Real estate winners

For Medina Realtor Amy Hoes and her family, the holidays wouldn’t be complete without their annual visit to Castle Noel, the beloved downtown Medina attraction filled with Christmas memorabilia, original costumes and nostalgic displays, including Cousin Eddie’s RV from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, that bring back laughs and holiday cheer.

While Amy, along with her husband Kurt and kids Atalie and Bryan, treasures these family traditions, there’s nothing traditional about the way she runs her real estate team.

As leader of the Medina-based Showcase Home Group at eXp Realty, Amy has built one of the area’s highest-producing teams by embracing innovation, anticipating market trends and investing in technology long before competitors have caught on.

“We’ve always believed in staying ahead of the curve,” says Amy, whose team of more than 50 agents is on pace to sell around 550 homes this year. “Our goal is to give clients every advantage possible.

Ahead of the Curve

That commitment recently took Amy to two major industry conferences, one in Las Vegas and another in Salt Lake City focused on eXp Realty innovations and her team’s partnership with Zillow.

“The biggest takeaway was how quickly artificial intelligence is advancing,” says Kurt, who runs the statistics. “We’re learning how to leverage these tools to position homes more effectively and make better-informed decisions.”

Unlike older automated valuation systems that relied primarily on square footage and comparable sales, emerging AI tools can analyze listing photographs, recognizing features such as granite counters, open floor plans and updated finishes.

“It’s like having a second set of eyes,” says Amy. “I’ve walked through countless homes and know there’s an art to pricing real estate. Technology does not replace that experience, but it can catch details and help us double-check our work.”

Kurt and Amy have also developed tools that monitor the team’s marketing efforts, identifying opportunities to improve exposure and maximize results.

A Partnership Years Ahead of its Time

Another competitive advantage dates back to 2010, when Amy recognized Zillow’s potential before most local agents even advertised on the dominant platform.

“We saw early on that buyers were going to search for homes online,” she recalls. “Rather than fight that trend, we leaned into it.”

Today, Showcase Home Group maintains one of Northeast Ohio’s strongest Zillow partnerships, connecting its agents with a substantial pool of active buyers.

Why Selling Now Makes Sense

Although affordability remains a concern and mortgages rates have tempered activity, Amy reports the Medina market continues to favor sellers, provided homes are priced appropriately.

“We’re not in the market of 2020, when homes sold as soon as they went on the market,” she adds. “Buyers now are more selective. If you overprice your home, they simply move on and don’t look back. Homes priced just right can still generate multiple offers.”

She sees a particular opportunity as we head into the fourth quarter.

“There’s less competition because fewer homes are listed,” she says. “And buyers looking in November and December are serious.”

Looking toward 2027, Amy anticipates a more balanced market, with home values continuing to appreciate at a more sustainable pace.

For Amy and Atalie, who is also an agent, and their team members, the holidays offer a chance to celebrate another successful year while looking ahead to what’s next.

“Technology will keep evolving,” says Amy. “But our commitment to helping people make the best real estate decisions will remain the same.” 

Wonder what your home is worth in this market? Just give Amy’s team a call and someone will pop over to discuss its potential and give you a free market analysis.