The Real State of Real Estate

If you’ve been reading national headlines, you might think it’s a terrible time to sell a home. You see stories about price reductions, higher mortgage rates, and buyers waiting on the sidelines.

Here’s the reality. The market hasn’t stopped… it has changed. Nationally, inventory has increased, mortgage rates remain in the mid-6% range, and buyers are taking more time before making decisions. Across the country, sellers are seeing more competition and longer marketing times than they did during the frenzy of 2021 and 2022. Lake Country is experiencing many of those same trends.

Inventory around Lake Oconee has grown, giving buyers more choices. Homes are still selling, but buyers are selective, educated, and willing to wait for the right property at the right price. Well-prepared homes continue to perform well, while overpriced homes often linger on the market.

After more than 25 years selling Lake Oconee, I’ve learned one thing: This isn’t just a marketing market. It’s a strategy market.

Questions Sellers are Asking Today. You Ask, I Answer.

Q: How do I sell my home in today’s market?

R: Start with a strategy, not MLS. Today’s buyers have choices. They compare every property online before ever scheduling a showing. That means your home has to be positioned correctly before you even put it in MLS. This includes strategic pricing based on today’s competition, not last year’s sales, professional preparation and staging, exceptional photography and video, digital marketing targeted specifically to likely buyers and continuous adjustments as buyer activity changes.

Q: Do open houses still work?

R: This answer surprises many sellers. In Lake Country…not very often. We’re not a suburban neighborhood where buyers spend Sunday afternoons driving from one open house to another. Lake Oconee is a destination market. Most buyers come from Atlanta and the surrounding Georgia areas, Florida, Chicago, New Jersey and other states.

They are scheduling appointments, planning weekends at the lake, or flying in specifically to view properties. An open house may generate neighborhood traffic.

It may allow other Realtors to preview the home. It may even create good social media content.

But in my experience, it rarely produces the buyer who ultimately purchases the property. If I were deciding where to spend my marketing dollars, I would invest in reaching qualified buyers online, not buying balloons and cookies for an open house. Remember, buyers tour houses in their pajamas these days. They know what they would like to see before they even get here.

Q: Where should marketing dollars be spent?

R: In my 25 years in the business, I’ve learned that the slower the market becomes, the more important marketing becomes.When there are fewer active buyers, every qualified buyer matters. That’s why I believe sellers should hire an agent willing to invest significant dollars marketing their property, not simply placing it in the MLS and waiting.

The goal isn’t to market to everyone. The goal is to market to the right audience.

At Luxury Lake Oconee Real Estate, we invest heavily in digital advertising for our listings, because that’s where today’s buyers begin their search.

The more targeted your marketing, the more qualified buyers you reach. And when demand is limited, reaching even one additional qualified buyer can make all the difference.

Q: Why are some homes selling while others sit?

R: Usually it comes down to five things: Pricing, presentation, positioning, exposure, negotiation. These five factors matter far more today than they did a few years ago. In today’s market, buyers notice everything. Deferred maintenance, outdated finishes, poor photography, limited marketing. Every detail matters.

Q: Should I wait until the market improves?

R: Maybe. But maybe not. Every seller’s situation is different. If you’re also buying another property, today’s softer market may actually work in your favor because you’ll likely have more negotiating power on your next purchase. Trying to “time the market” rarely works. Making a strategic decision based on your goals usually does. This is why you need an experienced agent who knows the market and watches what it’s doing and how it affects your specific property.

Q: What’s the biggest mistake sellers make today?

R: Thinking this is still 2021 and it is not. Pricing aggressively because “someone might pay it” often leads to months on the market, multiple price reductions, and ultimately selling for less than if the home had been positioned correctly from the beginning.

Strategy always outperforms hope. Every home deserves its own strategy. That’s why I don’t believe in one-size-fits-all marketing. I believe in positioning each home so the right buyer doesn’t just see it, they connect with it. 

Because in today’s market, the homes that win aren’t always the most expensive or the newest. They’re the ones with the best strategy behind them. Give me a call at (706) 347-2625 to discuss the market and strategy for your property.

About Riezl Baker and Luxury Lake Oconee Real Estate Group

Riezl Baker is the top real estate agent and market expert in Lake Country and Reynolds Lake Oconee, Georgia with an extraordinary $129 million sold in 2025 and $1 billion in career sales. With 25 years of experience, Riezl has built a reputation for excellence, trusted guidance, and unmatched market knowledge in real estate.

Nationally recognized as a Top Luxury Real Estate Leader by Modern Luxury and named a 2025 Real Estate Luminary by RISMedia, Riezl is also recognized by The Atlantan as an expert in vacation and second-home markets. A sought-after public speaker, she has been invited to share her insights at leading real estate conferences in Las Vegas, including the RISMedia CEO & Leadership Exchange, and her expertise has been featured in Mansion Global and on Fox News.

Known for her strategic vision, deep community roots, and results-driven approach, Riezl Baker continues to set the standard for real estate at Lake Oconee and Lake Country, Georgia locally respected, nationally recognized, and consistently delivering at the highest level.

Luxury Lake Oconee Real Estate Group is a premier, award-winning brokerage based in Greensboro, Georgia, specializing in lakefront and golf community properties throughout Lake Country and Reynolds Lake Oconee. Co-founded by Riezl and Ted Baker, the firm has redefined the standard of excellence in Georgia’s luxury real estate market through its commitment to integrity, personalized service, and innovative marketing. With a proven track record representing some of the region’s most exclusive properties, Luxury Lake Oconee Real Estate Group continues to set the benchmark for exceptional results and client experience. (www.luxurylakeoconee.com; www.riezlbaker.com)