In Episode 23 of the Community Game Plan Podcast, Eric and Jim Smardon welcome Jason Paul, REALTOR® with eXp Realty and host of the Halifax Real Estate Podcast, for a candid conversation about the September 2026 market figures, public frustrations with real estate agents, and how buyer and seller expectations are shifting.

To get the complaints out in the open, Jim brings real-estate-themed Family Feud questions based on survey results. Confusion about commission tops the list at 24%, followed by whether you even need an agent and affordability. The most common complaints about REALTORS® are poor communication (22%), a focus on commission (18%), and clients feeling their agent does little for the pay (15%).

From there, the panel digs into a cooling Halifax-area market. Halifax sales rose 4.1% in September while provincial sales fell 6.4%, and Jason explains how Halifax prices ripple out to surrounding Nova Scotia communities. Median days on market have climbed from 33 to 42, which makes it riskier for sellers to dismiss an offer while waiting for a better one. Still, homes are often selling at around 95 to 98 percent of asking, a far cry from the deep discounts of past downturns, so the group cautions against calling it a buyer’s market too soon. Provincial home-value growth has settled back to roughly 1 to 2 percent a year, and year-over-year comparisons don’t necessarily mean values are falling.

What we cover:

• Buyer expectations: Why some buyers assume they can offer far below asking, even on a fairly priced home, and how to keep negotiations open without treating an extreme offer as a serious starting point
• Buyers have options: Jason describes showing clients 18 to 20 homes in about two weeks before tightening the search
• Pricing and competition: How showing activity and offers reveal whether a listing is positioned well, why pricing should reflect fresh competition, and how inspections become negotiation points
• Contracts: Why Jason’s team uses three-month agreements for typical clients, and why contract length should reflect the property, price point, and market
• Choosing an agent: Eric’s advice to interview agents, understand the agreement before signing, and pick someone whose communication style and personality fit
• First-time buyers: A friendly debate on the value of underserved areas, including Dartmouth, Cole Harbour, Eastern Passage, Herring Cove, and Sackville
• Agent standards: Uneven transaction volume, the 90-day pipeline-building cycle, and why consistent prospecting and service matter when the market slows
• What’s next: The usual fall slowdown toward the holidays, with inventory rising from pandemic-era lows

Our takeaway: don’t try to predict the market. Sellers should focus on current competition, patience, and pricing based on recent evidence. Buyers should act when their own circumstances are ready rather than trying to time prices.

Reach out to Eric Holman and Jim Smardon — info@movewiththeteam.ca

https://www.instagram.com/therealestateteamns/

https://www.instagram.com/community_game_plan_podcast/

Eric Holman Eric@movewiththeteam.ca

https://www.instagram.com/ericholmanrealestate/

Jim Smardon Jim@movewiththeteam.ca

https://www.instagram.com/jimsmardon.greenrealestate/