Tl;dr
Thinking about moving? I know it’s not your first time, but the rules of the game have changed since we last worked together. I’m not the gatekeeper anymore, I’m your advisor, and here is how we navigate the 2026 real estate market with more than 40 years of experience on our side.
Do you remember when the internet was young and we still used faxes for secure communications? Or how about even earlier, when new listings came in “the book”? In my more than 40 years of experience as a real estate agent here in Chester County, I’ve been through everything from the car phone revolution to the advent of aggregator sites like homes.com and into today’s world of real estate advisory.
What do you think is the role of a real estate agent in today’s market? While we used to be the gatekeepers of listings, now anyone can ask their phone for listings near them and get flooded with websites competing for attention. In today’s market, as your real estate agent, my role is as your advisor and advocate in all things real estate.
Many of you have already worked with me and might even remember faxing signed documents and hand-delivering a check. These days, if it’s not electronically tracked and verified, it doesn’t count. Before diving into the procedural changes, let’s go over what you can do to get ready to buy your next home. We’ll start with the most important question: why even move? From there, we’ll get ready to start searching for your next home in earnest. Even if you moved back in 2023, you might be surprised at what real estate looks like in 2026.
Define the “Why”
This is about lifestyle more than specific features. We’ll get into features once we set up a curated search. Before that, it’s important to put in words what you absolutely cannot live without, what you’d really like to have, and what would be so “wow” you’re willing to do whatever it takes to make it yours. Since you haven’t been in the real estate market in a while, listing out your absolute must-haves helps you stay focused and avoid being blinded by modern features. Plus, your must-haves are probably different today than they were the last time you moved.
While you ask these questions about different homes, you might find your list of wants and needs changing. It’s all too easy to get caught up with FOMO or modern, shiny features and lose track of what’s really important. Remember: it’s easier to change a kitchen than a commute.
At this stage in your real estate involvement, you may be looking to downsize, relocate, or even find the home in which you’ll age in place. When you’re thinking about homes, here are a few questions to help narrow down your options.
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Does this home fulfill my immediate needs?
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Will this home still fulfill my needs in 5 years?
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Will this home still fulfill my needs in 10 years?
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Will this home still fulfill my needs in 20 years?
While these aren’t the be-all, end-all questions, knowing your next home will serve you as long as you need it is more than just peace of mind: it’s smart planning.
Clarify Your Financial Position
There’s more money involved with moving than just sticker price and closing costs. Everything from new utility bills and different grocery stores to different commutes and local services means different monthly spending. Moving can even change which doctors and hospitals you’re likely to use, while some strategic moves actually decrease the cost of living.
The ongoing costs of living aren’t the only often overlooked expenditures you should prepare for. In my four decades of experience, it’s safe to say that you’ll want about 3% of the cost of the home stashed away for all those things that pop up once it’s move-in time. Everything from changing locks and repainting to takeout meals for the first few days adds up quickly.
I recommend actually working out what possible expenditures might be like, covering everything from the best-case scenario to spending down to your limit. If there’s a house you really like, but the cost of living is too high, I’d rather you know beforehand than regret your decision. With so many factors to consider, the best advice I can give is to work with a financial advisor that you know and trust.
Mortgage Pre-Approval
Serious buyers in today’s real estate market come fully prepared, ready to execute paperwork and fulfill obligations far faster than back when we relied on faxes and physical checks. These days, a mortgage pre-approval is one of the strongest signs to sellers that buyers are ready and able to pay what they’re offering. Plus, it cuts down on processing time between making an offer and going to settlement.
The last time we worked together, we probably relied on having a mortgage pre-qualification in-hand when we went to see houses. We probably had at least a week to get our paperwork in order between seeing a home and making an offer. And we were probably looking at homes that were on the market for about a month, on average.
In today’s real estate market, the best homes sell very quickly, often lasting on the market for all of a weekend. Ideally, your financial information will show a seller that they don’t need to worry about you getting a mortgage to afford the house, and a mortgage pre-approval is part of that evidence.
For more information on pre-approvals, I recommend this article on investopedia.com.
Build the Ready-Team
As I’ve said before, the best homes move fast in the 2026 housing market here in Chester County, PA. When you find a home you want to try and make your own, having the right team ready to go can be the difference between getting the home and continuing your search. As your real estate agent, I coordinate everyone on the team, making sure we’re all on the same page and up to date.
That’s not to say I bring a set team with me on every transaction. Like most things in real estate, the exact makeup of the ready team is based on the specifics of the home and your situation. In my experience, the team usually includes at least the following:
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Real Estate Agent (that’s me)
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Mortgage Broker
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Title Company
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Inspectors
While members of the team like inspectors and title companies don’t need to be pre-scheduled when you make an offer, it helps to have a short-list before beginning the hunt, especially if you want to have the opportunity to vet and interview the professionals.
Then vs Now
Professional Representation and The Lawsuit
The first difference you’ll probably notice is when we sign paperwork and how we discuss representation. Ever since the 2024 Sitzer-Burnette lawsuit, we will go over and sign all the paperwork about our professional connection before we even step inside a showing or open house.
Some of the conversation will be familiar, if more important than before. It’s all too easy in 2026 to walk into an open house, sign in, and end up in a representation mix-up leaving a buyer on the hook for two commissions.
To answer your question: no, it wasn’t the industry standard to talk about this before we started looking at houses. Ever since the lawsuit and resulting regulation changes, we now discuss this earlier and intentionally decouple the Seller’s Agent and Buyer’s Agent commissions in both paperwork and conversation in order to avoid these very pitfalls.
If you’d like to read more about the lawsuit and its story, check out my article series.
The Shift to Digital Appraisals
We’re in the midst of another big change right now, as well. This time, it’s around appraisals. Following the trends of our times, the way real estate is being appraised is becoming increasingly digitized. The transition between the old and new styles of appraisals is ongoing through November of this year, so we’ll talk about this more as we need to.
Home Security and Privacy
Another big difference in today’s world is around security. Specifically, your security. Beyond digital threats to your information security, buyers in today’s market need to be extra wary of the sharp increase in home monitoring systems. These days, it’s not just the obvious home security cameras we’re looking out for. Everything from Ring cameras to smart home interfaces are common enough that we should assume these walls can talk.
The 2026 Market Paradox
Now, for the big one. If you’ve been looking around at real estate on your own, you may already have an idea of what’s coming. If you’ve owned your home in Chester County for 10 years, your home is probably worth nearly double what you paid to get in the door. But that’s not the surprising part right now. In today’s real estate market, the bigger shock is that home prices are trending lower today than they were last year and the year before. Between generally lower mortgage rates and housing prices, your next home may be more affordable than it has been in several years.
Conclusion
A lot has changed in Chester County since I started in real estate back in 1985. We have a higher population, yet more dedicated open space. Our zip codes have changed, our supermarkets are different, and our hospitals have changed names. These days, we all have more computing power in our pockets than my entire office had when I started in this business.
My role as your real estate agent has evolved over the years, too. I’ve seen 4 distinct markets, with more shifting trends than I care to count. It’s not 2023 anymore, let alone 1985. I’m not the gatekeeper anymore, I’m the advisor.
Real estate changes every year. If you’re interested in learning what your real estate picture looks like in 2026 or getting started with your next move, give me a call. I’m still here in West Chester when you need me.
