like the rules any more, tearing apart MLS communities whose decades of cooperation lifted all of our boats, turning off the data-feeds on unsuspecting clients, and badmouthing brokerages on conference stages without a hint of concern for the audience, most of whom are just trying to sell a few homes and go home for dinner.

But hey, Wall Street loves that we’re crushing it, right?

The Danger of Making Deals Too Important

Much of the angst is nonsense; misguided attempts to pull up the ladder after it helped some organizations get so far. Portal wars? Exactly zero consumers care (they have decided which apps they want.) Private listing schemes? Collective amnesia about the times before MLS when nobody knew anything about any inventory.

Here’s a reminder: we barely sold 3 million homes a year in those days. Now the norm is typically 5 million. Wonder what changed.

The chaos isn’t by accident, either: disoriented agents, confused consumers, and colleagues who can’t sit in the same board room leave the industry wide open to ideas purporting to “save” everything. But if the ideas were so good, why are legislators stepping in and outlawing them? Even the justifications are tiresome: More market share? A trickle of web traffic? A point in stock price? “Taking back our data” (who created the data in the first place, and what were they doing with it then?)

I bet you’re pretty tired of the noise, too.

So I confess, I’ve felt worse than just jet lag. An industry I love has turned into a food-fight without a point, leaving everyone messy and hungry. Strange, considering the heart of every transaction is getting two parties to a closing table from opposite sides. You mean our leaders can’t sit together and figure these things out?

Unless you only care about the deals.

Then this happens…

I received a message on Facebook from a friend yesterday, someone with years of industry contribution who is still pouring into our profession. He recently moved to a firm I have worked with for decades, and was attending new orientation. He sent me this picture:

“I’m in orientation today and this is in the front of the room!”

Out of Sight But Still In Mind!

Imagine someone turning a quote from you into a poster!

Little did I know that I’d left such a mark, I’d become part of the orientation culture for my client. It’s one thing for someone to say, “thinking of you today.” It’s another to thing they took something you said years ago and turned it into a big poster in their office.

It reminded me why I do this hard work: to live a career that not driven by deals:

It’s driven by ideals!

I’ve always led with this philosophy. Sales careers are precious opportunities to change people’s lives. In housing, we routinely turn our clients into lifelong friends. We remember their birthdays, kids’ names, and big dreams. We remain connected on personal pages on social media, not just business ads.

Leading a career powered by ideals means taking responsibility for the big marks we leave behind.

When I saw this photo, my batteries were instantly recharged.
My heart reconnected with my purpose.
All thoughts of exhaustion disappeared.

Suddenly all the news headlines became irrelevant. They’re just noise; consumers and colleagues really don’t care. And if I focus on what I’m doing, neither will I.

As long as we remember that ideals, not just deals, drive the good life, we can make a difference in our industry: There’s always good work to be done. Lead by example. Avoid the people who have forgotten it. I don’t need to fix everything or everyone. I’m here to do my thing.

And the people who resonate with me will appear, engage, enjoy, and even turn a few good words into a daily reminder.

Some things last in life. Deals come, and deals go. Your competitor today will be your partner tomorrow, when something happens and you wake up facing the same problem, or merged unexpectedly. A year or two from now, today’s boogeymen will be laughable. We’ll ask ourselves:

Did we really fight about that?

If you’re feeling tired today, remember this:

The noise is meaningless.
Your clients don’t care.
Nor do most of your competitors,
who still want to be colleagues,
if you let them.

Fighting over data and deals,
may get you attention for a while.
But it’s the people pouring their ideals
into relationships who always pay off,
forever.

Who knows? Maybe someday someone will send you a message, too. A thank you note, or an instant message that says, I remember that thing you said, those beliefs you held, the ideal to make a difference. I don’t even remember the deals we did, but I’ll never forget who I did them with!

You will have left a mark.

It won’t show up in the data, but it won’t fade from their hearts.

Someone is thinking of you today, too.

I promise.

— M

Thanks for attending our AI Unlocked workshop! Here are some additional resources to help you automate tasks, build relationships and make more sales.

Here’s the quick summary infographic 👇

Download the slides from the presentation here 👇👇👇

Ferrara Ai Unlocked Libor 2026

83.7MB ∙ PDF file

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Download the E-Book and Watch the 60-minute video by upgrading your membership 👇👇

Over 76 pages of strategies, tips, tricks and re-usable prompts for using artificial intelligence as a Real Estate Professional, for salespeople and managers.

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Birds of a feather flock together, the old saying reminds us: Always surround yourself with people who nurture your growth. But does that saying hold for other parts of success? We’ve talked about the importance of managing what we see in an era where we look at our smartphone before we notice the sunrise.

Only recently did …

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First, fill that listing pipeline!

After 35 years in real estate, one piece of advice remains rock solid: You have to list to last. In a longer market sales cycle, buyers face more competition an…

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Not only can a sales career take you anywhere, but it can save you from the most dangerous advice ever given to small businesses and entrepreneurs:

In fact, the exact opposite is true.

Successful salespeople today don’t worry about ‘what to post today.’ They k…

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Are you ready for a Summer of Success?

We’re halfway through the year, and it’s a great time to revisit and take stock of what we need to do to win the future of 2026! Get into a growth mindset, fill your pipeline with new business, and reshape your messaging to get consumers off the sidelines and into the market.

• Energize your growth mindset and achievement drive

• Ensure sales and marketing strategy is sustainable

• Activate AI tips to help drive efficiency and control costs

• Fill your pipeline with new listings, buyers and referrals

• Connect the dots between business and personal growth

Who is this webinar for? This webinar is perfect for agents, salespeople, and top producers. Managers and leadership, these principles and practical techniques, mindsets, and inspiration, you can use for people and recruits.

Webinar Highlights

(👆Scroll to the top to watch the full webinar.)

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👇 Downloadable E-book and Your Next Action Steps 👇

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Download your copy of 22 More Ideas to Get a Listing Today!

Get my latest e-book featuring 20 pages of strategies, tips, tricks, and prompts for you to get more listings and increase your sales pipeline.

Start getting more listings today, increasing your sales pipeline without burnout.
Learn how with this free e-book.

Whether you’re new to the business or have been at it for years, this is for you!

Along with our other listing strategy e-books, this 22 More Listing Ideas is a companion or standalone resource for you to increase your business today. In this ebook, Matthew incorporates AI techniques to not help you wiht a listing but to get a listing!

Read this ebook if:

• You’re trying to become a listings-centric agent

• You want to use proven techniques to drive prospecting and appointments

• You want practical examples, activities, and checklists to grow your sphere of influence

• You want to stay focused on what it takes to fill your pipeline with 30 minutes of focused activity a day

22 More Ideas To Get A Listing Today Ebook by Matthew Ferrara www.alwaysinspiring.com

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Let me tell you a story.

Imagine being the person who goes around saying this kind of stuff….

“The state of housing in the U.S. “sucks,” [said one industry CEO] last week. “The current way the industry operates “is kind of broken” he added, “It’s antiquated, it’s inefficient, it’s manual, it’s expensive and people are just not buying and selling homes in this country. We’re stuck.”

Good grief.

After 35 years, you’d think we’d heard it all before. And I realize a lot of these kinds of statements are for consumption by the press, social media, and Wall Street. But there are real estate people who listen, too, you know. Nobody denies the housing industry has work to do. But we’ve always had some work to do. That’s it means to be an industry that takes change seriously and works tirelessly to improve itself.

And that’s the real estate industry I’ve been in since 1991.

Never have I flown to a city or country and heard real estate professionals say, “Thanks for coming, but don’t bother, because it all sucks and it’s all broken and we’re just going to sit here and complain about it.” Yet you will find that headline aplenty in this business, without even trying. Which is strange, because I have no idea who people like this guy is hanging out with. Most of the brokers who are doing the business in this industry are far from antiquated, inefficient, or manual.

Of course, I’ve said this before: Some people sell sadness for a living. And plenty of people buy it, or repeat it, especially in an attention economy, where feeding adrenaline-inducing rage-bait earns money.

They have to stir you up to monetize, rather than offer you a hug.

You Must Choose for Yourself

Which means you must choose to find the good news yourself. Otherwise, you risk losing control of much more than your focus: You’ll start to feel depressed. Then confused. You’ll lose control over the narrative: that you do improve yourself, all th etime. That you help plenty of people achieve their dreams without the experience sucking.

But you’re just one little voice. So you’re going to have to work hard at this, to stave off becoming demoralized by the constant drip of criticism, and avoid waking up one day and asking, why bother?

Be on the Lookout!

You don’t have to go to a convention to hear this kind of negativity, either. It’s freely available wherever talking heads gather, like those Facebook groups where too many salespeople spend too much time commenting instead of prospecting. Some recent gems include:

• “More than 50,000 home purchase contracts fell through in March!” said someone quoting a Redfin press release.

• “Over 300,000 REALTORS left the business recently!” screamed a meme on NAR’s latest membership count.

• “Over 70% of REALTORS didn’t do a single sale last year,” was a recent favorite, too.

Every one of those posts will make your blood boil.

The Rest of the Story

Until you remind yourself there’s another side to the story.

Before I started my speaking career, I was in talk radio. I studied all the famous broadcasters and motivational speakers to improve my skills. One of my favorites was the iconic host Paul Harvey, who would tell stories with an unknown twist, always wrapping up his pieces with the famous phrase:

“And now you know, the rest of the story.”

That’s the secret to choosing good news for you, too.

When I started writing Good News Fridays, it was a personal exercise to offset all the negative pandemic news back in 2020. The media drama was as bad as the virus. I was consuming so much negativity about the speaking business that I almost gave up, thinking, why bother, if the speaking business sucks so much?

That’s when a client called me for some advice.

She was pretty worked up, panicking about her company, her salespeople, and the future of the real estate industry. Without thinking, my natural “optimist” instincts took over. I started generating ideas - some good, some wild - to provide her with alternative perspectives.

At one point, I remember saying, “Remember, we’re AmeriCANs. Focus on what you CAN do!” I don’t think it was helpful enough, because she said, “But everything is prohibited! How CAN we sell anything when everyone is locked indoors?”

That’s when I remembered Paul Harvey’s phrase.

“That prohibition is only part of the story,” I said. “What we need to do is figure out the rest of the story! What’s possible to keep buyers in the market without leaving their homes?”

That little shift caused us to seek examples of people finding solutions, not wallowing in problems. We quickly found examples of people using video tours, Zoom showings, and social media to host virtual open-houses. We asked if we could use drones to do neighborhood tours.

“Let’s find out,” she said, suddenly encouraged. She hung up the phone a little less frantic. And I was left feeling something even more exciting!

There’s Always Good News to Choose

Something clicked after that call. I could always choose good news.

I began to make it a weekly habit to find good stories and add them to my newsletter. Eventually it became a daily habit, interrupting the circuit whenever someone tried to push my buttons with bad news.

Today it’s my natural instinct to find and share the rest of the story.

For example, while it’s true that 50,000 home purchase contracts did cancel in the last month, it’s also true that …….

It’s also true that 300,000 REALTORS left the business last year, but did you know that 15% of NAR’s membership is new members every year anyway? That’s around 225,000 new entrants annually. Suddenly, losing 300,000 doesn’t seem so bad!

Besides, we don’t even know why those people left.

Maybe they reached their financial goals and wanted a new challenge.
Maybe they retired with satisfaction on their career.
Maybe they sold their company to someone who paid a lot of money!

You see, those parts of the story aren’t told, just the scary numbers. Many people leaving the business last year could be a sign of success, not failure!

Your New Goodness-Seeking Habit

Why don’t you develop a good-news-seeking habit, before reacting to negative headlines? You might just find that the industry - and the world - is still full of wonderful things every day; that things are hardly as bad as you’re being lead to believe, and if you choose to discover the rest of the story, you’ll find yourself just as productive, energized and happy as ever.

That’s my story, and I’m sticking with it.

Stay always inspiring!

— M

PS: Remember that recent headline that said “Over 70% of REALTORS did ZERO sales last year?” Well, here’s the rest of the story… 👇

It turns out, the story was incomplete

When the headline started going around, I knew there was something that wasn’t being stated. Well, it now appears that the rest of the story has appeared - unfortunately, a whole year later. The National Association of REALTORS survey of members reveals a much deeper dive into the data:

NAR had to remind the “talking heads” that many of its members aren’t active salespeople.

They’re office managers, property-managers, assistants and even professional trainers like me. Suddenly we see that it was barely 5% of sales agents who completed no deals last year.

Which means that 95% of full-time sales professionals did plenty: they actually averaged 10 deals each!

What other story has you believing things are much worse than they are? What else have you come to believe, because it’s been repeated over and over, on stage after stage, feed after feed, that might be undermining your optimism to reach your goals this year.

Or worse — undermining your clients?

Build your Good News muscle, because you can’t depend on getting the rest of the story without it.

—M

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Another day, another story of salespeople trying to get artificial intelligence to do their prospecting for them. As a daily user of AI, I don’t consider myself a Luddite. All the same, I don’t understand why anyone would pursue a career in sales and not want to enjoy the whole process of helping clients achieve important goals.

Some people think prospecting is a form of punishment. I think it’s the best part of a thriving, noble sales career. Turning prospecting over to software is the last thing I’d ever want to do.

AI may be helpful, but don’t let it take the joy out of sales just yet!

Let me tell you a story.

For the Love of Prospecting

Prospecting is one of the best parts of being a salesperson.

I learned to love prospecting early in my career from the book The People Principle, by Ron Willingham. One of his key lessons was that sales is one of the greatest acts of helping others get what they want. Prospecting is simply offering to be of service to people who would benefit greatly from your help. In fact, not prospecting, especially to people in your sphere of influence, is far worse than worrying you’re bugging them (a common fear). If you don’t reach out, they risk working with someone else (or buying an inferior product) than you can offer. Why would you put your sphere into that kid of jeopardy?

I remember one sentence that brought this concept home for me:

That’s why prospecting isn’t a punishment. It’s one of the best parts of the process.

Please don’t make me call!

My first sales job as a teenager was telemarketing for Sears.

I called 80-100 people a day by telephone, equipped with little more than my knowledge, voice, and enthusiasm. (We didn’t have email, texting, video calls or even emojis back then.) I sold maintenance agreements - a kind of repair-insurance policy for appliances after warranties expire - for between $25 and $75 per appliance per year.

Every day after school, I sold $500-$800 worth of policies by telephone. We even called up to 9 o’clock in the evening and on Saturdays! (😱)

Nowadays, when I teach salespeople to make phone calls, they look like they want to throw up. They’re quick to suggest everything and anything other than picking up the phone: texting, emailing, even twerking on social media.

To which I ask: If you’re a salesperson, why are you so afraid of talking to people?

Some salespeople confuse advertising with prospecting. For some reason, they seem less anxious about talking to people who call them first. It’s especially challenging for new salespeople, who don’t have the money to do the amount of advertising it takes to fill their pipeline that way. So they are always looking for “cheap” advertising activities like emailing, texting, and trying to go viral online ….

… most of which has an average “return” rate of 1% - 5%. Sadly, this is why over 60% of new real estate salespeople don’t make it very long in the business.

If AI Steals Your Job’s Joy, It Will Be Your Own Fault

So it’s not surprising that so many salespeople are almost giddy with the prospect that AI will prospect for them (sorry about that sentence). Basically, they’re praying that AI will finally save them from having to ever pick up the phone again!

“Prospects can talk to my AI,” an agent told me last week. I know, I know: AI can connect your database to email, look up addresses in neighborhoods and FSBOs and send them interactive synthetic voice-bot-calls. It can even simulate you with an avatar that “looks and sounds like you.” All while you’re sleeping.

And especially without asking you to actually contact anyone.

Sadly, everyone’s worried that AI will replace them on their job —
At the same time, they’re letting AI rob the JOY of their job voluntarily.

I remember one particular sale, early in my telemarketing days, that made prospecting matter to me.

I called a prospect, Mary, and opened with small talk. I shared my purpose for calling, and Mary took a long pause. After a deep breath, she shared that her husband used to take care of that, but he recently passed away. She wasn’t sure she had the budget to renew, or what they did for her.

Here I was, a 16-year-old and new salesperson, interjecting myself into a difficult moment in a stranger’s life. I was tempted to apologize and end the call. But something came to mind.

After expressing condolences, I told her there was no need to decide immediately. She had two months remaining on her policies. I then followed my idea:

“Mary, there’s something I’d like to do for you at this time that costs absolutely nothing, with no obligation,” I said.

“What’s that?” she asked.

“I’d like to send out a Sears technician to perform your annual preventative maintenance checks on your washer-dryer and refrigerator. This way, if you decide not to renew, you will have recently had them checked. We will take care of anything before your coverage runs out,” I said.

“I don’t know what they should look for,” she said.

“No problem,” I said. “That’s our job. If we find anything, we’ll take care of it. Whatever you decide later about renewing, you will have a little peace of mind that they’re in good shape.”

“Peace of mind,” Mary repeated. “That’s exactly what I need right now.”

A week later, I received a copy of the service call notes.

Mary’s washer was fine, but her refrigerator had been running poorly. The technician replaced a fan motor, cleaned condenser coils, and replaced the door seal. He cleaned a lot of lint from the dryer exhaust as a fire precaution.

I picked up the phone and called Mary.

“The technician showed me everything,” she said. “I had no idea, but I’m grateful you suggested that checkup. I don’t have to worry about them for a while. So, I guess I’ll renew,” she said.

“I’m glad we took care of those issues,” I said, “But Mary, I don’t think you should renew your policies. You’re paying $200 now for coverage on only three appliances. There’s a better solution. We offer blanket coverage for all of your appliances. You won’t have to worry about any of them. But, Mary, to be honest, it costs $400. I don’t know if you have that kind of budget.”

“That’s double!” she said.

“Yes, and I only suggest it because the last time we talked, you said you could really use some peace of mind. That’s why I suggest you consider the bigger policy that will cover all of your appliances for at least a year,” I answered.

“Everything?” she said.
“Everything,” I said.

After a pause, she said, “What’s your name again?”
“Matthew,” I reminded her.

“That was my husband’s name,” she said. “I guess he’s still looking after me.”

The Joy of Prospecting

Looking out for Mary, and all the Marys like her, is why you prospect.

Prospecting is how you care about your sphere of influence. It’s the first act of service with someone you truly believe is better off with you than without you in their life.

And that’s why I don’t understand the urge to let software, social media algorithms, or artificial intelligence do that part for you.

A great salesperson loves being that person of value to their sphere. They love the feeling that comes with offering to help those people in any way they can. That’s what prospecting means. Letting AI do that instead would deprive you of those moments to learn what really matters to them.

They don’t tell that to advertising.
They don’t tell that to marketing.
And I promise they won’t tell your avatar they really could use some peace of mind.

So, yes, use AI to research markets, identify prospects, and organize your database.

But don’t let it steal the joy of your job by reaching out instead of you!

The day I decide to do that is the day I hope a friend reminds me it’s time to retire.

— M

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Ten Ways I Would Use AI (with Prompts) to Help Me Prospect 👇👇

Like I said, I’m not against using AI to help me succeed in sales. So here are ten different ways I would use AI to help me do my prospecting as best as possible (with prompts you can copy and try).

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What was the difference between those approaches? Some people have learned that there’s no reason to be afraid of a “new normal.”

Ever.

Let me tell you a story.

Lions, Tigers, and Real Estate Trends

When change occurs, people tend to see the problems rather than the possibilities.

We know intellectually that change is constant: Even though adaptability is our superpower as humans, the magic only happens when we see the ability to deal with those moments of life and change, for ourselves and our clients.

To the extent that we succeed, it is by turning cautions into calculated risks.

[download the ebook “8 Ways to Turn Cautions into Calculated Risks]

So new normals shouldn’t worry us.

For an industry that has undergone so much change in the last four decades, I’m amazed at the amount of hyperventilating about change that still happens. There’s never not been a change-boogeyman in our business. Or a lack of people proclaiming the arrival of some “new normal” that you just have to deal with or be eliminated.

Just think of all the things we’ve handled in the last four decades:

The advent of buyer agency
The arrival of MLS systems
The internet and social media
Banks, techbros and various other disintermediaries
For-Sale-By-Owner websites
Discount brokers, 100% commissions and pyramid-schemes
Real estate portals, data aggregators and internet scrapers
Private equity
The pandemic
Lawsuits
M&As
Artificial intelligence

And lots more.

Yet Each and Every Time

You dealt with those changes just fine.

Most “new normals” quickly became our new foundations for higher achievement. Today, we prospect FSBOs more easily because we can find them faster, now that they’re on the web. Buyer agency lawsuits upgraded the average income of thousands of agents compared to the old ways of being paid (and mostly not being paid). Techbros have introduced gadgets that are now considered ordinary. We even sold over six million homes during the pandemic!

We should probably love new normals, not fear them, by now.

Still, “Is this a new normal?” never fails to provoke anxiety, as in a post seen this week on Facebook….

… which quickly sent dozens of people down the rabbit hole. Somehow they’d forgotten that interest rates change every hour of every day. Just the idea that there might be a new normal at a higher level sent people into a spin.

Looking back on it, I’m pleased with my immediate response:

Taming the Lions and Tigers and Trends

I recall a time when this would not have been my first reaction. More likely, I’d have obsessed about the new normal, too. So how did I come to see new normals as opportunities instead?

The short answer was learning to pay more respect to my abilities than my doubts.

The long answer requires a little story.

Early in my career, a REALTOR Association client called with a unique proposition:

“I heard that you are taking tech calls for some of our brokers. We want you to run a technical support hotline for our entire association. Want to do it?” she asked.

I was so surprised by the suggestion that I didn’t know what to say. So she continued, “That’s over 2000 members.”

“That’s impossible,” I immediately reacted. “We do training. We answer a few calls a day as a courtesy to a few brokers. We don’t know anything about running a full help desk!”

“Nothing yet,” she said. “But you could learn.”

Doubts flooded my mind. “I only have two employees. We’re open nine to five. You have 2000 members who could call about anything at any time!” I even said something silly like, “Besides, I only have a two-line phone system!”

“All true. But you could hire more people, expand hours, and install more phone lines,” my client laughed. “We’re willing to be your first customer to help you pay for it.”

“I don’t know,” I pushed back.

“Take a few days to figure it out, and call me back,” she said. She wasn’t taking no for an answer.

I hung up the phone and wanted to throw up.

A Scary New Normal?

I talked to my people about the proposal. None of us had ever thought about running a help desk. Or hiring more people, creating multiple shifts, or moving to a bigger office (which we’d eventually need). We had no idea how to do any of it, and it was very intimidating.

So I called my mentor. After listening carefully, he said, “There’s no evidence you can’t do it. What’s holding you back is just doubt.”

“I don’t understand,” I said.

“Doubts aren’t real. They’re imaginations, not data. Doubts make you think you’re avoiding danger when you are really missing an opportunity,” he tried again.

“But,” I said, “What if I fail?”

“What if you tried doubting your doubts instead? Since it’s equally possible that you could not fail. Set aside the doubt and explore the question: What if you succeed?”

The Power of Doubting Our Doubts

Doubts aren’t real. They’re simply possibilities.

And when faced with a new situation, it’s just as likely you’ll succeed as you might fail. Most people think doubts somehow point out real dangers. But often that’s not what they’re doing at all: because doubts aren’t data, they are a defense mechanism.

Over time, I’ve trained myself to doubt my doubts, rather than my abilities, when facing a change. When we give ourselves permission to expect success rather than failure, we become open to actions. We give more attention — more power — to the likelihood of handling the change effectively.

By doubting doubts, we reframe new normals as signals of opportunity, rather than signs of trouble. That’s what makes it possible to turn new normals into new foundations for additional success.

Ten Years of Growth Instead

Two weeks after the initial call, we signed an agreement to build a help desk for the entire association. We still had a lot to figure out. But once we reframed our doubts with expectations of success, we started having a lot of fun shaping it. We experimented with new processes, explored new technology, and built habits that would become the foundations of more than ten years of future growth. In just a few months, we discovered we enjoyed the work very much: helping resolve dozens of calls a day was very rewarding!

“Glad you’re enjoying it,” said my client on our next status call. “Because I’ve already called the adjoining state association, and they want you to offer the service to their members, too. That’s another 2500 people for you. Think you can handle it?”

“No doubt,” I said with a smile.

Little did I know that setting aside my doubts would eventually lead to growing my company to handle tens of thousands of calls for hundreds of thousands of users each month, helping them succeed in their businesses, too! For the next ten years, growth, profitability, and fun were the new normal.

With nothing to fear.

So what could a new normal create for you, too?

—M

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Four New Normals I Think You Should Explore Today

Here are four “new normals” in real estate you might challenge your doubts about and explore their signals for other kinds of growth. Let me know what you think in the comments. 👇

Doubt: AI is going to eliminate my role as an agent or manager.

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Good News in Real Estate & Business

• U.S. housing inventory is improving, with active listings up roughly 15–20% year-over-year in many regions, giving buyers more options without sharp price declines, says the National Associat…

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