What Is Everyone Asking AI About Real Estate Right Now?

If you’ve typed a real estate question into Google or asked ChatGPT something about buying or selling a home lately, you’re not alone. (And if you haven’t yet, give it time—your neighbor already has.) Across the country, and right here in Clare County, the most common question people are asking AI tools right now is some version of this: “Is now a good time to buy, or should I wait?”

It’s a fair question. It’s also the real estate version of asking, “Should I have invested in Apple in 2005?”—we’d all love a crystal ball, but here we are. It’s being driven by a very real tension that families in Harrison, Farwell, Lake, and Clare are feeling every day: home prices have climbed significantly over the past few years, mortgage rates are hovering around 6.3%, and yet somehow the houses people actually want, keep selling before they can make a move. (Funny how no one’s in a bidding war over the one with the shag carpet and “vintage” smell.) So let me answer that question the right way: with real, local information that no AI chatbot can give you, and no, not even the one that sounds very confident while being slightly wrong.

What’s actually happening in Clare County market tells a more nuanced story than the statewide headlines suggest, which to be fair, are designed to get clicks, not get you keys. According to my data, the median home sale price in Clare County was around $150,000 in late 2025. That is well below Michigan’s statewide median of roughly $255,000. That’s not a sign of a weak market. “That’s what we call an opportunity, or as people from downstate say, “Wait, that’s the whole price?” Clare County has consistently been classified as a seller’s market, meaning demand is outpacing supply. In mid-2025, the median sold price had jumped nearly 18% year-over-year, reflecting just how competitive things have become for move-in-ready homes in our area. At the same time, homes are now taking a bit longer to sell, averaging around 73 days on market compared to 51 days the year before. That’s a meaningful shift. Not exactly “take a month to think about it,” but at least you can sleep on it without waking up to a “sold” sign. What does that mean practically? The frenzy has cooled slightly, but the fundamentals haven’t changed. Well-priced, move-in-ready homes in Clare County are still attracting strong interest. Homes that need work or are priced based on optimism and a few HGTV episodes are sitting longer. Sellers in those situations are increasingly open to negotiation on price, repairs, and closing costs. Listening to your real estate professional when it comes to pricing is critical. You can want what you want… but the market has the final say, and it doesn’t negotiate with feelings. What AI gets wrong about our market. Here’s the problem with asking a national AI tool whether now is a good time to buy in Clare County: it doesn’t know Clare County. It doesn’t know your street, your neighbor, or which houses come with a dock versus just a strong opinion about the lake. I spend a lot of time reading, and the studies I’ve found suggest AI tools give incorrect answers on local real estate questions roughly 30 to 40 percent of the time. Which is impressive confidence for something that’s basically guessing with a straight face.

The algorithms default to statewide or national data, which can paint a very different picture than what’s actually happening on Colonville Road or along the shores of Budd Lake, Five Lakes or Crooked Lake. For example, the same week AI tools might be telling someone that Michigan home prices are surging and competition is fierce, a buyer in Harrison might be sitting across the table from a motivated seller who just dropped their price and is offering to pay closing costs. That’s the kind of hyperlocal intelligence no chatbot can replicate, or even pronounce correctly, but a local agent can.

The “Marry the House, Date the Rate” strategy. I’ve been hearing this from lenders over and over. One piece of advice that’s actually made its way through AI tools and financial blogs alike is worth repeating: many buyers today are adopting a “marry the house, date the rate” mindset. The idea is simple: buy the right home now, and refinance when rates come down. Think of it as committing to the

house, not the interest rate, because the rate is a lot easier to break up with later. Most economists expect rates to gradually ease toward the mid-5% range over the next year or two. When that happens, more buyers will flood back into the market, competition will increase, and today’s modest pricing advantages will likely disappear along with your negotiating leverage.

For Clare County buyers, that math is especially compelling. When you’re purchasing a $150,000 to $200,000 home, well below the state median, even a one-point drop in your interest rate represents meaningful monthly savings. Waiting might get you a better rate… but it may also get you more competition and a higher price. It’s a bit like waiting for gas prices to drop while everyone else fills up.

The bottom line for Clare County, whether you’re a first-time buyer eyeing a cottage near one of our dozens of lakes, a family looking to upsize in one of our communities, or a retiree considering downsizing in the city of Clare, the answer to the big AI question—“Is now a good time to buy?”—is this: it depends on your situation, and your zip code matters far more than the national news (or whatever headline popped up between cat videos). What’s clear is that Clare County remains one of the more affordable entry points into Michigan homeownership, inventory is slowly growing, and sellers are more willing to negotiate than they’ve been in years. That’s acombination that doesn’t come along often and usually doesn’t last when everyone finally agrees it’s a “good time.”

No AI can shake your hand, walk through a property with you, or tell you that the neighbor two doors down just listed and it’s a better fit for your family. It also won’t point out that the “cozy” bedroom technically fits a bed if you’re very committed. That’s still a people business, and it always will be. Real relationships matter in real estate.

Have a real estate question you’d like answered in this column? Reach out to me. I promise a more accurate answer than the internet… and at least slightly less sarcastic in person ;).

Data sourced from the local MLS, Compass, Redfin, Rocket Homes, and Michigan housing market reports. All figures are for informational purposes and reflect recent market conditions. Consult a licensed real estate professional before making any buying or selling decisions.

Daniel Dwyer-Snyder is an Associate Broker with CENTURY 21 Signature Realty in Clare & Lake. He can be reached at 989-321-9927.