Joseph Wells - Realtor

10/12/2026

Two Sides of the Coin.

One Housing Market.

Depending on who you ask, today's real estate market tells two very different stories.

Sellers are frustrated. Homes are taking longer to sell, price reductions are becoming more common, and buyers aren't rushing to make offers like they once did.

On the other hand, buyers aren't exactly celebrating either. Higher mortgage rates, affordability concerns, and uncertainty have many wondering whether now is really the right time to purchase, but here's what I think gets overlooked in all the headlines...

There's opportunity on BOTH sides of the coin.

For sellers, success may come down to realistic pricing, strategic marketing, and understanding what motivates today's buyers.

For buyers, the opportunity may be in negotiating closing costs, seller concessions, repairs, or other terms that make a purchase more affordable.

The market isn't necessarily working against everyone. It's simply requiring a different approach. The real advantage isn't always in the price. Sometimes it's in the negotiation.

https://www.josephwellsrealtor.com/blog/both-sides-of-the-coin

09/26/2026

This one officially has a new homeowner! 🏡

Thankful for the opportunity to help my clients sell this beautifully renovated home in Graham. 3141 Wagoner Lane had quite the journey to the closing table, but we stayed the course, worked through the details, and got it done.

Congratulations to my sellers, the new homeowner, and everyone involved in making this one happen. Wishing everyone the very best in their next chapter!

09/20/2026

https://www.josephwellsrealtor.com/blog/the-market-youre-hearing-about

One of the tricky things about real estate headlines is that most of the numbers we're reading today are actually telling us what happened weeks—or even months—ago.

September closings? Many of those buyers and sellers made their decisions back in July or August.

Meanwhile, what's happening right now shows up first in places that don't necessarily make the headlines:

🏡 Are buyers scheduling showings?
🏡 Are sellers becoming more negotiable?
🏡 Are homes receiving offers?
🏡 Are buyers moving forward with mortgage applications—or pulling back?

Even this week's news from the Federal Reserve won't immediately appear in closed-sale statistics. We'll see the market's reaction first through buyer behavior and new contracts, with some of those transactions not closing until October or November.

That's why I always think it's important to look beyond the headline.

Today's headlines can affect tomorrow's market. Tomorrow's closing statistics will tell us what happened weeks ago.

If you're thinking about buying or selling in Raleigh or the surrounding Triangle, don't make your decision based solely on a national headline or last month's statistics. Let's look at what's actually happening in your market right now.

Wake County, NC Real Estate Market News for September 20 2026

09/07/2026

🏡 Don’t Throw in the Towel on 2026 Just Yet

Something interesting has happened over the past week…

The phone has rung a little more. Buyer inquiries have increased. Homes that had been relatively quiet are suddenly getting showing requests again.

Is the market suddenly turning around? It’s far too early to say.

But what caught my attention is that we saw something very similar happen last year.

After a slow summer filled with buyers waiting on rates, affordability, and uncertainty, Labor Day passed—and people simply started moving again.

Could September 2026 bring another post-summer pop?

For sellers, it could mean another window of opportunity if your home didn’t sell during June or July. Summer ending doesn’t necessarily mean your opportunity to sell in 2026 ended with it.

And for buyers, September could be interesting too. There’s still inventory available, sellers have had time to adjust to today’s market, and increased activity doesn’t necessarily mean a return to the bidding wars of years past.

Maybe this little burst of activity disappears as quickly as it arrived. Or maybe some buyers are finally asking themselves:

“What exactly am I waiting for?”

Either way, I’m not throwing in the towel on 2026 just yet & neither should you.
If you're thinking about buying or selling in Raleigh or the surrounding Triangle? Let’s talk about what I’m seeing in the market right now.

Joseph Wells REALTOR
919-238-9050

https://www.josephwellsrealtor.com/blog/september-2026

09/04/2026

JUST CLOSED 🏡

108 Sweetbay Park in Youngsville is officially closed — at asking price!

This one was a great reminder that even in a competitive market, the right combination of pricing, presentation, patience, and negotiation can get the job done.

Very thankful for the opportunity and trust to help get this one across the finish line. On to the next chapter!

08/28/2026

What If This Is the New Normal?

A homeowner asked me something this week that stuck with me:

“Joe, when is this market going to get better?”

And it made me wonder… what if this is it? What if our definition of “normal” is what actually needs to change?

For the past few years, I've heard some version of:

“I'll buy when rates come back down.”

“I'll sell when the market gets better.”

“I'll wait until things get back to normal.”

But the 2–3% mortgage rates, rapidly rising home values, multiple offers, and homes selling almost immediately that we experienced a few years ago weren't exactly “normal” either. We just happened to like that version of abnormal a lot more.

Today's market looks different. Buyers have more choices. Sellers are negotiating again. Homes are taking longer to sell. And interest rates remain higher than many hoped they would be by now.

That doesn't mean everyone should rush out and buy or sell. Sometimes waiting really is the right decision.

But instead of simply waiting for the market to get “better,” maybe there's a more useful question:

What specifically needs to get better for the market to work for YOU?

Is it the interest rate? Your monthly payment? A certain sale price? An equity number?

Once you can answer that, you can stop waiting on an undefined “better” market—and start making a plan based on your actual goals. Blog post below for more.

https://www.josephwellsrealtor.com/blog/what-if-this-is-the-new-normal

08/24/2026

One of the most common conversations I have with homeowners starts at one of two extremes:
“I just want to sell it as-is.”
Or…
“I’m thinking about spending $30,000–$50,000 updating everything before we sell.”

The right answer is usually somewhere in between.

Not every dated home needs to be renovated. And spending $40,000 on improvements doesn't automatically make a home worth $40,000 more.
What matters is how your home compares to the competition and what buyers at your price point actually expect. Sometimes fresh paint, landscaping, pressure washing, decluttering, and a few repairs are exactly what a home needs. Sometimes the right recommendation really is: Keep your money. Don't touch it. And for higher end homes, the opposite can be true. If we're asking buyers to pay a premium price, the presentation needs to feel like a premium product. The goal isn't to spend the most money before selling. It's to spend where buyers will actually notice it. In the article below I rank which strategies help improve a home before listing, alongside those improvements that may not.

https://www.josephwellsrealtor.com/blog/read-this-before-you-spend-on-your-home

08/11/2026

🇺🇸 MILITARY BUYERS — ASSUMABLE VA LOAN OPPORTUNITY IN SANFORD!

Looking for a home in the Sanford area? 164 Rocking Horse Lane is now offered at $345,000 and has an existing VA loan that may be assumable by a qualified buyer.

What makes this opportunity especially interesting is that the seller's remaining loan balance is very close to the current asking price—potentially eliminating the large equity gap buyers often encounter when considering an assumable mortgage.

🏡 4 Bedrooms | 3 Full Baths
📐 2,507 Sq. Ft.
🌳 Large .78-acre lot
✨ Built in 2023 & barely lived in
🔑 Vacant & move-in ready
🇺🇸 VA loan assumption available subject to servicer approval and buyer qualification

PCSing to North Carolina or know someone who is? Send me a message for details about the home and existing loan.

08/10/2026

Are We Entering the Slow Season?
Not Quite Yet. Every August I hear the same question: Doesn't the real estate market slow down once school starts back?
Historically, yes, but that slowdown doesn't happen overnight. What I'm seeing right now across the Triangle is that buyers are still scheduling showings, homes are still going under contract, and people who need to move are still looking. The difference? By August, many of the casual shoppers have left the market. The buyers who remain may be relocating for work, reaching the end of a lease, selling another property, or simply haven't found the right home yet and I would rather have three serious buyers walk through a home than ten people who are six months away from making a decision. For sellers, that means there's still opportunity, but August buyers have choices. Pricing, condition, and presentation matter. For buyers, this can also be an interesting window with less competition and potentially more room to negotiate.
☀️ Summer isn't over yet, and neither is the opportunity in this year's real estate market.

Check out this week's blog for more!
https://www.josephwellsrealtor.com/blog/are-we-entering-the-slow-season

07/27/2026

🤔 I Need to Confess Something...

There are a few things I hear almost every week from homeowners:

"My home will sell because inventory is still low."

"If buyers really like it, they'll overlook the updates."

"I'll just wait for the 'right' buyer."

The truth? Today's market doesn't work that way anymore.

Buyers have become more selective. They're comparing homes, paying attention to condition, and looking closely at value before making an offer. The homes that stand out aren't always the newest or the most expensive, they're the ones that are priced strategically, presented well, and aligned with what buyers are looking for.

One of the most valuable things a seller can do today is let go of yesterday's assumptions and focus on today's market.

https://www.josephwellsrealtor.com/blog/i-need-to-confess-something