“Home is where the heart is” goes the phrase that’s often used in the real estate sales industry.
In 2025, home was also where the resilience was. The team at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Stouffer Realty navigated a complex landscape in Trumbull, Mahoning, Columbiana, Mercer and Lawrence counties.
The year presented a unique set of hurdles, says Debra Arrisher, vice president-marketing for the company.
Inflationary pressures and workforce shortages in the construction sector continued to limit new housing inventory.
For many families in the region, the “lock-in” effect – where homeowners remain in place to keep their low mortgage rates – meant that listings in desirable pockets like Canfield, Ohio, and Hermitage, Pa., remained tight.
Stouffer Realty overcame these challenges through its commitment to being “forever agents,” according to Arrisher. Agents moved beyond simple transactions to become true consultants.
“By leveraging our company’s deep local knowledge and Berkshire Hathaway’s global resources, we helped clients navigate creative financing and ‘precision pricing’ strategies,” Arrisher says. This ensured that even in a high-rate environment, sellers achieved maximum value and buyers found pathways to ownership they didn’t think were possible.
One of the most positive aspects of 2025 was the unexpected surge in buyers from neighboring metro areas.
Stouffer’s “Dream, Innovate, Grow” philosophy was on display as the company closed on record numbers of middle-market home sales.
In 2026, the company is leaning into advanced AI-driven market analytics to provide its clients with real-time data.
It also anticipates a major trend in right-sizing. “With a significant demographic of homeowners in Mercer and Trumbull counties looking to downsize, we are focusing on the luxury villa and low-maintenance condo markets,” Arrisher says. Stouffer aims to bridge the gap between “silver tsunami” sellers and the first-time buyers eager to move into the single-family homes they will leave behind.
The company’s service to the community will remain on display, including the Dream Innovate Grow scholarship for high school seniors, and its support of Northwood Charitable Foundation.
