WebCE's Weekly Wrap-Up: Friday, August 15, 2025
WebCE Staff
By
August 15, 2025
.jpg)
Is American mobility stalling? A new report suggests people are staying in their homes and jobs at record-low rates, raising questions about the economy. We dive into that, plus the major impact AI is having on the talent pipeline and critical regulatory updates on the DOL's fiduciary rule.
On a lighter note, discover how destroyed Porsches are getting a second life as art and how some real estate agents are using scent to sell homes. Then, wind down your week with a viral real estate agent's brilliant marketing collaboration with the Houston Rockets.
Let’s dive in.
Top Stories of the Week
Nobody’s Buying Homes, Nobody’s Switching Jobs—and America’s Mobility Is Stalling (Wall Street Journal)
“People are moving to new homes and new cities at around the lowest rate on record. Companies have fewer roles for entry-level workers trying to launch their lives. Workers who do have jobs are hanging on to them. Economists worry the phenomenon is putting some of the country’s trademark dynamism at risk.”
Riskiest Places to Drive Over Labor Day Holiday Weekend: Allstate (Carrier Management)
“Data indicates the best time to travel is in the early morning hours between 7 and 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, and in the evening after 7 p.m. for Thursday departures and Tuesday returns. The worst times to travel are expected to be in the afternoons between 3 and 7 p.m. from Wednesday through Tuesday.”
Porsches Destroyed by LA Wildfires Get New Life as Stained Glass Art (Claims Journal)
“When the fire happened, I started seeing all these great cars on Instagram, and I knew they’d just be thrown away,” says Ben Tuna, 30. “I was like, ‘I have to intercept some of these. I can do something so cool with them.'”
The Ultimate Guide to Using Ambient Scent to Sell Real Estate (Realty Times)
“Ambient marketing provides the highly competitive real estate agent with a way to diversify and stand out among cutthroat competitors. It offers that elusive and sought after extra edge of persuasion based on human olfactory capacities.”
How do Americans find and hire financial advisors? New research breaks it down (Investment News)
“The report highlights that online directories (32%) and AI search tools (25%) are playing a more central role in the initial search, with many consumers using these resources to create a shortlist of potential advisors.”
Softening Continues for Most Commercial P/C Lines in Q2, Says CIAB (Insurance Journal)
“According to The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers (CIAB) quarterly survey, commercial property/casualty premiums across all account sizes in the second quarter 2025 rose by 3.7%–down from the average increase of 4.2% from the first three months of 2025.”
DOL seeks another delay to decide on fiduciary rule future (InsuranceNewsNet)
“Proposed in April 2024, the RSR seeks to amend the test for determining when an individual falls within the statutory definition of a “fiduciary” to an Employee Retirement Income Security Act plan. The expansion of fiduciary status would overhaul nearly all aspects of the traditional, commission-based insurance sales process, with many compensation practices banned and new compliance structures required.”
IRS clarifies that Appeals case memos should be shared with taxpayers upon request (Journal of Accountancy)
“The IRS Independent Office of Appeals (Appeals) issued internal guidance reminding employees that they should share a copy of the Appeals case memorandum (ACM) with taxpayers who make an informal request, the national taxpayer advocate (NTA) said in a blog post Tuesday.”
Is AI Pushing Us to Break the Talent Pipeline? (Knowledge at Wharton)
“AI disrupts this natural progression by eliminating the foundational experiences. When algorithms handle routine analysis, new graduates lose opportunities to develop the pattern recognition and contextual understanding that form professional judgment. The result is a broken pathway from novice to skilled practitioner.”
Job Interviews Aren’t Evaluating the Right Skills (Harvard Business Review)
“The analysis found that although job descriptions serve as detailed roadmaps for what employers claim to need, interviews often veer off course. Even more notable: As artificial intelligence reshapes the skills landscape at unprecedented speed, companies are largely failing to assess whether candidates have any AI experience at all.”
Top Podcast of the Week
How a Non-Profit Portal Could Take on Zillow
Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered Podcast
59 Minutes
Dan Troup, CEO of the Broker Public Portal (BPP), joins Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered to uncover the project's history and its future. Dan reveals how BPP's unique governance structure, which prevents it from being purchased or raising outside capital, is its "superpower".
The conversation dissects how BPP plans to compete with major portals not with a massive war chest, but with a superior, ad-free search experience built with AI. They also dive into the controversial topic of "days on market" and warn that a lack of transparency will not stop consumers from finding information.
Weekly Wind-Down
Trent Miller, the real estate agent who went viral with his super-fast house tours, channeled his unique style for the Houston Rockets 2025-26 NBA schedule announcement: