Inman

The DOJ dropped its criminal probe of Fed Chair Jerome Powell Friday, clearing a key Senate hurdle for Kevin Warsh's confirmation. buff.ly/naftDh1

The legal tit-for-tat over MLS rules blocking coming-soon listings has been ongoing for a year in a Washington court. buff.ly/Owi0s7Y

Looking for a quick catch-up on the buzziest stories of the week? Here’s Inman Top 5, the most essential stories, according to Inman readers. buff.ly/fd1fa2E

Katie Lance highlights the online shift in AI-driven search and the importance of consistent social media content for visibility. buff.ly/uOqzmif

Sam Stair, owner of S2 Real Estate Group, has been accused of renting homes and apartments to drug traffickers for use as "stash houses" and "trap houses," according to a criminal complaint. buff.ly/bbzvXva

In the fastest markets, more than 1 in 3 homes sell within a week. In the slowest, listings sit for months, Zillow's latest data finds. buff.ly/oRhyuf8

MRED will offer any licensed agent at a brokerage access to its Private Listing Network that allows for pre-marketed listings. buff.ly/LdmPotS

If you're already trying to save your summer pipeline, Rachael Hite writes, it's time to get started. Let's talk about the market shift. buff.ly/tTqrbnq

Your preferred lender should be a strategic extension of your business, coach Darryl Davis writes: someone actively invested in your growth and your clients' success. buff.ly/7bX5s9X

There's one question that real estate professionals are asked more than any other, and the way you answer it changes everything, Jimmy Burgess writes. buff.ly/DfTpL5H

Buffini & Company has named Darin Dawson its new CEO while founder Brian Buffini steps into a chairman role, a leadership shift the Carlsbad, California-based coaching company says is designed to drive its next era of growth. buff.ly/MmNJfS4

Stop worrying about the way you feel about your performance, Julie Escobar writes, and start looking at the ways you've proven your expertise in the past. buff.ly/orQisZ8

Agents are experiencing a shift from being compensated for participating in the transaction to being compensated for how they shape the decisions that lead to it, broker-owner Deb Siefkin. buff.ly/AGzsv0D

If listings are the foundation of the real estate market, why are so many decisions being made without agent input? Robert Smith asks. buff.ly/VmWlvjI

More than a third of homesellers working with Coldwell Banker-affiliated agents hold mortgage rates below 5 percent and are still planning to list this spring, new survey data shows, an early sign the lock-in effect may be loosening. buff.ly/kQVsBMi

Brands by Integra has acquired Phoenix brokerage CITIEA, marking the national network's first Arizona deal and the start of a planned southwest expansion. The partnership brings 72SOLD founder Greg Hague into a national listing strategy role and adds CITIEA's nearly 1,700 annual transactions and approximately $1 billion in volume to Brands by Integra's 18-state platform. buff.ly/S2hyx2h

Property taxes are rising fast in 2026, shocking homeowners and straining budgets. Most still aren’t appealing their tax bills despite growing pressure. buff.ly/HIAORJa

Compass and Century 21 execs say the future of consolidation hinges on unified tech platforms, stronger agent support and measurable consumer value. buff.ly/3IEfSQy

Once recruiting is done, it's time for brokers to start looking at the amount of income they're making per agent, Joe Killinger writes. buff.ly/X9Z7asb

NAR's Lawrence Yun outlines a cautious 2026 housing market outlook, citing mortgage rate volatility, oil price shocks and shifting consumer sentiment as key forces shaping a slower, uncertain recovery. buff.ly/O3vojob