Just north of New York City sits a century-old castle with gothic-style windows, original stained glass, carved stone gate pillars, and a chandelier in nearly every room. Listed at $1.8 million for a 4-bedroom, 3-bath property, the home is part of the short-lived “storybook” style that surfaced in the 1920s before more practical Tudor Revival and Ranch homes took over. Few of these ornate castles remain, but those that do stand out in a sea of traditional builds and modern boxes.

What do you think—should Storybook homes make a comeback?

Bennett Richardson, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at the National Association of Realtors, says one of NAR’s biggest challenges is making sure its 1.5 million members feel seen, supported, and able to benefit from the progress the association is making. With so many competing priorities—from advocacy to technology and member resources—that hasn’t always been easy. In this conversation on Glennda’s Guru, Bennett shares how NAR is working to better communicate its value, rebuild trust, and help Realtors make fuller use of the tools and support available to them. Whether you’re a member or watching the association from the outside, it’s a worthwhile discussion.

Housing inventory slipped into negative territory year over year last week, according to HousingWire—a surprising turnaround after a long stretch of inventory growth. The total number of homes on the market still rose on a weekly basis, but not by enough to outpace the same week last year. The report says two factors are to blame: the Memorial Day holiday which slowed new listings and a broader national decline in supply growth. The takeaway is that inventory isn’t suddenly changing, but the pace of improvement has cooled recently as mortgage rates have stayed below 7% and demand has held up better than expected. 

By the numbers:

📖 FBM in OKC. Designer Paige Wassel shares her top Facebook finds in Oklahoma City.

👀 Mariah and Marilyn. Tour Mariah’s $27M penthouse to find out what these two iconic women have in common. 

👀 The Oaks at Old Ranch Road. This cozy quiet cottage offers a private ranch experience just minutes from LA.

💡 Tax tips. How some long-time owners are delaying the tax hit while still cashing in. 

💡 Profit paradigm. Why passive income properties aren’t all that passive—but still offer huge profit potential.

Fifth Wall is now the most active, invested, and closely watched fund pouring capital into real estate tech and future-focused PropTech startups across the industry. If there’s a new player dominating any aspect of real estate technology today, you can bet Fifth Wall either discovered them or is one of their biggest investors. That’s what gives Fifth Wall CEO & CIO Brendan Wallace a uniquely informed perspective on AI, real estate innovation, and human connection. 

If you’re still struggling to implement real estate tools or AI processes in your buying and selling workflows, this conversation on Rise Above the Ranks can help. Learn how to take his #1 lesson for agents—just start using it—and run with a new set of tools that make you faster, smarter, and more profitable in this actionable conversation for agents at any stage of their business.

Real estate investing isn’t just about short-term rentals and long-term leases. One potentially profitable path is turning the right property into an event venue, but one tip worth knowing early is this: find a good local event planner before you buy, not after. They can tell you whether a property actually works for events, what local demand looks like, and how much the space could realistically command. 

For more advice on event venue investing, check out this edition of The Playbook.

Inman Luxury Connect | San Diego, CA | July 27 - 28, 2026
The industry’s premier event for elite agents and brokers in the luxury space hosts immersive discussions, interactive workshops, top-tier networking events, and a roster of speakers including James Harris, Jason Oppenheim, and Jade Mills.

Tom Ferry’s Success Summit | Anaheim, CA | August 3 - 5, 2026
Among all the real estate conferences 2026 has to offer, none match the scale, energy, or impact of Tom Ferry Summit 2026 — where the industry's most driven agents, team leaders, and brokers converge for three days of cutting-edge strategy and inspiration that turn ambition into action.

Sotheby's International Realty Global Networking Event | San Francisco, CA | October 5 - 8, 2026
The Global Networking Event (GNE) is the brand’s signature event designed for sales associates, managers, and broker/owners. GNE brings the Sotheby’s International Realty community together, giving agents and our network the opportunity to build connections, fuel referrals, and tap into a powerful channel of inspiration and motivation.

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