A TALE OF TWO HOUSES

WELCOME

Y’all, I have discovered the cutest thing in the world, and that is my grandson playing soccer. For the rest of the summer, I have rearranged my schedule to accommodate watching him at practice in the mornings. He’s only six, so I was anticipating a whole lot of chaos on the field, with li’l cuties picking dandelions and running in the wrong direction. However, this is an academy team, so those kids are locked in. They’re so good! So I’m finding myself watching an exciting soccer game where the players happen to be very small. My heart, it hurts from holding so much joy.

Anyway, this week I want to share the story of a couple of houses that look similar on the surface, but could not have gone more differently. I am talking the best of times versus the worst of times, so let’s get into it!

YOUR FACE. YOUR VOICE. YOUR BRAND… ELEVATED

I love hearing from agents who are ready to step into their spotlight, because that’s exactly how I got started. (Only difference? I didn’t have half the resources y’all do now.)

Now, if you missed it, let me catch you up: The Estate Media Agent Growth Program isn’t just another content bundle. This is your brand glow-up. We take powerhouse agents and turn them into the stars they were born to be—with short-form video that doesn’t just look good, it builds trust, drives leads, and gets those phones blowing up.

This isn’t fluff. This is brand fire. You're working with the same team behind some of the loudest, proudest voices in real estate. So if you’re ready to stop fading into the feed and start turning heads? This is your moment!

THE REALITY OF REAL ESTATE

Yes, I Know What the Federal Reserve Is

I put up a video earlier this week and it left the impression on people on Instagram that I was just now hearing about this thing called the “Federal Reserve” and that I was wrongly interpreting what they did.

I… heavy sigh.

Let me clarify my point on that first video. Oh, my stars and stripes, yes, I am well aware that the Federal Reserve is not a government entity. I am aware that it is a private banking entity… and I am very aware that private banking entity is currently creating havoc in the real estate industry. And while I understand that the federal rate is not directly connected to the interest rate, the Fed rate IS indicative of the interest rate and it’s also indicative of consumer confidence.

Now in the olden days when I first started selling real estate (back when Jesus was playing academy league soccer), rather than listing a home for $500K, you’d list it for $499K because there are actual psychological dynamics at play here. There’s a word for this and it’s called the “left digit bias.” English speakers read left to right, so we give disproportionate attention to the first number. And even though it’s only a price difference of .2%, that $499K price feels meaningfully cheaper to the consumer.

Flash forward to now when this is no longer a common pricing practice. Now, if you list at $499K, you miss everyone using a search engine to look for homes in the $500K range. My point is that real estate search engines have changed the way we price when homes are viewed online.

But Zillow et al. have not changed human psychology, okay?

The consumer is still reacting to that left digit bias.

Now, I’m not saying I need the Fed to reduce the interest rate to 5.25% or 5.5%. What I am saying is that if they could bring that rate down to 5.99%, that left digit bias would kick in and we’d get a whole lot of people off the fence. Give me something that starts with a 5 and I can get my buyers moving. I can get my sellers to hit up Home Depot to buy stuff to get their houses ready to sell. I can make some real estate magic.

That teeny change in decimal would be what we need to jumpstart the whole damn housing market.

Do not make me beg, Mr. Powell.

glenndabaker

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STORY TIME WITH GLENNDA

It Was the Best of Times, It Was the Worst of Times

Sit down and grasp tightly because today I’m taking you on a real estate roller coaster through two homes that didn’t just shake up my business. Oh, no, they shook me to my core.

The Mansion

There I was, fresh-faced in real estate, licensed just three months when I laid eyes on The Mansion. It sat proud in the neighborhood that I was trying desperately to farm. I had walked past it pushing my stroller so many times you'd have bet cash money that I was a neighbor, and not some interloper who was parking in the club house lot.

Back then, I was hustling like none other. I was out there farming that neighborhood like it was my full-time job. I previewed every house. I waved to every neighbor. I was sending newsletters before newsletters were cool.

Thanks to my diligence, when that listing expired, they called me. Yes ma’am, me—Glennda Baker. I showed up for that listing with a three-ring binder in hand, ready to rock. Now this was a $950K home in 1992 dollars. I sold the hell out of that house and that deal made me Listing Agent of the Month

On the surface, this deal looked like my big break. Break is an operative word here because those sellers were master manipulators. I was naïve, just as green as a Granny Smith apple, and they saw it. Again, on the surface, this was such a big deal, because I got deal after deal because of it.

What no one saw was that relationship turned toxic fast. I didn’t know then, but I was being dragged into something that would rattle me for years. Truth be told, that house stripped me of my real estate innocence. It took me years to recover because it damaged me so deeply on a personal level. I came out the other side a lot wiser—but at a cost.

What looked like a blessing was the biggest curse of my life.

The Palace

On the other side of the spectrum was the palace. Now let me tell you about The Palace. This home found me when my life was in full-on reboot mode. I’d stopped drinking. I was eating clean. I had just walked across fire at Tony Robbins’ Unleash the Power Within—literally. I was ready for a fresh start, so why not start at what would be the biggest sale ever in Cobb County?

People looked at that house and thought, “She’ll never sell that.” Those sellers interviewed the best of the best in Atlanta. But Tim and Robin, the sellers, believed in me. They didn’t just hire me; they empowered me. I get choked up just thinking of the pure, unbridled faith they put in me and I had no choice but to rise to the occasion.

That belief lit a fire in my soul I hadn’t felt since my mother passed. Robin was like the sister I never had—if I could choose one, it’d be her. They gave me more than a listing. They gave me my confidence back and brought my profession to a whole new level.

I sold that house—twice. I was there as they hosted celebrities like Peyton Manning and Joe Namath. That house wasn’t just a win; it was a resurrection.

The Mansion broke me. The Palace built me back better. And both of them altered me in ways where I’ll never be the same again.

GLENNDA’S GURU

Welcome, Gianna Cerullo

I could not be more delighted to be talking again to Gianna Cerullo today! With my guru Gianna Cerullo this week, we dive into the real scoop—I mean the setbacks, the self-doubt, and resilience it takes to thrive in our business. From career pivots to closing, we get in-depth about the high-stakes game of luxury real estate. So if you’re struggling on your path to success and need a shot in the arm, this is the episode for you!

Thanks again, Gianna!

GLENNDAISM

Today’s Words of Wisdom

GLENNDA BAKER & ASSOCIATES

Don’t Your Kids Deserve the Best?

If you know East Cobb, then you know Walton High School, and 1833 Jacksons Creek Bluff in Marietta is right in the heart of it. This is one of the most sought-after school districts in the entire state (heck, the whole country), and homes like this one? They don’t come along every day.

Tucked inside a charming, pride-filled swim/tennis community, this timeless traditional is the whole East Cobb package: curb appeal, updates, and a location that practically guarantees carpool bragging rights. Step inside and you're welcomed with warm hardwoods, detailed millwork, and a neutral palette that plays nice with any style. So if you have kids and you want the very best for them, this place may well be calling you home.