Welcome back to Real(ty) Talk! Today, Paul and Suzanne unpack why the end of the year is one of the most strategic times to buy, sell, or invest—even though most of the industry slows down. From holiday motivation to inventory psychology, we explain how agents can finish strong and set up a powerful start to 2026.

This episode covers:

• Why buyers have a huge edge during the holiday slowdown

• How agents can stay consistent, time-block, and build next year’s pipeline

• What the Fed’s final meeting under Powell means for rates

• Insights from a recent economic forum on inflation, AI, home values & affordability

• The 5 biggest red flags for buyers—pricing traps, urgency pressure, inspection disasters, sketchy disclosures, and title nightmares

• A hilarious (and terrifying?) Homes Gone Wild story featuring a sweaty stranger and a massive steel wine opener

Tap follow, share with a colleague, and join us next week for more stories, strategy, and insider real-estate insight.

This week on Realty Talk, Suzanne “Queen of the Closing Table” and Paul “Fix-It-All” are recording on-site at Innovate Realty’s La Mesa office in San Diego County. They break down the buzz around 50-year mortgages, what Trump’s proposals and Fed moves could mean for buyers, and how today’s market is really behaving as we head through the end of the year.

They also pull back the curtain on how Innovate’s multi-location model and in-house media team are changing the game for agents and their clients—from collaborative office culture to wedding-style closing videos that generate repeat and referral business.

In this episode, they cover:

• The pros, cons, and real risks of a potential 50-year mortgage

• Why “date the rate” still matters—and what most consumers actually do with debt

• Inventory, days-on-market, and why some listings are flying while others sit

• How Innovate’s La Mesa office is capturing nearly 1% of San Diego County’s market share

• What makes Innovate different for agents: in-house media, multiple locations, and low-ego leadership

If you’re a buyer, seller, or agent wondering how to navigate this market—or thinking about whether your brokerage is really supporting you—this episode is for you.

👉 Follow, rate, and subscribe on Spotify or YouTube, and don’t forget to send us your real estate stories for a chance to be featured on a future episode!

This week on Realty Talk, Suzanne “Queen of the Closing Table” Seini and Paul “Fix-It-All” Hanson sit down with Innovate Realty’s Director of Marketing — and former touring musician — David Doblin (aka “Double D”) for one of our most electric conversations yet.

🎵 In this episode:

• David’s wild career journey from jazz drummer to real estate marketer

• Why buyer confidence is shifting — and what a Fed rate cut could mean for SoCal housing

• Behind-the-scenes at Innovate Realty’s full-service ecosystem: brokerage, escrow, media, and more

• How AI is becoming “the ultimate amplifier” for agents — from automating tasks to building full apps in-house

• The Homes Gone Wild story you won’t believe (hint: it involves the Golden Gate Bridge 🫣)

💡 Takeaway: Whether you’re a new agent or a seasoned pro, this episode shows how creativity, adaptability, and technology can shape the future of real estate.