6-5-2025 Board Games, Business Insights, and Wiggle Worms: A Week in Motion

Personal Life: Tag, You're It

My sister flew in from Sweden this week, and naturally, we packed every moment with car rides, board games, and spontaneous roadside tourism. She's heading to a conference in North Carolina, but we squeezed in some quality time here before she left. She doesn’t get to drive much back home—thank you, excellent Swedish public transportation—so she was weirdly giddy every time we had to hop in the car. Which, lucky for her, was often. Because of real estate.

We made a family trip out of a listing photo run, wandering around a Property Owners Association, checking out fishing access at Tarryall, frisbee golf, hiking hills, and community perks that honestly made me want to sign myself up. And in between all the driving and working, we went full-on Catan mode, which escalated into something vaguely resembling a mutiny. There was betrayal, plotting, and an all-against-Tag strategy that left him questioning his place in the family. You know, just good wholesome fun.

My kids were very on-brand this week too—fully into anything that involved movement, snacks, or a job title. They’re helping with the upcoming Shaffers Crossing Community Garage Sale by running a lemonade stand and handing out maps. The rule is simple: if they have to be there, they need something to do. Sitting idle is not an option when you’re genetically coded to fidget. Honestly, I get it.

Bridger started his umpire training program and—plot twist—likes it. Even the polo shirt. This is a big shift from his usual uniform of skater gear (despite the fact that he doesn’t skateboard), so I’m savoring this brief detour into collared respectability. Sterling, meanwhile, is in baseball camp, and because both boys are in activities at the same place at the same time, we’re living the rare parental dream of a single drop-off and pick-up. If you know, you know.

Real Estate Life: It's Not You, It's the Market

Okay, let’s talk real estate—because I had an actual revelation this week. One of those moments where something clicks, not just logically but emotionally. Here it is: we’re not crashing, we’re normalizing. And pricing isn't personal.

I know it’s hard when your neighbor sold for more a year ago, and now your home’s market value looks… disappointing. But it’s not about your home. It’s about math. Buyers are doing a constant equation in their heads: Home price + interest rate = monthly payment.

If what they can afford now improves their life—more space, less commute, better layout—they’ll make a move. If it doesn’t? They won’t. It’s not a judgment on your landscaping, your countertops, or the love you put into that walk-in closet. It’s about whether the full package fits their lifestyle and their budget. That’s it.

So here’s what I’m seeing:
📉 Prices have stabilized
📈 Buyers are cautious but present
🔁 We’re entering a cycle of modest annual appreciation, front-loaded in the first half of each year (assuming interest rates hold)

In other words: we’re not broken, we’re just adjusting.

In the midst of that, I’ve been working on a few exciting things:

• Off-Market Buyer List: I’m shifting from a Monday text (which I completely failed at, let’s be honest) to a “hot-off-the-press” email anytime I hear about an off-market property. These aren’t my listings, just insider info. If that sounds like your jam, click the banner in this newsletter to sign up.
• Shaffers Crossing Community Garage Sale – June 28: If you live off the Shaffers Crossing exit, sign up here. Set up shop at your own home, and I’ll do the advertising and mapping. Rain or shine!
• “Next Steps” Seminar – July 29 at 10 am, Evergreen Library: If your home feels too big, too cluttered, or too stair-heavy—and you don’t know where to start—we’ll cover everything from estate sales to taxes to lifestyle options. This event is for you or someone you love. Sign-ups are coming next week (or email me to get ahead of the crowd).

• New Listings Dropping This Week:
• 🏡 A jaw-dropping new build in Como
• 🛠️ A cozy Bailey home with an outbuilding dreams are made of
• 🌄 And 20 private acres in Conifer with views that will make you weep (in a good way)