WELCOME

If you like a good redemption story, you’ll love the plans for Elizabeth Taylor’s longtime Bel Air home. While the 7,000-square-foot ranch was originally purchased as a tear-down, the buyer recently decided to go a new direction—a $47M redevelopment that would turn a few of her original rooms into the “Elizabeth Taylor wing” while adding a screening room, spa, “pajama room,” and even a 4,500-square-foot retractable roof for stargazing. 

The developer says he’s approaching the project as if Taylor herself were the client—and with enough cash to give her former home the full Hollywood treatment.

SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS: Today’s Top Podcast Rec 🔊

What makes a Realtor’s expertise visible before a client ever thinks to hire them? In this episode of Glennda’s Guru, NAR Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Bennett Richardson talks with Glennda about turning your market knowledge into useful content, using real transaction stories to build trust in case-study form, and why expertise matters more than just posting more often. Watch the conversation for practical ideas on integrating storytelling, proving your credibility, and making your value easier to see early on.

TRACK THE MARKET: Builders and buyers beware

The housing market lost a bit more momentum in July as affordability weighed on both buyers and builders. Analysts point to upper-6% mortgage rates and record-high home prices in many regions as the key factors making a new (or new-to-you) home a purchase that’s harder to justify, and those slowing sales give builders less incentive to take on the cost and risk of new developments. The result is a market where activity is slowing ahead of the seasonally slow season, drawing out time-on-market and making builders more cautious about adding to the supply.

By the numbers:

• Single-family housing starts fell 9.9% in July to an annualized rate of 808,000 units, the lowest level since November 2022.

• Pending existing-home sales dropped 2.3% for the month, reaching their lowest level since January.

• Single-family building permits rose 2.5%, suggesting builders are still getting ready for future demand if financing conditions improve.

• The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 6.77%, keeping borrowing costs near their highest level in more than a year.

DIVE IN

The Friday Five

📖 Shop these saves. Gift ideas and style upgrades from interior designer Paige Wassel. 

👀 Kesha cashes in. Instead of lowering the price on her stale listing, Kesha did the opposite—and it sold.

👀 Resale value. This celebrity home has been the investment that keeps paying big. 

💡 Networking like a mother. How the $9B agent, Jade Mills, started with the leads right in front of her. 

💡 Add 20%. He built a container home that pulls 6-figures in income. Here’s his advice for your investment project.

WHAT’S NEW FROM ESTATE MEDIA

Soaring scale—or self-sustaining sanctuary?

Which is more your style: A custom-designed Ken Ungar estate with soaring ceilings, spacious modern spaces, and the perfect balance of entertainment amenities and family areas, or a self-sustainable farmhouse on nine rolling acres with private hiking trails, natural wellness spaces, and once-in-a-generation mansion just minutes from Brentwood?

Join Tracy Tutor for an in-depth walkthrough of both unforgettable estates and the design details that make them some of the most desirable listings in the LA area in this episode of Estate Elegance—then vote on your favorite listing in the comments below.

FEATURED LUXURY LISTING

TIPS & TAKEAWAYS

Building a repeat-referral network

More than a quarter of many agents’ business comes from referrals, which makes agent-to-agent relationships worth cultivating intentionally. To build strong ones, start by making connections in feeder markets, clarifying your referral fee, and positioning yourself as the local expert other agents can trust with their clients. Then, when a referral comes through, follow up quickly and keep the referring agent in the loop so the relationship keeps working long after that initial transaction.

Read this edition of The Blueprint for more ways to strengthen your referral network and turn agent relationships into a steady source of business.

HANGS & HAPPENINGS

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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