These brokers cover it all, from developing a thorough market analysis to creating a marketing plan, budgeting for the year ahead and organizing each workday. Their thoughts may motivate you to tweak your own business plan or confirm that you are right on track.

For our annual Predictions issue, we talk to the experts — the biggest names in Chicagoland real estate. What are the things that agents need to be cognizant of as they head into the new year? And how will COVID-19 continue to impact the real estate industry?

A nurturing office culture doesn’t happen overnight. Supportive, sturdy leadership by the managing broker is crucial, as is providing the right level of support for agents and clients.

Taking time to give back to those in need not only enriches their lives, but also sets an example future generations will want to follow.

We asked you, our readers, about the causes that are near and dear to your heart.

Acknowledging the vast opportunities that real estate does offer, a former Los Angeles wedding planner, a Chicago Mercantile Exchange trader and a suburban Chicago millennial all launched their real estate careers just before the onslaught of the worldwide deadly virus.

Under the new Real Estate License Act, new licensees have a post-license education requirement of 45 hours dedicated to professionalism.

With a new app popping up seemingly daily, how do agents know which tech companies to trust to make their lives easier while also staying true to their own brand? We spoke to some of today’s most revolutionary tech companies to find out how they’re helping agents both build and strengthen their businesses.

Over the decades, Chicago developers and builders have moved from the traditional two-flat and bungalow-style homes to investing in different options for affordable housing, like infill construction, modular-type homes and flexible buildings. Is it working, and what will the landscape of entry-level housing look like in the near future?

This year marks an incredible opportunity for the industry, and the individuals in our 2020 Who’s Who in Chicagoland Residential Real Estate issue are the ones who will rise to meet the demands of today and tomorrow.