2021 was a wild year for real estate and Chicago Agent covered it all, from COVID-era protections and court rulings to charting changes within large national firms. Take a look at which stories from the year generated the most interest with our readers.

No. 10: Housing market simmers down, but pending sales are still up

Back in June, the housing market appeared to be cooling off according to a report from Redfin.

No. 9: Missing apostrophe in Facebook post lands real estate agent in court

An Australian real estate agent’s failure to use proper punctuation in a Facebook post could cost him tens of thousands of dollars, according to a report by The New York Times.

No. 8: It’s a seller’s market, Fannie Mae survey shows

According to Fannie Mae’s survey of home purchase sentiment back in May, Americans believed it was a much better time to sell a home than to buy one.

No. 7: Here’s what 2021 buyers want in a kitchen

At the start of 2021, the U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study revealed that homeowners wanted surplus storage, built-in organization, island appliances and pops of color in their kitchens.

No. 6: Ending 1031s hurts land conservation, farmers

“The land conservation and farming communities need to come together and let Congress know how vital the like-kind exchange is to the future of our land and that it must continue,” wrote special contributor Dan Wagner.

No. 5: @properties goes global with purchase of Christie’s International Real Estate

Last month, @properties announced its plan to purchase Christie’s International Real Estate and expand on an international scale. It’s big news for the Chicago-based brokerage.

No. 4: Zillow closes Zillow Offers, announces layoffs

The real estate community is still reacting to the news that Zillow is ending its iBuyer service, Zillow Offers, and cutting roughly a quarter of its workforce.

No. 3: Here are the 10 most powerful people in real estate in 2021

The Swanepoel Power 200 ranked leaders from all sectors of the residential real estate industry based on three months of research and more than 400 hours of analysis. The list included Richard Barton, Gary Keller and Bob Goldberg.

No. 2: MRED launches revamped private listings network

In April, the Midwest Real Estate Data listing service rolled out a new feature aiming to make accessing private listings easier and faster.

No. 1: U.S. Supreme Court rejects CDC eviction moratorium

Throughout 2021, the country anxiously awaited all news regarding the nationwide eviction moratorium. And in June, the Supreme Court ruled to end that moratorium sooner than expected in a decision which NAR called a “massive victory for property rights.” The ruling became our most-read national news last year.