In March 2026, Anthropic published a study that every real estate professional needs to read. Not to panic. To plan. The research, published March 5, 2026, by Anthropic economists Maxim Massenkoff and Peter McCrory, is titled “Labor market impacts of AI: A new measure and early evidence.” Here’s the number that stopped me cold: AI […]
Author: Mark D. Johnson
Mark D. Johnson, MBA, is Managing Partner of Recruiting Insight and the former CEO of the nation's 35th largest brokerage firm, which he grew roughly fivefold to $8 billion in annual sales. A real estate broker since 2000 and a California licensed broker, he is adjunct faculty at Chapman University and South Orange County Community College District, and author or co-author of six California real estate textbooks and the book Up In Your Business. He coaches broker-owners, managers and recruiters on recruiting, retention and leadership.
The Last Hiring Cycle You’ll Run the Old Way
The smartest people in the room are asking the wrong questions. Those aren’t bad questions. They’re just questions for a world that’s already ending. The Claude Code Moment Earlier this year, Anthropic’s Claude Code didn’t improve software development. It retired the entry-level software engineer as a job category. Not in 2030. Now. The industry moved […]
The Elephant in the Bullpen: What I’ve Discovered About the “Unfaceable”
We’ve all heard the clichés about “grinding” and “hustle” in this industry. But after years in the trenches watching CEOs scale, recruiters hunt, and top-tier MLOs and agents hit their ceilings I’ve discovered that the real barrier to the next level isn’t a lack of effort. It’s avoidance. There is a fundamental truth I’ve had […]
The Brick Wall in Your Business? It Is Actually Your Roadmap.
I was talking to a colleague recently who was convinced the sky was falling. Between the inventory ups and downs and the latest round of law suits and regulatory headaches, they felt like they were constantly playing defense. It is a familiar feeling in our world. If you have been in real estate, lending, or […]
The 100 Year Bond: Build the Rails
We often hear that big corporations only think about the next three months. But Alphabet, the parent company of Google, just did something that caught my eye. They raised 20 billion dollars through a 100 year bond. Think about that. A bond that outlasts everyone currently sitting in their boardroom. It is a true vote […]
The 2035 Pivot: How to Trade “Growth” for “Utility”
Recently, I posted about the Great Deceleration, that demographic shift coming between 2035 and 2045 where household formation drops to a century-level low. If you missed it, the punchline is simple: the “more people more houses” engine that has powered our industry for 70 years is finally running out of gas. So, I’ve been thinking: If […]
One National Market, Many Different Realities
Market data as of February 2026. For the latest numbers in your area, see my live Altos Research market report. There is no national real estate market in 2026. There are many, and they are local. The Sun Belt Boom has fragmented. The Coastal Strongholds are resurging. And the notion that a single headline number […]
Data vs. Drama: Direct from the Chief Economist’s Desk
Market data as of February 2026. For the latest numbers in your area, see my live Altos Research market report. I spent time recently with Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist for the National Association of Realtors, along with my undergraduate and graduate real estate students. While the headlines are busy chasing clicks, Lawrence and I dug into […]
The Breakthrough is One “Touch” Away: Why Activity Always Defeats a Slump
I’ve had a number of calls lately with clients who feel like they are caught in a “bad luck” streak. Between deals falling through at the eleventh hour and a sudden lack of momentum, I can hear it in their voices: the mindset is ripe for a tanking. When the scoreboard isn’t reflecting your effort, […]
What I’ve Been Practicing: The 72-Hour Reset
I wanted to share something a little more personal today. I follow an Instagram account called psychologyposts_, and every so often, a concept hits me right when I need it. Lately, I’ve been trying to lean into a specific idea they shared about what to do when you wake up feeling “heavy” or directionless. With our […]