Photo courtesy of Lamacchia Realty
Joselin Malkhasian
2026 President, Greater Boston Association of Realtors and Realtor, Lamacchia Realty
Industry experience: 14 years
Age: 38
Joselin Malkhasian is stepping into the presidency of the Greater Boston Association of Realtors in 2026 at a time where Realtor trade groups are facing questions from some corners of America regarding their efficacy. But these organizations still play an important role in real estate agents’ professional lives and careers, Malkhasian argues. The Lamacchia Realty agent will serve during a time where residential real estate is seeing increased regulation and the industry’s customers face ongoing affordability issues. As real estate professionals grapple with this new reality, she is aiming to guide them through the process in her role as GBAR’s public face for the next 12 months.
Q: What is the role of the association in the modern real estate landscape?
A: One of the greatest things that has come and supported me is the networking that you do within the Realtor association, getting to know some really top-quality real estate professionals. I consider myself a great Realtor, but I don’t know everything. So being able to meet up with other agents at other companies, or in the same company, and picking their brains. What lead generation has been working for them? What are you seeing in offer structure? What are you seeing in your market?
Really, the networking piece and the being able to share information back and forth has really been the greatest thing that the association has done for me in my career; just being able to learn from those who are doing things better, or who’s adopting certain technology into their business and it’s working for them versus who’s adopted some technology and it may not have worked so well. Also, learning from mistakes that other agents have made. I’m truly a pay-it-forward type of agent. That behind-the-scenes look has truly been the most helpful thing.
Q: What are some challenges that Realtors are facing?
A: It’s incredibly important to remain flexible. Flexibility is the key to success, but also to stand firm in the practices that have worked for years and years, but also recognizing that if there is a change, whether you agree with the change, is adapting because if you don’t adapt, you get left behind. We’ve had major regulation changes in New England and Massachusetts. There’s been national changes, and then there’s also been local changes. We adapted to the fee structure and how that changed, and how compensation has been removed from the MLS. That was a learning curve, and I’ve been incredibly impressed with the way the association adapted our contracts, our offer forms, purchase and sales agreement forms – all those forms got reworked to adapt to the change quickly, and that the Realtor agents were able to get a hold of those forms.
I’m really proud of how Realtors came together and embraced the change, whether they agreed with the change or not, or with the settlement or not, they knew that they had to move forward. The other change that’s more local was the home inspection form, which is a new disclosure that took effect on Oct. 15. Again, we’re getting new forms, there’s a lot of mandatory disclosures that need to be signed. Regardless of how you feel about changes, the fact is that the change happened, and you either need to keep up, learn and adjust your business model, or you get left behind.
Even if a lot of the conversations didn’t go the way that the association wanted, the association was given a seat at the table. We were given a seat at the table [to talk] about how the law would actually impact everyday real estate sales in ways that maybe others hadn’t thought of, because they’re not on the everyday transaction side of things. So even just being able to advise – I personally wasn’t a part of those conversations, but I received all the updates while it was in place. I truly believe that that the consumer’s best interest comes first and then our Realtor members, because our Realtor members are the ones that are out advising and educating the consumer.
Q: What concerns to you hear from consumers when they’re in the middle of a home search these days, or thinking about engaging in one?
A: The area that I work in, cost of entry is one of the larger concerns that’s facing the market. Home prices have really skyrocketed, and interest rates, though they are down from what they were about a year ago, they’re still historically average or low. But from what we’ve been used to over the last decade or so, they’re higher than what we’ve typically seen. So that, coupled with the higher pricing has buyers a little bit uncomfortable.
A lot of the appreciation over the last six years since COVID has truly been due to lack of inventory. It was really after the lockdown – where we were forced in our homes even people that wanted to sell, they didn’t want to let real agents or buyers in their home to tour. Then [after lockdowns ended] the interest rate was dropping and created a surge in buyer demand. So, we were operating in a market over the past six years where the inventory just was not enough to meet the demand, and that’s why we had such drastic appreciation. I see a lot of Facebook comments and finger pointing about one side or the other side politically, but price is the subject of supply and demand, and if we don’t have the supply to meet the demand, obviously the pricing is going to go up. It’s just simple economics.
I am optimistic this year. At the start of 2026 we have more inventory on the market in Massachusetts than we did this time last year. We’re seeing it in the suburbs. We’re seeing it in Greater Boston. So, I do think that there is going to be a great opportunity for buyers in 2026. I don’t necessarily think that we have entered a buyer’s market. I don’t think that we have enough inventory to sway anything. We may see some pricing slow down, and that’s because double-digit appreciation, year over year, just wasn’t sustainable.
Malkhasian’s Five Favorite Things to Do in Boston
- Go to Castle Island
- Walk around Back Bay
- Spend a summer night at Fenway Park
- Walk the North End
- Skate at the Frog Pond
