Going Analog on Purpose

In real estate, and in life, everyone is chasing efficiency these days. Faster, cheaper, easier. Tap a button, get a burger. Tap a button, get a house?

But here’s the thing: efficiency isn’t the same as experience. Some of the best moments in life are gloriously inefficient - a handwritten note, a long dinner where the waiter takes their time, or a house tour where the story of a home unfolds in person, not in pixels.

Don’t get us wrong—we love good tech (especially when it makes our jobs smoother). But when it comes to helping our clients buy or sell a home, the magic isn’t in the algorithm. It’s in the conversation on the front porch, the late-night phone call to talk through an offer, the coffee we grab to dream about what’s next. Those “inefficient” moments are what make the experience memorable.

So yes, AI and automation are here to stay, and they’ll make plenty of things faster. But some things—trust, connection, delight—can’t be rushed. And that’s exactly why we love this work.

Here’s to slowing down and enjoying the human side of real estate.

October Market Update and the Year of the Crazy Ivan

2025 has been quite something for our local real estate market, with one economic Crazy Ivan after another. Consider Doge, on again off again on again tariffs, interest rate battles, National Guard deployments, and the list goes on. 

Despite the twists and turns, for several weeks there, we were pleased to see some signs of energy coming back into our local real estate market in late summer early September. The confluence of lower interest rates, a rising stock market and increased inventory were the drivers. In fact, even the “lock-in” effect that has coagulated sales volume for the last several years is starting to show signs of dissipating. Of course, employment has been soft, particularly in our region, and that has kept animal spirits from running amok.

And then there was Tuesday’s government shutdown. While the shutdown will have ramifications across the county, our region will be most heavily impacted.  Bottom line: markets hate uncertainty, and when consumers lack job security, they don’t buy homes. Hopefully the shutdown will be resolved quickly, and the psychological damage will be minimal, but if the shutdown drags one for weeks or even months, then the impact will become ever more severe.

As always, we'll keep a close eye on these factors and provide our thoughts as the market evolves in the coming months.  Let us know when we can help!