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POTUS Push
What’s next for interest rates
#122
WELCOME
Home prices are hotter in Hartford.
According to Zillow’s 2025 home prices report, Hartford, CT just edged out Buffalo to become the “hottest housing market” in the US, with more than 66% of homes selling above list price and inventory still more than 60% below pre-pandemic levels.
Looking ahead, the same report expects home prices to continue rising modestly in Hartford and beyond this year—but with interest rates leveling off or even dropping, the future of these hot markets looks hopeful.
Chad Carroll, one of Miami’s biggest agents representing incredible multi-million-dollar homes like waterfront estates and panoramic penthouses, first got into real estate in 2008—a year some would say was the worst time to start your career. But for Chad, starting off in a down market and building a collaborative team from there was the key to creating a successful career. Tap to catch this quick interview with Chad and Glennda Baker, covering healthy competition, celebrating the success of your team, and the logistics of team-building Chad believes in most.
TRACK THE MARKET: The senior seller short-change
Older homeowners are consistently leaving money on the table when they sell, and the gap widens with each generation. New data from the Center for Retirement Research shows that starting around age 70, sellers tend to earn lower returns than younger homeowners, even after controlling for market timing, location, and property characteristics. The findings suggest that how homes are maintained and marketed later in life plays a much bigger role in final sale price than many senior sellers (and their families) realize.
The data shows:
An 80-year-old seller earns about 0.5% less per year than a 45-year-old, which compounds to roughly 5% less over an average 11-year home ownership period.
On a $400,000 home, that gap translates to about $20,000 in lost proceeds.
Sellers ages 76 and older are 2.3% more likely to sell off-MLS and 2.7% more likely to sell to investors, both of which are associated with lower returns.
What’s driving the losses? Mainly home condition and the listing marketing strategy. Homes owned by older sellers are more likely to be marketed as “as-is” or sold privately, limiting exposure and buyer competition. And these same properties are more likely to mention serious repairs in the listing description, like roof replacement or a “fixer-upper,” both of which reduce returns.
DIVE IN
The Friday Five
📖 We’re all over the overhead light. Here’s how to illuminate your rooms instead.
👀 Verstappen’s vacation home. Max has a new home-away-from-F1—a modern new build with coastal views.
👀 Privacy in Portugal. See inside Michael Fassbender’s $1.7M hilltop mansion in the heart of Portugal’s new hot spot.
💡Inventory surge. See where the available home inventory is stacking up the most.
💡Get growth. Struggling to create your own video content? Get intentional with this program.
WHAT’S NEW FROM ESTATE MEDIA
POTUS pushes rates down
Recently President Trump announced that he has directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to purchase $200B in mortgage bonds in an effort to push interest rates down. The idea is that when mortgage-backed securities are purchased in such large quantities, bond prices go up which pushes interest rates down. The benefits are twofold: mortgages get less expensive and homes become more affordable. But will this move actually work the way policy-makers hope? Will this massive mortgage bond purchase have a true, lasting impact on the housing market?
Jeffrey St. Arromand, agent and cast member of Owning Manhattan, explains both sides of the argument—plus a prediction on exactly what this announcement means for lenders and borrowers, in the latest Let’s Get to the Point.
FEATURED LUXURY LISTING
TIPS & TAKEAWAYS
6 steps to fixing your lead problem
If you’re struggling to keep your deal pipeline full, you probably don’t have a lead problem, you have a follow-up one.
Take 90 seconds and watch this quick 6-step follow-up plan multi-billion-dollar luxury agent James Harris still uses to turn warm connections into interested buyers by instantly qualifying the lead, getting to the point, keeping the relationship strong, and proving your value.
HANGS & HAPPENINGS
Inman Connect | New York City, NY | February 3 - 5, 2026
The biggest names in real estate share their secrets to success with our attendees in curated sessions that will equip you with the skills to level up.
Before we go…
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