Compared to a couple years ago, today’s market can seem bleak … But one person’s bleak is someone else’s normal. It’s all about perspective.

First-time homebuyers, who have more hurdles to entering the housing market than their counterparts five or 10 years ago did … In this issue, In this month’s cover story, we examine how agents are working with first-time buyers, from explaining the basics to guiding clients through the complexities of the homebuying process.

As my fingers hovered over my laptop keyboard, I paused. “Do I really want to do this?” I thought. In the ChatGPT prompt, I typed: Write an editor letter for Chicago Agent magazine’s annual tech issue.

We hope the information you find in this luxury issue will help you take advantage of the spring selling season and prepare for the summer ahead.

I don’t mind sharing that I can be a bit of a data nerd. I love to track statistics over time and see how they evolve … It makes sense, then, that this is perhaps my favorite issue of Chicago Agent.

Patrick Regan, Chicago Agent’s new managing editor, takes readers through our latest lending issue. Are your buyers still pining for 2021 interest rates? Are they struggling to accept the reality of today’s rates? These stories may offer some guidance.

Gettting back to basics: It’s a recurring theme in this month’s cover story, where we speak with top producers about their approaches to finding success in a cooling market.

A boring, predictable year could just be what the industry needs out of 2023. And although we’re not brave enough to suggest exactly what will happen this year, it seems likely, barring any unforeseen world events getting in the way.

Once again, we’ve assembled our annual panel of experts to read the tea leaves and tell us what they see in our annual Predictions issue.

As I was working on this month’s issue, it stood out to me how supportive those in the Chicagoland real estate industry are of their colleagues. It’s something you just don’t see in a lot of other industries.

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. Learn more in our latest issue.

There’s no real standard when it comes to commissions and bonuses for new construction, so it’s a little like the Wild West out there. Our latest issue, though, shines a spotlight on the industry.

In our official Rookie issue, Chicago Agent is spotlighting industry newcomers. How are they adapting? Has their training been effective in an unprecedented market?

Chicagoland agents tell us in this month’s issue that irrespective of which tactics you choose, when it comes to marketing your business, be prepared to step out of your comfort zone.

The best real estate tech stack doesn’t truly exist because every agent has their own tech needs. That’s why we release our tech-focused issue every year to provide a roadmap on which tech solutions are working for top agents across Chicagoland.

Our expert sources also walk us through some of the more nuanced services high-end buyers are expecting and how those preferences differ between millennial, Gen X and baby-boomer homebuyers. Which neighborhoods are the hottest? We’ve got you covered on that one, too.