It goes without saying that 2021 was full of real issues for the real estate industry — from the continuing pandemic to the subsequent inventory shortages. But it was also full of real solutions. Check out Atlanta Agent’s most-read Real Issues features to learn from our expert sources and, overall, to consider the year in retrospect.

No. 5: RPAC is always asking for money. Where do those dollars go?

As the political fundraising arm of the National Association of REALTORS®, RPAC solicits voluntary contributions from Realtors — more than $5 million during the 2018 election cycle. It uses those funds to help elect candidates across the political landscape who understand and support real estate interests — at all levels of government.

No. 4: What’s new in new construction

In a way, the nation’s homebuilders were in an enviable position this year: There was not enough of their product out there to meet the ravenous demand of customers — not by a long shot. Of course, it’s not that simple.

No. 3: Getting started is easy; moving forward is hard, particularly for Black agents

That first year in real estate is an insurmountable hurdle for a lot of new agents, particularly Black agents, who are underrepresented in the industry. In 2016, moreover, they earned less than half what their white counterparts did on average.

No. 2: The do’s and don’ts of dual agency

The simplest way to maintain a good reputation and stay on the right side of the law is to trust your gut and consider how you’d want your own family members to be treated in a real estate transaction.

No. 1: The trouble with appraisals: How the wild market is making it harder to get financing

Homebuyers lucky enough to win a bidding war these days are increasingly running headlong into appraisals that don’t match — or even come close to — the agreed sales price, leaving them with limited ways to close the sale.