From your first day on the job to your biggest listing, we want to hear about your best day ever in real estate.

Iad Group CEO Clément Delpirou explained the shared challenges in agent recruitment, retention, technology and adjusting to a shifting market at Inman Connect New York on Tuesday.

Zillow and UWM executives are optimistic mortgage rates will come back down but advised real estate agents at Inman Connect New York on Tuesday to get familiar with affordability tools like interest-rate buydowns.

James Becker, Nancy Almodovar and Richard Grossman spoke at Inman Connect New York on Tuesday about strategies they've employed recently to generate new business.

Realtor.com

A historic bank building in Pawtucket, RI , is ready to lock up a sale.

Built in 1901 as Providence County Savings Bank, the four-floor, 10,452-square-foot neoclassical building is listed for $749,000. While no longer a bank, the structure could find new life as any number of different spaces.

One fixture that’s not going anywhere is the eye-popping basement vault.

“It’s in amazing shape and pristine on the interior and very well-preserved,” says listing agent Kira Greene, with Compass. “The vault has really captured people’s imaginations.”

Executives at four prominent real estate tech startups have diversified their product offerings in an effort to survive the market turmoil, which they discussed on Tuesday at Inman Connect New York.

At Inman Connect New York on Tuesday, Joe Skousen and Grier Allen discussed how technology leaders should look for ways to simplify agents' lives, enhancing their productivity and eliminating mundane tasks.

Bob Groody of Maxwell and Shant Banosian of Guaranteed Rate discussed the current state of creative financing tools for consumers at Inman Connect New York on Tuesday.

Realtor.com

Mirror, mirror, on the wall—who’s the fairest of them all? A breathtaking visual illusion in the desert, of course!

Just outside of Palm Springs in Joshua Tree, CA, lies one of the most spectacular desert homes ever built. But you have to look closely, or you just might miss it.

That’s because this massive beauty creates the optical illusion of blending seamlessly into the landscape, thanks to its mirrored facade.

Known as the Invisible House, the 5,470-square-foot stunner sits on a massive 67.5-acre lot, surrounded by a natural landscape. The only thing you can see for miles through the reflective glass is the breathtaking scenery.

A slate of new companies backed by institutional investors is offering ways for owners to tap home equity. They made their pitch on Tuesday at Inman Connect New York.

As the market continues to slow down on its way to normalization, it's more important now than ever that brokers effectively recruit top talent.

Panelists at Inman Connect New York on Tuesday said that brokers err by not having written plans, not being flexible and other shortcomings.

At ICNY on Tuesday, OJO Labs Chief Real Estate Officer Chris Heller and Nest Seekers International Chief Economist Erin Sykes explained why real estate agents need to pay less attention to national data and dig into local insights.

Realtor.com

The owners of an architectural marvel in New Marlborough, MA, are hoping to reel in $15.5 million for their extraordinary 300-acre estate.

Known as Vergelegen, the 4,273-square-foot main house offers spectacular views of the Berkshire Hills and Taconic Mountains.

But the star attraction? That would be the home’s array of manual mechanisms that control some of its finest features.

The design of the 10-bedroom house is the brainchild of its art historian homeowners, along with U.S. architect Tom Kundig, British landscape architect Tom Stuart-Smith, and a Berkshires-based master builder.

HGTV

Who would have guessed that former “Teen Mom” star Chelsea DeBoer would wind up with her own home renovation show?

On “Down Home Fab,” Chelsea and her husband, Cole, prove that they have real talent making over homes for clients in their hometown of Sioux Falls, SD.

In the episode “Cozy Sophisticated,” they help renovate the home of Jenny, a real estate agent, and Neil, a pastor. Given their professions and connections throughout the community, the pressure is definitely on!

“I feel like this is kind of a big one,” says Chelsea. “She knows a lot of people in that home space. This could really be huge for us, or it could be really bad for us.”

Kirby Hamilton/iStock

Consider a loan modification a lifeline for homeowners in trouble. If you’ve been hit with financial hardships that hamper your ability to pay the mortgage, there are options other than foreclosure or selling your home. One is to get a loan modification, which is basically an agreement with your lender to change the terms of your loan.

Loans can be modified in various ways. For instance, the lender may lower the interest rate; extend the length of the loan; or allow a homeowner to skip payments until he’s found a new job, adding those missed payments to the principal to pay later. The terms all depend on the homeowner’s specific circumstances, but the goal is ultimately the same: to provide financial relief for homeowners who are struggling to pay their mortgage.

So why would lenders agree to take less money? According to mortgage expert Tom Pasqualini of Hudson United, it’s a way to keep your business rather than losing you if you refinance with another lender at a lower interest rate. Keep in mind, not everyone will qualify for a loan modification. Pasqualini puts the odds conservatively at 50-50—but you’ll never know until you ask.

How to get a loan modification

If you think you might need a loan modification, “you need to start the process quickly—as soon as you realize there might be a problem,” says Adela Z. Ulloa, whose law office specializes in mortgage loan modifications.

"There are casualties in every war, but casualties come from egos and lack of action," Ben Kinney told an audience at Inman Connect New York on Tuesday.

Top agents Jordan Cohen of RE/MAX and Santiago Arana of The Agency spoke at Inman Connect New York on Tuesday about their strategies for racking up listings, and how they got them when they were first starting out in the industry. 

The independent mortgage lender is now sending homeowners who are interested in converting their home equity into cash over to EasyKnock to explore a sale-leaseback.

Nestfully will offer seamless desktop, mobile and native iOS and Android app experiences and provide the latest listing and just-sold information, according to company.