George Real Estate Group Radio Broadcast

Why Homes Keep Selling Even When Headlines Scream Otherwise

• George Real Estate Group

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Tired of headlines that tell you the sky is falling? We pull the curtain back on what’s truly moving today’s housing market and why homes keep selling even when national volume dips. From inventory constraints to rate relief, we share the real signals that matter, then translate them into practical plays for buyers, sellers, and investors who want results without the guesswork.

We walk through the long arc of housing cycles—what “normal” sales volume looked like before the pandemic surge, why 2020–2021 was an anomaly, and how the recent reset reshaped behavior on both sides of the table. You’ll hear how affordability has shifted, why equity remains a powerful force, and how smart strategies like rate buydowns, precise pricing, and tight underwriting can open doors right now. We also drill into Henderson County numbers: active listings, absorption, and price bands that frame realistic expectations. The goal is simple—replace noise with clarity so you can move life forward on your terms.

To mark the season, we share a powerful reflection on It’s a Wonderful Life and the real story behind Jimmy Stewart’s performance—combat missions, trauma, and the quiet strength that gave George Bailey his depth. It’s a reminder that impact often hides in the ordinary and that decisions grounded in service outlast any market cycle. If you’re considering a move—downsizing, upsizing, investing, or planning a tax‑smart sale—let’s talk through your options and build a plan that fits your life and your numbers.

Ready to act with confidence? Follow the show, share this episode with a friend who needs clarity, and leave a quick review to help others find us. For local guidance, call 828-393-0134 or visit realestatebygreg.com.

SPEAKER_00:

Hello, friends. Thank you so much for being here. This is the George Real Estate Group Podcast, which is a production of our live weekly radio shows hosted on multiple radio stations here in Hendersonville, North Carolina. The George Real Estate Group serves Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina, and it is a privilege to share positive news about our local real estate market and community. Thanks so much for subscribing. And of course, if you have any real estate questions or if we can help you in any way, be sure to reach out. Visit us at George Real Estate Group Radio.com for more information. Good morning and welcome to the George Real Estate Group live radio broadcast here in the queue every Monday morning. Share with you positive news about your local real estate market and community. And this is uh the show before Christmas. Can you believe Christmas is around the corner? I know uh we were doing a lot of uh you know getting ready, wrapping presents, uh, some last-minute Christmas shopping, and uh just so much to be grateful for and thankful for. And thank you for tuning in this morning. If you're tuning in for the first time ever, the George Real Estate Group is located in Flat Rock. We serve all of Western North Carolina and the upstate South Carolina. If you're thinking of buying, selling, or investing in real estate, or even a career in real estate, we'd love to have the conversation with you. We can uh you know talk about what's the market's doing. We talk about, you know, it's so fascinating the the real estate career. We can and we might even jump into some of that this morning in context of, you know, there's a lot of you know, you know, the news is in the everybody has an opinion, the the the real estate market's crashing, it's you know, the the sky is falling, all these things, you know, you gotta be careful with these sensational uh headlines you might see. And and we'll actually dive into what you know the market's doing here this morning and um and we'll sh put some clarity on the fact that I mean the market is the market and the interest rates are the interest rates, but we're we see every single day there's people still buying and selling. You know, certainly does the market uh evolve, does it cycle, and yes, it does, and and we know real estate happens around life. It could be a really positive reason why you're buying or selling, it could be a very challenging reason, whatever it might be. But you know, at the George Real Estate Group, we have the the team and the staff and the agents. We have incredible, just we're it's a privilege and honor to serve the community through real estate. You can find us online at realestatebygreg.com. You can also call us directly at 828-3930134, 828-393-0134. Uh follow us on Facebook and Instagram. We also podcast all of our radio shows. You can find this on your favorite podcast platform, but we'd love to connect with you. Uh we're located there in Flat Rock. Stop by. We have our great friends there at the Wrinkled Egg, the Flat Rock Bakery, Hubba Hubba Barbecue, Campfire Grill, Hubaloo, all those great local and independent uh real estate. Uh, you know, we're we're grateful to serve the community. And again, we have a local and independent real estate group. You know, it's so interesting the perspective on the market, just how it evolves. You know, the the market, you know, you look at the history of the market and and where it's it's where it's it's gone. And again, looking at it, here's this the in the most recent housing market stats, you know, existing home sales were about 4.13 in November 2025, and it's a slight increase from October, but down about 1% from 2024. So inventory levels remain near historic lows. The median sales price of existing homes hit a record of around 409. This across the United States. You know, this is interesting. Uh the the prices rose across the United States between quarter three and quarter three. If you compare the quarter three, twenty twenty-four and quarter three, twenty twenty-five, the FAFH housing price index indicates home prices rose 2.2% across the country. Here locally, we had about a 2% drop. But the but overall, inventory levels have been rising for the past two years. The total unsold inventory remains tight versus pre-pandemic norms. New listings recently declined as a lot of sellers stepped back with uh you know just the seasonality of it, waiting. Again, everybody's you know has a different game plan, whatnot. But the other thing is the interest rates. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate averaged 6.21% uh this December, down from 6.72 a year ago. But for much of this year, rates hovered around the near high 6% range with late-year declines. First-time home buyers remain limited by affordability, uh, only making up only about 30% of the purchases in November 2025. Also, mortgage payments is a share of median household income dropped to 32.6%, the lowest since 2022. So here, let's put some perspective on things. Just in the last you know decade, in 2017, the median U.S. sales price was around$199. In 2025, typical prices have doubled. Uh uh in our area. So, you know, our our average our average uh single-family home prices in the 540s, uh, our median price is in the five is in the 450s. And this is just again, putting perspective on things. Another fascinating thing is as of 2025, U.S. homeowners collectively hold over 35 trillion in equity, reflecting decades of price growth. Um, but again, it's the low inventory levels. We don't no one can no one has a crystal ball as what's going to happen, but you know, they're anticipating modest price growth, slower rates, slower, lower, low, slightly lower rates, and again, they're anticipating home prices to increase and and appreciate. So, you know, overall, here here's where this matters. And the thing is, there's always a cycle. There's always everybody, you know, has to decide in the context of their personal story, their personal home, you know, even in the challenges of the cycles of the real estate market, is you know, what is the opportunity? Maybe it's an opportunity to sell for you, maybe it's an opportunity to buy for you. Uh, you know, again, what is the opportunity in in the market? This is this is where here's a normal market was about five to five point five million existing homes sold per year. That that is considered a normal market historically over the 25 past 25 years. And then we had, you know, in the early 2000s, those sales climbed to 6.5 to 7 million. You know, there's a lot of speculation. There was the joke if you could fog a mirror, you could get a loan. Uh people uh, you know, people took advantage of that that market. We had the correction, you know, in the 2006 to 2011, you know, the that's where the sales went down to 4 million and below. You know, 2008 didn't kill real estate, it it reset it. And so it exposed what was going on in the market, and and then we've had this recovery from 2012 to 2019. We've been in this stabilization of 5 to 5.5 million a year. This is where you know the consistency was mattering, and and then we had the anomaly 2020 to 2021. This is where rates went below three percent. Let's be clear, this was not normal. It was not normal, and then we had another reset, rates jumped, sales went back down to four million a year, 2022 to 2024. In 2023, by the way, in 2024 is the lowest sales volume of homes in the United States since the mid-90s. It didn't just uh people thought the market uh disappeared, but it it actually compressed. And so, you know, we when there's four million homes selling instead of six million homes selling the market shifts. This is where there's opportunities for people. This is where, you know, and maybe it makes sense for you to take advantage of it. This is where you know the the thing is being are you prepared for the shift in the market? Are you being hopeful? I mean, the these are where the market's always evolving. Markets go up, markets go down. Home, here's something to remember homes never stop selling. And so we adjust, we uh have our skills that we can navigate through in our experience. We can navigate through these type of these types of markets. And so again, when we do talk certainly, you hear me share about the the you know, well, how many homes have sold in the last month, how many homes have sold in the in the past year? But when we step back and look at a bigger picture, there's always cycles. And the and I've shared this many times. Housing always happens, and housing happens around life. It could be a really positive reason why people are buying or selling, or it could be a really challenging reason, but it's always cycling. There's an up, there's a down, there's a reset, there's a recover, and then it repeats. And so every time the cycle turns, we act surprised, as if history didn't leave us a map. And so it's interesting that this is where a lot of real estate agents have gotten out of the business. Um, you know, you might think that, you know, this is where you know you can get when you improve your skills, when you study the market, you know, the this is where you see a lot of agents that are, you know, this is casual, or maybe it's a side hustle, there's the hobbyist. And you know who's left in this market? And this is my 20th year. You know what's left is professionals. And so when the number of homes go down, the number of homes are reduced, the act is so fascinating. And I saw this in my own career in 208, 2010, 11, and 12, when the market uh there's a downturn, there's actually an opportunity. We ended up helping more people. The and it's not that the the homes just came to a screeching halt. The fewer people were in it, working it. And so this is where we had an opportunity, and this is where we actually had an opportunity to help more people, the agents that were skilled, the agents that that that had the experience and the knowledge to navigate through a changing market, and this is where opportunities arise. This is where you know, this is here's if you're waiting for the rates to drop, if you're waiting for the inventory to explode, if you're waiting for the headlines to improve, you're waiting for the market to feel better, you know, you're you're already behind. So again, if your is existing, your situation, it could be your personal home, it could be your real estate, it could be your real estate investments, your commercial real estate, it could be land, it could be a development, it could be a property that you inherited, it could be here's the thing the market's always evolving, and this is where we can bring our experience from the George Real Estate Group, and we've navigated through evolving markets. We've navigated, we're not trying to predict what's going to happen. We we are prepared for it. You know, there's the markets go up, the markets go down, and guess what? Homes keep selling. And so we understand these cycles, and we understand that we evolve with them, we adjust and we pivot, and the market's the market because it's ever changing. But the thing that doesn't change, again, the ability to understand and solve problems, the ability to walk through unique and challenging situations to help our clients navigate through it, could be your personal home, it could be planning ahead for retirement, it could be planning ahead for how real estate plays into your investments, it could be how real estate impacts your uh maybe you need the downsize or upsize or right size. Maybe you need the the the reality is you know, things are still moving. We have the experience and the knowledge and information to help you uh navigate through whatever the market is. And it's in and again, confidence uh doesn't come from headlines, it doesn't come from the interest rates, it doesn't come from inventory. You know, confidence comes from competence. We have the conversations about the market, we have hard conversations with clarity. You know, we're able to explain and and and walk through whatever challenges you might have in regards to real estate. Don't wait for the market, and it's and it's not and it's about having the skills to understand and and to walk through the noise. And so we're not basing our our we're so grateful. We've actually had an incredible year. We've we've helped more people than we've ever helped before, and that our market's growing. Uh the George Real Estate Group, we're growing, we're hiring, and it's not depending on luck. You know, it's it's not about ego, and it's and it's really about you know the quality of service, and we understand that trust is built, we understand that leadership matters, especially when uncertainty is high. And so it's not about this shifting market, it's about us clarifying what it's about. And so we'd love to have the conversation. There's no pressure, there's no cost, there's no obligation. You can call the George Real Estate Group at 828-393-0134. I love the the quote: pressure doesn't crush diamonds, it reveals them. And so, you know, showing up, we keep showing up. We're so grateful to serve the community through real estate, and the market's the market, and we certainly study it. We can share, I mean, the market, we the market is still moving. You know, there's the and the other fascinating thing is there's low inventory levels. Right now, there's only 549 active single-family homes in the market. The average price in Henderson County is at 545, and we're averaging some 130 single-family homes a month selling over the last 12 months. Again, the mark, those are some broad numbers for Henderson County, but your unique home, your unique situation, we'd love to sit down. There's no pressure, there's no cost. Give us a call, 828-393-0134. 828-393-0134. You're listening to the George Real Estate Group live radio broadcast here in the queue. I do encourage you to stay tuned in. We have a short break, but I'm going to share that in appropriate for Christmas. It's around uh it if you've not heard the backstory on It's a Wonderful Life, stay tuned in, gonna share more about uh more about the story, more about the movie, and about the actor uh Jimmy Stewart. So stay tuned in. Good morning, and welcome back. You're listening to the George Real Estate Group, live radio broadcast here in the queue. And I'm excited to share with you a story, and I understand uh it was this was today's trivia question about It's a Wonderful Life. And did you know, you know, a lot of people for It's a Wonderful Life is is more than just a movie, it's a trend tradition, you know, it's the sound of the holidays, it's the black and white comfort in our noisy world. But you know, at the heart of it, the film tells a story of George Bailey, an ordinary man from a small town of Bedford Falls, who spends his entire life putting others first. George dreams of travel, adventure, building great things, but again and again, those dreams are deferred. And instead of leaving town, he stays to run his father struggling, building a loan, helping working families buy homes, a wealthier banker. The Mr. Potter would rather control the town through debt and despair, and so George sacrifices his youth, his ambitions, and even his sense of self so others can save, so so others can live better lives. By Christmas Eve, those sacrifices have taken their toll. A financial crisis by no fault of his own pushes George to the breaking point. He feels trapped, exhausted, invisible, and he looks at his life and concludes that everyone around him would be better off if he'd never been born. And that's when the story takes its famous turn. You know, on the snowy bridge, George meets Clarence, an angel who hasn't yet earned its wing, his wings, and Clarence grants George desperate wish and shows him what the world would look like if he'd never existed. You know, and it's devastating. Bradford Fall Falls becomes uh Pottersville. Um, the people George once helped are broken. Slowly and painfully, George realizes the truth. His life mattered not because it was grand, but because it was faithful. And so by the time George returns to his own reality, he no longer wants escape. He wants life exactly as it is broken, beautiful, and perfect, imperfect, and meaningful. And that message alone is powerful. But this is where this is what gives the film its lasting weight. When Jimmy Stewart played George Bailey, he wasn't pretending to unravel. Just months after winning his 1941 Academy Award for Best Actor for the Philadelphia story, Stewart was at the very top of Hollywood. He was America's leading man, a guaranteed box office draw, and then he walked away from it all. Stewart became the first major movie star to enlist in World War II. At 33 years old, already an accomplished private pilot, he joined the U.S. Army Air Force and earned his commission as a second lieutenant in the early ninth in early 1942. Because of his fame, the military wanted to protect them. He was assigned to recruiting films, morale tours, and training younger pilots. But Stewart wasn't satisfied. He didn't want to play a hero. He wanted to be one. By 1944, frustrated and convinced the war was slipping past him, Stewart personally asked to be sent overseas. Now a captain, he was shipped to England and assigned to fly B-24 Liberator bombers over Nazi occupied Europe. These were not symbolic missions, they were brutal, dangerous and deadly, and despite attempts by military leadership to shield him, Stuart insisted on flying combat missions again and again. He leading men into flak filled skies over Germany, and by the war's end he had flown twenty combat missions, risen to the rank of colonel, and earned multiple military decorations. The cost was immense. In the final months of the war, Stewart was grounded for being flak happy, what we now call. PTSD. On one mission alone, his unit lost 13 planes, 130 men, many of them friends. And so when he returned home in August of 1945, Jimmy Stewart was not the same man. He had lost weight, he had barely slept, he suffered nightmares of exploding planes and falling men. He was withdrawn, depressed, and unable to speak about the war. Then came the role of George Bailey. So when the audiences watch George's voice crack, his hand shake, his face crumble in despair, they're not seeing the performance alone. They're seeing truth. The trauma, the guilt, the exhaustion Stuart carried home from the war poured into the character. One biographer put it this way every decision he made during the war was going to preserve life or cost lives. He took it back to Hollywood, all the stress he had built up. And yet, making it's a wonderful life became healing. The film didn't just save George Bailey, in many ways, it saved Jimmy Stewart. Years later, Stewart explained why he'd left Hollywood to fight. The country's consciousness is bigger than all the studios in Hollywood put together. And the time will come when we will have to fight. So this week, as families gather around TV and hear those familiar bells ring, it's worth remembering what we're really watching. We're watching a story about an unseen impact, about quiet faithfulness, about a man who thought his life didn't matter until he learned the truth. And we're remembering a real man who gave up comfort, fame, and safety preserve to preserve something bigger than himself. This is fascinating. During uh during the war, Jimmy Stewart's uh Oscar sat proudly in his father's small town hardware store in Pennsylvania. And Stewart said, always said his father, the World War I veteran, was the biggest influence on his life. My uh great-grandfather actually visited uh that hardware store. My grandfather used to sell steel products, and and he went and visited and went to the actual hardware store where Jimmy Stewart's father was. In 1985, Jimmy Stewart received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and he died in 1997 and 89. And so every Christmas, when George Bailey discovers the worth of one life, we're reminded that Jimmy Stewart lived uh that truth for real. Thank you for letting me share about that story and about that movie. And again, uh just powerful. And again, this Christmas, uh just so much to be grateful for, and I wish you a Merry Christmas. And we're always grateful to be here every Monday morning. We'll be here next Monday morning. But again, for all your real estate needs, give the George Real Estate group a call, 828-393-0134. Love sharing with you about life, love sharing you about the real estate market. Thank you so much for tuning in. Have a great day, have a wonderful, Merry Christmas, and we'll see you next Monday.

SPEAKER_02:

The Greg Real Estate Show is a sponsored commentary from the George Real Estate Group. The opinion and views do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of WTZQ, its staff, and management.

SPEAKER_01:

The George Real Estate Group has the experience of selling over 1,200 properties and serving over 1,200 families with their real estate needs in Henderson County and throughout Western North Carolina. The George Real Estate Group is located in Flat Rock, North Carolina, near Hendersonville in Henderson County. You can find them online at realestatebygreg.com. The George Real Estate Group can be reached at 828-393-0134 or stop by their office at 2720 Greenville Highway, Flat Rock, North Carolina. Tune in live each week on Monday mornings at 905 on WTZQ FM 95.3 and 1600 AM, or stream online at WTZQ.com.

SPEAKER_00:

You've built a lifetime of strength, wisdom, and independence. And here's the best part: you still have it. Every decision, every step, every next chapter is yours to choose. Selling your home isn't about letting go, it's about opening the door to more freedom, more time for what you love, more energy for the people and passions that matter most. At the George Real Estate Group, we believe independence isn't behind you. It's right here, right now. Our team goes beyond buying and selling. We're here to help you protect your wealth, preserve your legacy, and make sure Uncle Sam doesn't become your biggest benefactor. We'll guide you every step of the way towards your next chapter, your next opportunity, and your freedom on your terms. Call us at 828 393 0134. Find us online at realestatebygreg.com.