Reflection, Data, and Looking Toward 2026

As we settle into the first few weeks of 2026, I’ve found myself doing something I usually try to avoid: looking back.

My mentor, Bryan, has been telling me for nearly a decade that I need to share more of my personal story. For a long time, I resisted that. I’m a data person by nature; I’ve always preferred the quiet clarity of a spreadsheet to the spotlight. But as I look at where I’ve been and where we’re headed this year, I realized that my "data brain" and my heart for this business are actually the same thing.

Before I entered real estate, I spent 12 years as a financial advisor. In that world, a bad number wasn't just a typo; it meant someone’s retirement was pushed back or a college fund was at risk. I carried that weight home with me every night.

When I transitioned into real estate in 2017, I realized I couldn't turn that part of my brain off. When I look at a home in our neighborhood, I don’t just see four walls and a roof; I see the largest financial asset in a family's portfolio. I see equity that represents security and freedom. When we are working together to buy or sell a home, I’m constantly running payments, loan terms, and negotiation scenarios in my head. While I’m driving, exercising, or trying to go to sleep.

This focus on literally seeing numbers and patterns in my head is why I’ve spent the last year neck-deep in data, building a proprietary AI platform to find undervalued commercial properties and methods to structure deals that others see as too broken to fix.

But as much as I love the analysis, 2025 taught me that the why matters more than the what.

I’m incredibly proud of the Comcast RISE grant I was awarded to help bring my House Money for Teens curriculum to life this year, which will be followed by programs for Kids and Young Adults in 2027. My goal is to teach the next generation how to understand the "math of life" before they ever sign their first mortgage. It’s my way of taking my 20+ years of financial experience and giving it back to our community.

I’m not the most outgoing guy in the room, and I’ll never be the loudest marketer. But if you or someone you know needs an advisor who sees the data, respects the equity, and treats your home like the major investment it is, I’m always here.

I’m looking forward to a great year ahead with all of you. If you have questions about the current trends or just want a clear-eyed look at the numbers behind a potential move, please don't hesitate to reach out.