We answer the important questions to help you understand what this important issue means to your business, the real estate industry, and the national economy.

The United States economy has displayed a powerful resiliency over the last several years, with home sales hitting records and commercial activity reaching robust levels despite a steady stream of big shocks like hurricanes Katrina and Rita. That same resiliency will keep real estate activity strong in 2006.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have made an economic dent that’s pushing far outside the Gulf Coast area, but the U.S. economy will weather the storms surprisingly well.

Lawmakers tend to become concerned with competitiveness when an industry consolidates and the number of companies servicing customers shrinks. That’s why talk in Congress about the level of competitiveness in residential real estate is as puzzling as can be.