Welcome to this week's episode of What's Happening Salem!

In this episode, Jacob sits down with Britt Zijlstra of the Willamette Valley Multiple Listing Service (WVMLS) to discuss:

• The current state of Salem's real estate market — cautious optimism, rising listings, and what the latest stats really mean for buyers and sellers.

• What WVMLS actually does behind the scenes, from powering the big real estate portals to supporting over 3,000 local agents.

• How WVMLS is expanding its resources for the general public, plus the community and charity work that keeps Salem's real estate world connected.

And much more!

Timestamps:

00:00 - Welcome back & introducing Britt Zijlstra of WVMLS

01:53 - Salem's real estate mood: cautious optimism and an 18% jump in new listings

04:43 - Median sales price trends and closed sales numbers

07:45 - Days on market: what it means and why it's dropping

09:06 - Using CMAs to help sellers price correctly

14:11 - Salem by the numbers: new listings and active inventory

16:06 - Agents entering the profession & common misconceptions about the job

20:37 - What WVMLS actually is (and what that acronym means)

22:21 - How listings get onto the big portals

24:15 - Busting misconceptions about WVMLS and Proptech

26:25 - Free tools for the public: Collab Center, broker search, and more

29:03 - WVMLS's push to educate the public with new stats and website resources

37:46 - Broker safety and protecting agents in the field

39:53 - Membership dues, perks, and Dues Free December

40:19 - Giving back: the annual food fund drive

42:08 - Town halls, chambers, and staying connected to the community

44:14 - Why networking is one of real estate's most powerful tools

50:15 - Closing thoughts and thanks to Britt