Blogs

I want to talk about something that doesn’t always show up in your calendar, but impacts every goal you’re chasing – alignment.

I scored under 1000 on my SATs

Graduated high school with a 2.7 GPA

And my first job out of school paid me $18,000 a year

Not exactly the kind of story that screams success right?

In the beginning I thought it was all about the grind

The average 30 year fixed has been hovering around 6.9% this spring. That’s kept some buyers on the sidelines, but not all. If you are in an area like Montgomery County, homes are still moving.

The average 30 year fixed has been hovering around 6.9% this spring. That’s kept some buyers on the sidelines, but not all. If you are in an area like Montgomery County, homes are still moving.

Before you put your home on the market, take a moment to walk through it as if you were a buyer seeing it for the first time. That shift in perspective can completely change how your home feels.

We have all heard it lately

Why would I move when I’ve got a 3 percent mortgage?

It is a fair question. That was a great rate. But here is what most people are not thinking about. Keeping a low rate does not always mean keeping the right home

Life keeps moving. Families grow. Jobs change. Priorities shift. And that home that worked a few years ago might already feel too small, too big, or just not quite right

So congrats, you are under contract and just reached the home inspection phase. This part can feel a little overwhelming, especially when you look at the long list of inspections in the standard Pennsylvania Agreement of Sale.

Like it or not, recession talk is heating up again. Your friends are seeing the headlines. Your neighbors are talking about it. And in real estate, that kind of noise can create fear and hesitation fast.

Here is what I want you to know. When most people hear the word recession, they immediately think of a housing crash. That is because 2008 is still a fresh wound for a lot of people. They remember the foreclosures. The short sales. The families forced to walk away from their homes. It left a mark.

But the truth is, in four of the last six recessions, home prices actually went up. Only twice did prices drop. And outside of 2008, those drops were pretty mild. The last big crash was the exception, not the norm.

Right now, people are wondering if this is history repeating itself. I study this market every day so you do not have to. I am not here to guess where the economy is going. I am here to give you real insight so you can make the best decisions for you and your family.

And whether your friends ask you or not, the question is already on their minds. That is why sharing the truth and starting the conversation matters so much right now.

I know you know I have a real passion for psychological studies, so here’s another one I think you’ll find interesting—and surprisingly relevant to real estate.

Have you ever been in a situation where a group of people confidently gave the wrong answer—and even though you knew it was wrong, you still found yourself going along with it?

That’s exactly what happened in a famous experiment from the 1950s by psychologist Solomon Asch.

The Asch Conformity Experiment
In this study, participants were asked to complete a simple task—match line lengths. But here’s the twist: the other people in the room were in on the experiment. And they all intentionally gave the wrong answer.

The result?
Most participants went along with the group—even when the answer was clearly wrong.

Why? Because social proof is powerful. When we’re unsure, we tend to follow the crowd.

So What Does This Have to Do with Real Estate?
A lot, actually.

A home with multiple offers feels more valuable—even if the offers aren’t that strong.

A crowded open house creates urgency, even if the home isn’t the best fit.

Sellers want to price like their neighbors, even if their property is different.

This isn’t about manipulation—it’s about awareness.
Group behavior can influence our decisions more than we realize. The key is recognizing when that’s happening and staying grounded in your goals, not someone else’s momentum.

Whether you’re buying, selling, or just keeping an eye on the market, it pays to understand the psychology at play.

Want to see the original experiment in action?
👉 Click here to watch the Asch Conformity Study

—

Want help cutting through the noise and making a strategy based on your goals? I’m always here to walk you through it.

Before I got into real estate, I studied psychology. I’ve always been fascinated by why people make the decisions they do—and to this day, those insights still play a big role in how I help my clients.

One of my favorite psychological concepts is something called the Endowment Effect.

Here’s the short version:

In a well-known study, participants were given a coffee mug to keep. Just minutes after owning it, they started valuing the mug almost twice as much as those who didn’t receive one. Nothing had changed about the mug—it was the ownership that made it feel more valuable.

Now think about what that means for selling a home.

We live in our homes. We raise kids, host holidays, patch walls, and paint cabinets. We pour in our time, our energy, and our memories. So naturally—it feels priceless.

But buyers? They’re coming in with fresh eyes. No emotional connection. Just numbers, features, and comparisons.

That’s why pricing a home isn’t just about the market—it’s about mindset. I help my sellers step back from the emotional lens so they can price smart, position their home the right way, and create a strategy that gets results.

If you’re thinking about making a move, I’d love to walk you through what that looks like.

Because selling your home isn’t just about what it’s worth to you. It’s about helping the next buyer see the value too.
The past few weeks have been a bit of a rollercoaster. Rates climbed back over 7 percent and now they’re sitting just under that, around 6.87 percent according to Mortgage News Daily.

It sounds small, but this one habit has had a massive impact on how I show up for my business, my family, my training, and myself. The idea came from a book called Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell. And as someone who thrives on structure and discipline, it clicked right away.

Here is how it works for me.

Every night at 8PM, my phone goes off. That timer is not for sleep it is my cue to wind down and transition with intention. I use that hour between 8 and 9PM to unplug, reflect, stretch, pray, read, or just sit in stillness. No screens. No scrolling. No distractions.

Why?

Because I realized the way I ended my day was sabotaging the next one.

Back when I would stay up watching Jiu Jitsu clips or scrolling social media, I convinced myself it was relaxing. But I was really just exhausted and escaping. That kind of burnout stacks up fast. My mornings felt heavy. My brain was foggy. And I was showing up reactive instead of ready.

Since I started honoring that 8PM boundary, everything shifted. I wake up at 4:45AM feeling focused, energized, and in control. My business feels sharper. My time with my family feels more present. And I feel like I am leading from a place of clarity, not chaos.

Here is the truth

discipline does not start in the morning. It starts the night before.

And for me, that 8PM timer became a meeting with my future self. A signal to protect my time, my energy, and my peace. Some nights I slip, but I always feel the difference. The next day feels heavier, more rushed, and more reactive.

So here is my challenge to you. Try it tonight.

Pick a timer one hour before your ideal bedtime. Protect that hour like a VIP meeting. Unplug. Breathe. Reflect. Stretch. Journal. Whatever helps you slow down with purpose.

Try it for seven days and ask yourself do I feel more focused in the morning? More present during the day? Less drained by the end of it?

This is one of the tiniest habits I have ever added, but also one of the most powerful.

If this message speaks to you, reply back or tag me on Instagram. I would love to hear how your evening routine evolves.

We are all building towards something meaningful, and it starts with being intentional especially when no one is watching.

Much love, John Lee