George Real Estate Group Radio Broadcast

Mountain Living: Real Estate Truths Beyond the Headlines

• George Real Estate Group

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Fear and reality rarely align in today's housing market. While 70% of Americans worry about a housing crash, Western North Carolina tells a different story—one of steady transactions, balanced opportunities, and enduring value.

The George Real Estate Group cuts through alarming headlines to reveal what's actually happening: not a crash, but a shift. This evolving market creates space for first-time buyers who previously couldn't compete while still allowing sellers to achieve excellent returns when properly guided. As inventory grows and days-on-market extend slightly, both sides of transactions gain breathing room without sacrificing core value.

What makes this market work? The fundamental shortage of housing inventory serves as a safety net against price collapses. As economists repeatedly confirm, "If there's a shortage, prices simply cannot crash." This reality plays out in Henderson County's statistics: $541,000 average home prices, 126 monthly sales, and over 660 active listings—numbers reflecting stability rather than panic.

Beyond market mechanics, this episode explores the critical fiduciary relationship between real estate professionals and clients. Like working with a personal trainer versus going it alone, having an advocate who understands North Carolina's unique "as is" real estate laws and negotiation strategies typically nets sellers 15% more than DIY approaches. The George Real Estate Group emphasizes this consultative approach, focusing on understanding each client's unique circumstances rather than simply facilitating transactions.

Looking for direct support? The team announces upcoming homebuyer seminars in September and October, covering everything from credit scores and loan options to property evaluations and investment strategies. These educational opportunities underscore their commitment to community service and client empowerment.

Ready to navigate today's shifting market with confidence? Connect with the George Real Estate Group at 828-393-0134 or realestatebygregcom and discover how local expertise transforms real estate challenges into opportunities for your future.

Speaker 2:

Good morning and welcome to the George Real Estate Group live radio broadcast here on WHKP Every Thursday morning, bringing you positive news about your local real estate market and community. We're so grateful to be here with you and just so excited to share with you about what's going on in the local real estate market and what's happening here locally. We have a number of things we're going to talk about this morning. If you're tuning in, for the first time ever, the George Real Estate Group is located in Flat Rock, right next to the Flat Rock Bakery, hubba Hubba BBQ, campfire Grill, the Wrinkled Egg, all of our friends there in Flat Rock on Rainbow Road Again so grateful to be here. We have our special guest, ari, with us this morning. Good morning, ari. How are you today?

Speaker 1:

Noah, thank you so much for having me. I am doing quite well and it's always a joy to be on this show. It's very exciting.

Speaker 2:

The market and we're going to jump in and talk about the market. There's a lot of conversations going on right now in the market. You know there's, do you? And people are. People are asking I mean there's all the headlines. I mean you know we and we're here at the george real estate group radio show to talk about just real talk about what's happening in the housing market. You know, cutting through the headlines, giving you the facts about what you need to know to make the best decisions for you and your family. So I mean the question everybody's asking themselves is the market about to crash? I mean, I know you and I are hearing that question all the time.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and what's really funny is that I've rarely seen a situation where the rumors are so misaligned with the reality. The real estate train doesn't stop for anybody, apparently. We continue to see the same number of transactions average. Well, there's actually been more homes sold this year, year over year, just by 2%.

Speaker 2:

But you're right, I mean the market's still moving.

Speaker 1:

And it speaks volumes to the quality of life here and the community that people are looking for and how they're finding it here. It's a desirable place to be, it's beautiful, and one of my favorite phrases to steal is from you by saying like, maybe I'm a little bit biased because I live here, but there's, you know, a reason why people come here and fall in love with the area they're looking for the community, they're looking for the mountains, they're looking for the fresh air. It's just there's waterfalls, there's apples.

Speaker 2:

Well, we have the Apple festival this weekend.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, exactly. So if you, uh, I hope to see a lot of you out there at the Apple Festival this weekend, because I'm certainly going to be there.

Speaker 2:

For sure. So, according to this recent survey, and again, if you've been scrolling social media and then you see the scary headlines, you're not alone. According to a recent survey, 70% of Americans are worried about a housing crash in 2025. But the truth is, the housing market isn't about to crash. What we're seeing right now, though, is a shift. I mean it's, and guess what a shift could actually work in your, in your favor, and we're seeing how this works in the favor of our buyers.

Speaker 1:

Absolutely, and I love seeing this because I strongly believe that a lot of buyers up until this point felt like they didn't have a. This point felt like they didn't have a fair chance or maybe it wasn't within their means. But the market is becoming more balanced. It's certainly full of more properties than I've ever seen available in MLS, and so buyers now have way more options than I've seen them have in the last couple of years.

Speaker 2:

The inventory. And so this is what keeps the housing market steady is the inventory. The chief economist at First American said it this way, mark Fleming there's just generally not enough supply. There's more people than housing inventory, and it's an econ 101. So think about it. I mean you and I love going to concerts. It's like too many people trying to buy tickets to a sold-out concert and guess what? The prices keep going up, I mean. And homes are no different.

Speaker 2:

So and this is where the numbers come in even though we're seeing a number homes for sale climbing, data from realtorcom shows we're still well below normal levels, and so the ongoing shortage is the safety net. Lawrence Young, the chief economist at the National Association of Realtors, put it plainly If there's a shortage, prices simply cannot crash, and so the bottom line is, even though there's more homes on the market coming to the market, supply is still too tight for prices to fall across the board. So buyers you and I get to talk about, I mean you, and by the market supply is still too tight for prices to fall across the board. So buyers you and I get to talk about, I mean you. And by the way, you specialize and you are working with a number of first-time homebuyers.

Speaker 2:

In addition to your, you work with veteran homebuyers too. I mean you're working across the board and I know you're also. You're in the commercial world, you're in the land world. I mean, like Ari, you're a man of many skills in the real estate market and, again, grateful to have you on the radio show just to give some boots on the ground. Reports about what's going on.

Speaker 1:

Well, I can tell you this First time homebuyers are now like I mentioned earlier that I've been working with, sometimes maybe for a year or two, looking for a property, have finally achieved their dream. We finally have been closing on properties because they weren't outbid or things that weren't available under price range now exist, and the really cool thing, though, is that it's still a really good market for sellers as well. I don't want to paint the picture that only buyers can thrive right now. Sellers are still doing as well. I don't want to paint the picture that only buyers can thrive right now. Sellers are still doing quite well. As long as we're pricing the property right and we are speaking to sellers with the right market intelligence and coaching them correctly and they're receptive to it, then we can achieve what they're looking for and sell their property at a fantastic price and help them move on with their goals Well, and that's for again price and help them move on with their goals.

Speaker 2:

Well, and that's for let's again. Here's this is where the context is important. The inventory levels are soft or there's more inventory which gives buyers still more options. Like you just said, you've helped some buyers that have been waiting for years for options to arrive, and that's even in this current interest rate environment which, by the way, interest rates are going below. But still, for context, for our sellers, prices are still holding.

Speaker 2:

That's where what I was saying about the market's not crashing, it's softening. It's shifting days on market. It's just taking a little bit longer. But, sellers, if you price it correctly and again working with a real estate professional working with Ari, working with the Georgia real estate group getting it priced correctly, and again working with a real estate professional working with Ari, working with the George Real Estate Group, getting it priced correctly, you're still going to get top dollar for your home. But time on the market is a little bit longer. Buyers have more options and that's part of the breathing room that buyers have. They get to look around, but still, if you look too long, the good homes are moving.

Speaker 1:

Yes, hesitation, self-sabotage, that's something that I– occasionally see with some buyers that are attempting to be discerning, and they're certainly doing. You know they're doing it with the best of intentions, right? They're trying to protect themselves. They've been looking forever, they want to make sure that what they move forward with really is what they've been planning for. But sometimes that can turn into getting ready to get ready, to get ready to get ready, and the home they want will fly by because they were ready to pull the trigger but for some reason they couldn't right. And that's part of what we're here to do as well, you know, to help coach them and help them understand. Hey, if we're looking at something that's an eight out of a 10, you know, maybe the perfect home doesn't exist, but if we see an eight out of a 10, I think it's time to start considering it seriously. And, you know, make a move and we can help you decide if that is the right option for you.

Speaker 2:

Absolutely. And again, this is what you and I do. It's from a consulting approach. This is consultative.

Speaker 2:

The thing it's about advocating, it's about facilitating. You know, and when you work with Ari and our team, you're getting an advocate. It's not about the transaction, it's about what's right for you. Does this mean the nuances of what your personal family is looking for?

Speaker 2:

And again, if you're having to sell to buy, or if you're buying and then selling, I mean all these different scenarios matter, but making sure that we're getting you set up, that we're getting you set up, and again, this could be from land to residential, to selling an investment property, to buying an investment property, to even helping you with your small business and looking for commercial real estate.

Speaker 2:

I mean all of these things go into place. But the bottom line is the thing that doesn't change across the board for all these scenarios is an advocate. And that's where Ari does an incredible job understanding what you're looking for and your dreams and your goals and the nuances behind your situation, and then advocating to help them again get into the right situation. But also, like you said, if you wait again, you never want to feel rushed into buying, but when the right ones, and this is where it's getting your ducks in a row. We work with incredible lenders and we work with our attorneys and the entire team so that our agents are prepared and our clients are prepared when the right one comes along. I mean again, and I admire your persistence you have worked with clients where it's just been a long, long journey, and then you've worked with clients that you know. You meet them on Monday and they're under contract by Friday.

Speaker 2:

I mean that happens too, that's true.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that happens too, that's true, yeah, that does happen. But so I do all this because I. So when you and I first met, right, one of the things that really struck a chord with me and resonated with me was the aspect of first of all, I love helping people. But when I remember, when I read the words fiduciary duty and I thought, man like that really, I like that, I fiduciary duty, and I thought, man like that really, I like that, I like being that for people, I like being an advocate for them, I like the idea of being somebody that can represent their interests and help them find something that is going to make them happy. And, you know, sometimes it's I mean, I know it might sound odd, right, but sometimes it takes two years because people are extremely discerning or they're looking for something very unique that just isn't available and it takes, it takes a lot of digging to get it. And some buyers, you know, come in and say, hey, this is the house I want, I want it now and I have the money and let's go.

Speaker 2:

You know, let's go, and that happens too, and everybody's situation is unique and different and you're helping them navigate through what's right for them. But the fiduciary, like you do, ari, again, again it's. And guess what? Sometimes the fiduciary means we're saying, hey, here are the facts you actually might want to step away from a deal?

Speaker 1:

Yes, and I've. You know, one of the conversations that I have with every single one of my clients is that I'll always tell them the truth. I'm always going to be transparent with them, and sometimes that means that you know, I'm not going to tell them what they want to hear. I'm going to tell them what they need to hear so that they make the best decision for themselves.

Speaker 2:

Well, and that goes back to the fiduciary, that goes back to the advocating, when our clients are educated and have the empowerment of the knowledge, they can make a decision for what's right for them. And that's true for your sellers too. I mean, one of the worst things we could do is tell you what you want to hear, versus. I mean, you might not like what we have to hear, but you know, and a lot of times if it's uncomfortable, you know, it's probably because we are telling you the truth. Yeah, if it is uncomfortable, maybe you don't like the price that we have to say, or maybe you're not in a financial position to fix up your house. And it's OK, you can price, we can price the home appropriate to the condition of the house. And, ari, let's talk about the. I mean, north Carolina is an as is state.

Speaker 1:

That's correct, yeah, which means that a seller is not required to do any repairs or concessions when it comes to the home. Should the buyer find anything that is dissatisfactory to them, or anything that they find through inspections, the seller is certainly happy to consider making any repairs or concessions the buyer asks, but they're not legally obligated to do so.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, they're not compelled to do it. It to do so? Yeah, they're not compelled to do it. And which? Again it's again depending on what your goals are as a buyer or a seller. Again, the buyer and seller get to decide. There's a second set of negotiations during what's called a due diligence period, which the buyer and seller can come to terms on how they want to proceed forward. They don't have to proceed forward. I mean, you know it's interesting, the buyer has the right to terminate during the due diligence period. The seller actually doesn't have the right to terminate during the due diligence period. So if the buyer still wants to buy the house and the seller says I've made the decision, I'm not going to address anything, the buyer has to decide. The seller's allowed to say that.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, one thing that I also have realized is very important to tell buyers is, if we make an offer on a home and the offer gets accepted, it's very important that they get comfortable with the idea of the home moving to close at the accepted price point, because we cannot bank on or guarantee that the seller will make concessions and will reduce the price down the road. Certainly, I will advocate, we will advocate for you the hardest we can and we will negotiate to the best of our ability. But there's still the wild card of the seller may or may not, which is again, if you're a seller, it cuts both ways.

Speaker 2:

I actually prefer because neither party is hostage to the other in that sense. I mean they both have their options and their choices and all this is up front. And this is why having a real estate professional to explain the contract and the nuances of the contract, I mean you certainly can go out there and go buy a house on your own, buy your neighbor's house, you know, and navigate through again it's okay, but you're not going to have the knowledge, experience, the advocate there to help you, guide you through the nuances of our contract.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, you know, everybody has somebody they trust for whatever thing they're looking for. If they're looking to buy a guitar, if they're looking to buy a vehicle and they want to do a pre-purchase inspection, whatever it is, there's always somebody that's well-versed and understands the nuances, the ins and outs, and in this case, we happen to be the professionals that can help you with that market intelligence, with real estate. So definitely think of us, because if you're thinking about selling, buying, or you just want to get a little bit more informed, you want to understand what the market looks like, or you've been scared to look at it before because you thought it just seemed overwhelming, but would like to just have a conversation, well, that's what we're here for. We can help demystify all that for you.

Speaker 2:

Absolutely. Now, ari, you are quite committed and disciplined. I will say, in your health life, I'm going to go ahead and bring that up, which I admire. And this is the difference between I know most people listening have made a decision at one point. They're like, oh, I'm going to go to the gym, I'm going to get better health, I'm going to go to the gym, I'm going to get better health, I'm going to exercise the difference between doing that on your own and doing it with someone else, doing it with a coach, the results are exponentially different.

Speaker 2:

And I would tie that to again trying to buy a house or sell a house on your own. The pitfalls, the pitfalls, I mean it's, it's again. There's so many examples, but I mean I imagine in the, in the health world and in the fitness world, which you spend a lot of time in, the difference between working with a coach and working with a personal trainer can be all the difference from getting injured, you know, and trying to figure it out on your own, making own, hitting the goals that you want to hit. I mean talk about the. I mean there's such a correlation with a personal trainer and having a real estate broker.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, you know, like, just to keep it in the most succinct way possible, like I always thought, I knew how to eat healthy and I knew how to exercise well to achieve my goals.

Speaker 1:

I knew how to exercise well to achieve my goals and I had a very skin-deep understanding of what it really takes to achieve more muscle growth or achieve strength, to get a deadlift of 405 pounds, which it seems maybe crazy to some people. To other people that's maybe not a lot, but there's a wealth of information that can only come through like some serious study of the world of exercise and experience. There's also nuances, or like personalization that goes into it. Not every case is the same. You're not going to coach one person the same way you would another, and it's a really good analogy that you thought of. That's very astute, because having a coach, having a personal trainer that can guide you individually through the journey you need to go through to achieve the results you're looking for, is very akin to the journey that we can guide any of our clients through to buy a house or sell a house.

Speaker 2:

I think there's so, it's, it's, it's so, uh, again, it's, it's, uh. The difference again, trying to do something on your own that you're not doing every single day, whether it's your health, it could be your finances, it could be your, um, even your spiritual life or your your home, right, it's like when you have a guide, the difference of having a guide and you don't have to make the same mistakes other people have made. And, by the way, buying okay, I would. We can certainly say our lives, our health is priceless, right, like I mean we should have, we should take care of ourselves, because you can't put a price on our health. Well, in a from a financial sense, your home purchase or home sale is one of the biggest financial transactions you will do in your lifetime. And to think to do that on your own, I mean there's some temptation. A lot of people say, oh, I want to save a few dollars.

Speaker 1:

Yes, usually the primary motivation that I hear is financial. Why should I have to pay a realtor, a broker or whatever however people want to refer to us? Why should I pay somebody a fee to just be an intermediary to buy or sell my house? That seems like something I can do myself. I certainly, you know, I know my house better than anybody, I know what I put into it and I know what it's worth. And I, you know, there's definitely a lot of truth in the sense of, like, homeowners definitely know their homes and they've spent a lot of time in them and they see the value and they put sweat equity into them.

Speaker 1:

Right, and while that certainly is a very relevant piece to everything, there's so much more to it. You know, there's paperwork, there's timelines, there's negotiation strategies, there are legal disclosures, there are things that are specific to our state that have to do with sales, and you know if a buyer is dealing with a sale, if the buyer and seller are from different states. You know some people might come here from New Jersey and deal with a lot of culture shock when it comes to buying a home, because the process just looks a little bit different from what they're used to in their home state. But what we keep finding is consistently two things Anybody that lists their home to sell it statistically, they will net more if they use a realtor.

Speaker 2:

I think that number this past year was up to 15% higher. Working with a real estate professional, it's like okay. So it's almost like I want to save some money, but the irony. Irony is in saving money. You're actually losing money, correct?

Speaker 1:

Yes, and the second thing is, you know, it's kind of like taking a crash course in how to do real estate paperwork, negotiations and transactions for somebody that's trying to be a first-hand buy, owner paperwork, negotiations and transactions for somebody that's trying to be a first hill by owner. Like they might get some of it, um, but there's a lot that they just are not. I don't want anybody to feel like they're stuck between a sword and a wall because they don't have somebody coaching them through it and it.

Speaker 2:

you know I certainly get it like every penny counts, but when it comes to your home in the end, if we can net you what you want and a lot of times statistically it says more we will net you more. Again, it's the what's the penny? I'm going to mess it up Foolish, dollar-wise, penny-wise, dollar-foolish. I'm going to mix it up. But the point is, in trying to save money, you can actually lose money and if we can help you accomplish your goals, protect you, net you in a lot of cases more than if you'd have done it on your own, statistically, again, it's like let's have the conversation, there's no pressure, there's no cost, there's no cost, there's no obligation.

Speaker 2:

You can call ari, you can call the george real estate group and we can have the conversation about your specific situation, your unique, uh, your set of circumstances, your unique home, all those things to make a specific plan for you. Um, you're also, by the way, it do it. Did the details. Do we have some details of you? Have some upcoming events? Is that? Can I put you on the spot?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 2:

With some seminars.

Speaker 1:

So I'm really thrilled to be partnering with a couple of credit unions with these events. So September 4th at Self-Help Credit Union, the one located on Dana Road Right around the corner here. Yeah, right around the corner, located on Dana Road Right around the corner here.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, right around the corner, Me and Joanna Varon will be hosting a first-time homebuyer coaching seminar where her and I will be discussing the ins and outs of lending and qualifying for loans, the types of loans available. What's a good credit score? How can we help you increase your credit score? How can we get you the most buying power so that when you come to the table to pursue a home, right, you feel not only prepared but you feel happy to be looking at the options that are in front of you? And then I will be talking about the other side of things, right? So once we get you past the pre-qualification scenario, that gets you the buying power, um, then I I can talk with you all about how. What does it look like to look for a home? You know, like? What's the process? Like what? What is it like in henderson county versus surrounding counties? What? What do property prices? How do property prices defer? What's available, what's not? What's the best way to play it? Um, there's going to be.

Speaker 1:

it's a you know, you know, a seminar quote, unquote or a seminar slash, open discussion type of event we're going to have snacks Educational, I mean, it's going to be a conversation and there's a second one coming up in October with Patrick from United Federal Credit Union that will be hosted at their I think it's on Jack Street, off of Four Seasons, and we're calling that one the Blueprint to Home Buying. But that one is also very interesting and quite different. We're going to be talking about deeper stuff, like if you're an investor and you want to buy properties, then you need to come talk to us. If you want to explore some scenarios that may be a second home, then Patrick is quite versed in those things. He's a consummate professional, and we're going to have guests from other professions too. We're going to have Noble Pest Solutions, we're going to have some encapsulation and cross-space mitigation professionals.

Speaker 1:

So there's going to be about five or six different professionals that can walk you through all the things they do Again, seminar style Q&A. There's going to be about five or six different professionals that can walk you through all the things they do Again, seminar style, q&a. There's going to be snacks. You can mingle. We're going to have Jim Rawlings from Quality Home Inspections. He's one of my favorite guys. I like him a lot. He's really cool. So I don't have an exact date on that yet, but we will revisit that at our next radio show and you can absolutely follow us on social media Facebook and Instagram and we'll have more information on all that.

Speaker 2:

Again, ari, so grateful for you. Ari, also thankful for the incredible efforts you put forth in these upcoming seminars. Again, we'll have both of these posted on our social media page, george Real Estate Group. You can find it on your favorite social media Facebook or Instagram. And again, upcoming seminar next week that's exciting on the September 4th. And again, those details will be out there on our social media. We'll be posting that here shortly.

Speaker 2:

We're here every Thursday morning sharing the positive news about the local real estate market and community. Here's just a snapshot In the last 12 months, the average single-family home price is at $541. We're averaging 126 single-family homes a month, selling Over 660 active single-family homes on the market. Right now. The market is shifting. It is not crashing and the inventory is increasing. Days on market are increasing, but that just means sellers just have to wait a bit longer. Or again, you can still move it quickly when you price it right, but you're still getting top dollar and buyers have more options.

Speaker 2:

Every Friday morning at 845, the Georgia Real Estate Group also sponsors the Hometown Heroes Series and this week are the Grand Marshals of the 2025 King Apple Parade. Pat and Johnny Shepard, and the Shepards and their whole family have been a fixture at the Apple Festival for so many years, making sure this entertainment stage runs smoothly. Everyone salute Pat and Johnny Shepard. They'll be here tomorrow morning at 845. Ari, so grateful to have you here with us. Thank you for your incredible efforts and your persistence and perseverance. Again. Sometimes you meet somebody at the beginning of the week. You're writing a contract by the end of the week. Sometimes it's two years in the making, but again, this is just long-term perspective and the market's the market. The interest rates are the interest rates, but what doesn't change is the fiduciary, the advocating, and Ari, grateful to have you on the radio this morning.

Speaker 1:

Happy to be here every time and happy to serve the community.

Speaker 2:

And again you are serving the community. Thank you so much for listening to the George Real Estate Group live radio broadcast here on WHKP every Thursday morning right after the 10 o'clock news. Stay tuned in. There's more coming up. But follow us on social media Also. We podcast all of our radio shows. But thanks so much for tuning in. We'll see you next week. Maybe the house feels a little too big these days, the stairs a little steeper, the pace of life a little too fast. But what if your next move wasn't about letting go. It was about making space for peace, for freedom, for what matters most. At the George Real Estate Group, we understand that real estate isn't just about the house. It's about transitions, timing and trust. We've helped thousands of families in Western North Carolina make smart, thoughtful moves Closer to nature, closer to family, closer to home. So when you're ready to right size, simplify or start fresh, we'll be here. The George Real Estate Group, local, trusted, proven. Call us today 828-393-0134. Find us online at realestatebygregcom, because your next chapter deserves to feel just right.