The Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Brand Unveils Trendmaker Course to Elevate Agent Knowledge

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Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate (NYSE:HOUS) has officially launched its comprehensive Trendmaker℠ Accreditation program for affiliated brokers and agents following a successful 2024 pilot. The innovative program leverages the brand's connection with Better Homes & Gardens® media brand to provide agents with exclusive insights into consumer behaviors and lifestyle trends shaping the housing market.

Led by President Ginger Wilcox, the program features industry experts including Lauren Bengtson and Caleb Silver, focusing on three key areas: design trends, consumer psychology, and marketing application. The initiative aims to transform agents into Home Trend Specialists, enabling them to deliver more personalized services based on clients' design and living preferences.

Trendmaker course empowers affiliated agents with behavioral trends and lifestyle insights from industry leaders and the Better Homes & Gardens media brand

MADISON, N.J., Aug. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Following a successful 2024 pilot, the Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate brand has officially launched its comprehensive Trendmaker℠ Accreditation program for affiliated brokers and agents. The innovative program leverages the brand's unique connection to the iconic Better Homes & Gardens^® media brand to deliver actionable insights into the evolving consumer behaviors and lifestyle trends that help shape the housing market.

The program formalizes a key BHGRE^® brand differentiator by offering agents exclusive access to trend intelligence, psychological insights into buyer behavior, and professional commentary across key real estate-adjacent sectors—including new home construction, smart home technology, and outdoor living. Through the designation course, agents become Home Trend Specialists who have a greater ability to tailor service for their clients based on their design and living preferences.

Led by President Ginger Wilcox, VP of Learning Karrie-Ann Sheppard, and Director of Brand Marketing Leah Wright, the initiative deepens collaboration with People, Inc., the publisher of the Better Homes & Gardens magazine. Curated content from top industry voices equips agents with practical tools to help enhance service and drive their business forward.

"Not only do BHGRE affiliated agents help people find a house, they play a critical role in helping them turn it into their home," said Wilcox. "By connecting the dots between the trusted Better Homes & Gardens brand and highly engaged BHGRE network of affiliated real estate professionals, we're delivering unmatched value to today's lifestyle-driven consumer."

Featured Industry Leaders in the Trendmaker Program:

• Lauren Bengtson, Senior Home Editor, Better Homes & Gardens  
• Caleb Silver, Editor-in-Chief, Investopedia

High-Level Takeaways from the Course:

• Design Trends: Agents gain curated insight into seasonal and emerging home design preferences, sourced from Better Homes & Gardens editors, to help them to advise clients on staging, renovations, and lifestyle fit.
• Consumer Psychology: The course explores how economic shifts, generational values, and behavioral insights shape buying decisions. Affiliated agents can learn to apply this knowledge to better understand client motivations and personalize their approach throughout the transaction.
• Marketing Application: Interactive workshops show agents how to turn trend insights into compelling marketing, from social media content to listing presentations, enhancing client engagement and brand visibility.

Why It Matters to Clients

The Trendmaker^SM Accreditation program empowers agents with lifestyle and behavioral insights to better serve today's buyers and sellers. Buyers benefit from professionals who understand how evolving design preferences impact home selection and long-term value, while sellers gain professional guidance on staging strategies that align with current trends. Trendmaker accredited agents deliver a more personalized, insight-driven experience throughout the real estate journey.

"The Trendmaker class was incredibly informative," said Nichole Fecteau, real estate agent at Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate The Masiello Group. "Staying ahead of the curve in style and innovation empowers me to better guide my listing clients in preparing their homes for sale and assist new construction buyers in designing their future homes. I left the class with a deeper understanding of home design and the choices that truly make a difference."

In addition to the course, the brand has launched bi-monthly snap polls of BHGRE^® affiliated agents, providing frontline insights into trends and supporting client engagement.

Since its launch in 2008, the Better Homes and Gardens^® Real Estate brand has empowered affiliated professionals with deep consumer insights into how buyers and sellers design their homes. The Trendmaker Accreditation program builds on this legacy, reinforcing the brand's commitment to delivering meaningful value at every stage of the real estate journey.

About Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC

The Better Homes and Gardens^® Real Estate network is a dynamic real estate brand that offers a full range of services to brokers, sales associates and home buyers and sellers. Using innovative technology, sophisticated business systems and the broad appeal of a lifestyle brand, the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate network embodies the future of the real estate industry while remaining grounded in the tradition of home. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC is a subsidiary of Anywhere Real Estate Inc. (NYSE: HOUS), a global leader in real estate franchising and provider of real estate brokerage, relocation, and settlement services.

The growing Better Homes and Gardens^® Real Estate network includes approximately 11,000 independent sales associates in approximately 400 offices serving home buyers and sellers across the United States, Jamaica, The Bahamas, Australia, and Türkiye.

Better Homes and Gardens^®, BHGRE^® and the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Logo are registered service marks owned by Meredith Operations Corporation and licensed to Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each office is independently owned and operated.

Media Contact: Misty Beard, Misty.Beard@anywhere.re 

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SOURCE Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC

FAQ

What is the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate (HOUS) Trendmaker Accreditation program?

It's a comprehensive training program that provides agents with exclusive access to consumer behavior insights, design trends, and professional commentary to help them better serve clients as Home Trend Specialists.

Who are the key leaders behind the HOUS Trendmaker program?

The program is led by President Ginger Wilcox, VP of Learning Karrie-Ann Sheppard, and Director of Brand Marketing Leah Wright, in collaboration with People, Inc.

What are the main components of the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Trendmaker course?

The course focuses on three main areas: design trends from Better Homes & Gardens editors, consumer psychology insights, and marketing application through interactive workshops.

How does the Trendmaker program benefit real estate clients?

Clients benefit from agents who understand current design preferences, can provide professional guidance on staging strategies, and deliver more personalized, insight-driven real estate experiences.

When did Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate launch the Trendmaker program?

The program was officially launched in August 2025 following a successful pilot in 2024.