What happened when my numbers didn't match reality?
Jun 07, 2026
"That's not what we're seeing."
These were the words that came from the president of a local builder right after I presented a brief market update on the luxury coastal real estate market in Northeast Florida.
I was caught off guard.
At first, my knee-jerk reaction was to be self-conscious and get defensive.
In my head, I was thinking.. Did I make a mistake? How could I be so wrong? How is he arguing with the numbers?
If I would have stayed in this mindset, it would have been a disaster. I would have been closed off and the valuable perspective the builder was bringing would have been lost.
But instead, I've been trained to go beyond the first questions that pop in my head and get to a better one: "that's interesting, why is he saying that?"
And this completely shifts you to be open and spot opportunities.
Plus, its the tip of the iceberg on a really important lesson I'll share with you today...
Your experiences can lie to you. 🤥
Talk about the real estate market and most agents will have a recent listing they bring up.
"This market is so slow. I had a listing that was priced perfectly and it's just sitting."
Or "things are on fire. I just sold a property in one weekend with multiple offers."
And while these individual experiences are real, we have to remember they're just one data point in a market made up of many.
Anything is possible on one listing.
Don't forget, it takes a larger point of view to see the market more clearly.
The market is both 🎨 art and 🧬 science.
But what happens when a number of our experiences don't line up with the data?
This goes from all science to a bit of art when you've got to make the numbers make sense.
In the case of the builder I was telling you about, he's experiencing things in the market that may contradict the data I pulled, but that doesn't mean the data is completely wrong.
Instead, it points to the fact that there are two big pieces we need to put the puzzle together.
What I realized is that the custom home market is far less visible than capital T, The Market.
The trends I showed are real, but the picture changes when we added the context of the local expert living in his market.
At the end of the day, if our goal is to see the market clearly, we've got to incorporate the numbers with real experiences.
It's why I bring both data and the local experts together for Realtors.
And, if you want to know what the builders are saying is actually happening in our local market, you'll have to join me at our next Builder Insider event.
It's just one of the many benefits of becoming a Market Insider.
Dr. Alex Stewart
Founder
Your clients are asking bigger questions. Market Insiders helps you answer them.
You've built a solid business. Your clients trust you and your referrals are consistent. But the conversations have shifted. Rates, the economy, where things are headed — they want your read, not just your service.
Market Insiders gives you a clear vision of what's happening in the market (locally and nationally) and how to talk about it with confidence. Monthly insights, tools you can use directly with clients, and a group of serious Northeast Florida agents producing at high levels.
"If I didn't have Market Distillery in my life, I would not feel this confident. I know what I'm talking about. I have context. I have things I can show." — Kate C., Market Insiders Member
Membership is by application and limited to 150 members total in Northeast Florida. Click below to learn about the program and apply to join today:
