Fall has arrived, and it’s that time of the year when I start a mental inventory of the things I’ve achieved over the course of the year, what I have to do before the holidays and — maybe most importantly — what I have planned for the year ahead.

Most brokerages are doing the same, and while much of their focus over the last few years has been on recruitment of new brokers, in this cooling market, their attention is increasingly turning to retainment. In our survey of Chicagoland agents this month, we learned that nearly one in five brokers is considering jumping ship for a different brokerage, and it’s not just because the market is slowing down.

This month’s cover story spotlights the efforts of some of the top brokerages across Chicagoland to learn what steps they’re taking to keep their brokers engaged and supported in a rapidly adjusting market.

We also hear from Jack Miller, CEO of real estate data firm T3 Sixty and co-author of the Swanepoel Trends Report, on a range of topics including new investment in the real estate sector, continued housing inventory shortages and what’s in store for the industry over the next 12 months.

Looking for innovative ways to retain your own brokers? Real estate coach Ken Goodfellow offers some solid advice in this month’s Top Coach column. We also hear from our friends over at the REALTOR® Association of the Fox Valley this month in our Association News feature, where CEO Chris Studebaker explains how real estate associations are now more important than ever.

We’d be remiss not to toot our own horn this month about one of our favorite events of the year — and our first time holding it since before the pandemic — which was the September release party for our annual Who’s Who in Chicagoland Real Estate issue. Thanks to everyone who made it out, and a special thanks to Cirrus Chicago for hosting the event. We’re also eager to announce the launch of our newest Who’s Who edition in Lake Geneva! All the details are in this month’s issue!