When the Market Doesn’t Follow Rules
Today’s housing market does not fit neatly into one category. Inventory is growing in some areas, buyers are finding more room to negotiate, and homes may be taking longer to sell. At the same time, certain properties and price points are still attracting multiple offers and strong competition.
In this episode, Duffy sits down with John Shami, Loan Officer with Howard Hanna Mortgage Services, and Sonsee Schramm, Agent with Howard Hanna Real Estate Services in Amherst, Ohio, to talk about what they are seeing in the market and why conditions can look very different depending on the buyer, seller, location, and price point.
With more than 50 years of experience across real estate sales, management, and mortgage lending, John shares perspective from decades of changing interest rates and housing cycles. Sonsee brings the view from today’s transactions, where buyers are beginning to negotiate more on price, inspections, and other terms while sellers adjust to a market that may require more flexibility.
They also discuss how higher mortgage rates are influencing affordability and buying power, why life changes continue to bring people into the housing market regardless of broader conditions, and how buyers can adapt their search rather than simply waiting for the market to change.
The conversation also turns to an opportunity for real estate professionals: reconnecting with buyers who were previously preapproved but stepped away after losing out on homes or becoming frustrated with the market. As inventory and negotiating conditions change, those buyers may find that their experience looks different today.
A conversation about the changing housing market, mortgage rates, buyer and seller expectations, affordability, inventory, and why understanding the market in front of you matters more than trying to define it with a single headline.
Featured Guests
Sonsee Schramm
Real Estate Agent, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services
