What History Can Teach Us About Today’s Real Estate Market Shift

Lesley and Andy lead State of the Market Greenville, SC

The Market Isn’t New—We’ve Just Forgotten the Playbook

Harry Truman once said, “The only thing that’s new is the history you don’t know.” And after spending the last few weeks reviewing old journals and studying decades of real estate cycles, I couldn’t agree more.

As we’ve been preparing for our Mastering the Market of the Moment calls, one theme has become unmistakably clear: Today’s real estate challenges aren’t new—they’re simply unfamiliar to those who haven’t lived through them before.

Rising rates?Tight inventory?Uneasy headlines?We’ve seen all of this before. And the strategies that carried agents—and consumers—through prior cycles are the same strategies that work today.

The Wisdom We Already Have Still Works

Gary Keller says in SHIFT, “Markets shift—shift with them.” It was true in 2008. It was true in the 1980s. It’s true right now.

The fundamentals that have always moved the industry forward continue to do the heavy lifting today:

• Pricing homes correctly

• Understanding hyper-local trends

• Negotiating with skill, not emotion

• Staying in relationship rather than retreating

• Helping buyers and sellers make smart, confident decisions—not fearful ones

There is no “new magic trick.” There is simply remembered wisdom applied consistently.

If You're an Agent…

This business rewards the professionals who lean into the fundamentals, master the market they’re in, and follow proven models even when things feel uncertain.

If you want to thrive in 2025 and beyond, don’t reinvent the wheel. Pick up the playbook again. Read Gary Keller's SHIFT.

If You’re a Buyer or Seller…

Markets go through cycles—it’s normal. What matters most is working with an agent who understands those cycles, has studied them, and can guide you with clarity instead of fear.

History tells us something powerful: Homes continue to sell in every market. Smart decisions are always possible. And opportunities exist for those who know where to look.

The Only Thing That Feels “New” Is What We’ve Forgotten

This moment in real estate isn’t unprecedented—it’s familiar. The path forward is already written. And the agents and consumers who revisit the lessons of the past will be the ones who win the future.

Let’s lead, buy, sell, and invest with wisdom—not worry.