How's the Market? And How's Your Mom? The Two Questions I Get Asked Most

Here is how it goes almost every time. We say hello, we chat for a minute about the weather and the neighborhood, and then comes the first question: "So, how's the market?" A few minutes later, with a warm smile, comes the second one: "And how is your mom?"

I love both questions. Let me answer them for you.

Question One: How's the Real Estate Market?

Here is my honest answer: it depends.

The short version for today: more homes to choose from, buyers taking their time, and prices holding steady. In today's real estate market, that makes your list price your new launch price. A launch price is a smart starting point, not a final answer. What a home actually sells for depends on the area, the location, the presentation, and what a seller will accept and a buyer will pay.

It is a little different from the old way of thinking, where the list price felt like a promise carved in stone.

What Fair Market Value Really Means

Fair market value has a simple definition: it is what a seller is willing to sell their home for, and what a buyer is willing to pay. A seller can hope for a number, and a buyer can hope for a number, but fair market value is the price where the two meet.

I can tell you what the research says: which homes sold nearby, what buyers are doing right now, and where your home fits. But until a real buyer walks through your front door, the number is an informed estimate, not a fact. That is exactly why a launch price makes sense. It is your side of the conversation, set with care, and then the market answers.

Remember: The Price You Choose Is a Permanent Record

A launch price is a starting point, but it is also a permanent record. Once your home is listed, the price, any changes to it, and how long the home has been on the market stay visible to buyers, agents, and real estate websites. That is why I choose it with care and good research, not with hope.

The First Two Weeks Tell the Story

The early days of a listing are when your home gets the most attention. Here is how I read them:

• Lots of showings and strong interest? The price is working. This is often the time to hold firm and let the right buyer come forward.
• Plenty of showings but no offers? Buyers are looking and comparing. We look at the price and how the home shows, side by side.
• Few showings? The price may be keeping the right buyers from seeing it, or the first impression online needs a fresh look.

None of these results is a failure. Each one is information, and information is what lets us make a good decision. It also keeps you in control: a launch price is a decision you make with information, not a number you hope for.

Question Two: How's Your Mom?

Thank you for asking. I never get tired of it.

My mom was one of Mercer Island's pioneering real estate agents. She helped develop neighborhoods like The Lakes, Tarywood, and the Issaquah Plateau, and she is the reason I do this work. Many of you know her, or know a home she helped bring to life, and that is why the question always comes with such warmth.

Here is what I love about the way those two questions arrive together. Real estate has always been about two things: the numbers and the people. The numbers tell us where the market is. The people tell us why any of it matters. My mom understood that long before I did, and I try to carry it into every conversation.

One Question for You

So I will turn it around. How is your home? Is it still working for the life you are living now?

Right now, a lot of homeowners are fixing and updating: a fresh coat of paint, new flooring, a bathroom refresh, the repairs that have been waiting on the list. If that is something you are noodling on, reach out. I have an awesome vendor list, and I am happy to send it over to you. Whether you fix, update, stay, or move, that choice stays yours. I am just here to help you see your options.

I help homeowners across Mercer Island, Bellevue, and the Greater Eastside think through exactly this kind of transition, at whatever pace feels right to you. Reach out when you're ready to talk it through, not before.

This is general information, not financial advice. Market conditions vary by neighborhood and by home.