Farah Alli's blog

Why online interest doesn't always translate into offers—and what sellers need to understand about today's buyers.

I spend a lot of time looking at the numbers behind our listings. Views, saves, inquiries, showings. And lately, there's a pattern that's becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

A home can attract hundreds of views, dozens of saves, and still have very few people walking through the front door.

So what's going on?

Buyers are looking. They're just being a lot more selective about what they're willing to see.

A Save Isn't a Showing

When someone saves a...

If there is one word I would use to describe the real estate market right now, it’s selective.

Not slow.
Not dead.
Not necessarily a buyer’s market or a seller’s market.

Selective.

Mortgage rates have moved sharply higher again, with the average 30-year fixed rate reaching 7.28% last week. At the same time, buyers have more homes to choose from. Nationally, active inventory is up 6.3% compared with this time last year.

You might assume that combination would bring the market to a standstill.

It hasn’t.

The buyers who are still looking are often very serious. Nationally,...

Mortgage rates are back above 7%.

And almost immediately, I'm hearing the question again:

“Should we just wait?”

I understand the instinct.

When rates rise, affordability changes. Monthly payments increase. And for buyers who have already been stretching to compete in an expensive market, another increase can feel like a reason to step away.

But here's the part of the conversation I think we're missing:

When enough buyers decide to wait, an opportunity can open for the buyers who don't.

We're beginning to see exactly that.

Nationally, pending home sales are down,...

Fall has officially arrived, and with it comes a shift in the Northern New Jersey real estate market.

For buyers and sellers in Hoboken, Jersey City, Weehawken and the surrounding communities, the next two months represent an important window.

But this fall isn't simply about taking advantage of seasonal activity. It's about understanding a market where inventory, mortgage rates and buyer expectations are creating very different experiences depending on the property.

After more than two decades in real estate, I've learned that successful transactions rarely come down to timing...

September has arrived, and with it comes one of the most important real estate windows of the year.

But the fall market isn’t simply a continuation of spring.

The pace changes. Buyers become more intentional. Sellers have a shorter runway before the holidays. And homes that are properly prepared and positioned can separate themselves quickly from those that aren’t.

That makes one word especially important right now:

Readiness.

For Sellers: Preparation Matters More Than Ever

In a fast-moving spring market, strong demand can sometimes compensate for imperfect presentation...

September has a way of changing the rhythm of the real estate market almost overnight.

Summer schedules wind down. Buyers who spent August traveling or waiting for more inventory are paying attention again. Sellers who held off listing are entering the market. And suddenly, there is a renewed sense of urgency around making a move before the end of the year.

But this September, there’s an important distinction:

Activity does not automatically equal opportunity. Strategy matters.

Across Hoboken, Jersey City, Weehawken and the surrounding Northern New Jersey markets, I’m watching...

September marks the beginning of one of the most important windows in Northern New Jersey real estate. But if you're expecting the fall market to simply be a smaller version of spring, think again.

Labor Day has passed. Summer vacations are winding down. School is back in session. And across Hoboken, Jersey City and the surrounding Northern New Jersey markets, buyers and sellers are turning their attention back to real estate.

Welcome to the fall market.

After more than 25 years in real estate, I've learned that September has its own rhythm. It can be an incredibly productive time...

Labor Day has always felt like an unofficial dividing line in real estate.

Summer schedules wind down. Buyers who put their searches on hold start paying attention again. Sellers begin thinking about whether they should make a move before the holidays. And suddenly, the market that felt a little quieter in August starts moving again.

But this year, I think it’s especially important to understand one thing:

The fall market is not simply a continuation of the spring market.

Across Northern New Jersey, we are entering September with buyers who are informed, selective and...

A seller recently asked me a question I hear more often than you might think:

“If our price is in line with the comparable sales, why aren’t we getting offers?”

It’s a fair question.

But in today’s Northern New Jersey market, being reasonably priced and being positioned to sell are not always the same thing.

After 25 years in real estate, one thing I’ve learned is that buyers don’t evaluate a home in a vacuum. They evaluate it against every other option available to them right now.

And that distinction matters.

The Market Is Your Competition, Not Your Comp

Comparable...

August is often treated as a transitional month in real estate.

Vacations are still underway. Buyers are squeezing in the last weeks of summer. Sellers who haven't moved yet may be wondering whether they've missed their window.

But if you know what to look for, August can provide some of the earliest clues about what the fall market may bring.

And right now, the signals matter.

1. More inventory doesn't automatically mean a buyer's market.

Across Northern New Jersey, buyers are seeing more choices than they did during the tightest inventory periods of the past few...