The market

On a scale of 1-10, how confident are you in the housing market?

Fran Broude, Coldwell Banker: I would give it an 8. The reality is that Illinois continues to see a large exodus to other states because of the various uncertainties we face for long-term stability and success. This will bode well for listings in the short term, but we need more confidence in our local and state governments to effectively run our communities to make them enticing to transferees and to retain longtime residents who are now looking to make a change.

Marki Lemons-Ryhal, Marki Lemons Unlimited, Inc.: On a scale of 1-10, my confidence score in real estate for 2018 is 7.75. Teams will continue to grow, and I believe there is a need for niche teams that focus on millennials. If an agent could put together a program that trains recent college graduates on how to purchase multi-family buildings of three to four units, students could use the rental income to offset their debt-to-income ratios and qualify to purchase.