Photo courtesy of Kristen Keegan
Kristen Keegan
2026 President, Mass. Association of Realtors and Broker-Owner, Silver Key Homes Realty
Industry experience: 22 years
Age: 48
Kristen Keegan is stepping into the presidency of the Massachusetts Association of Realtors at what is an intriguing time for home sellers. More inventory being added onto the market is giving buyers more options and also impacting price appreciation, and sellers’ decision-making.
In December, single-family home prices increased by just 2.5 percent according to The Warren Group, the publisher of Banker & Tradesman. Comparatively in December of 2024, prices increased by 11.1 percent. Still, Keegan is confident that 2026 will be a good year for sellers if they can ensure their homes stand out among the competition.
Q: What is your expectation for seller activity this upcoming year?
A: I think that all signs are indicating that it’s going to be a very good year for sellers. It’s very encouraging to see the numbers start picking up for new listings, both with the single-family market and especially with the condominium market. So, I do think that we’re going to continue to see that increase in inventory, which is going to be a huge benefit for our buyers that have been struggling to find something that might fit in their budget and work for what they’ve been looking for. All signs are indicating that we’re going to see a lot more inventory start to come on.
Q: In that environment where the advantage is moving away from sellers, how important is it for home sellers to make their home stand out?
A: It’s always important for people, when they’re considering selling, to make their home stand out and look the best that it can, so that it does appeal to a larger pool of the buyers that are looking. So, as we start seeing more [inventory], it will definitely help with that demand but in a competitive market, the sellers definitely will want to make sure that they put their best foot forward and really prepare their home so that it does look its best when buyers are coming in and checking it out.
Q: When looking to stage your home or market it to a home buyer, what are the key things to do beforehand?
A: Decluttering your home is the most important. People want to be able to envision their own belongings in the home, so cleaning it up and making it as presentable as possible [will let them] envision themselves in the home without any distractions. I often find a lot of sellers want to keep their personal photos and things like that up on the wall, and then buyers are too busy looking at their photos to really check out the room and the space. You really want to depersonalize your home and make it shine as best you can.
Q: Do you think that we could see homes sitting on the market for longer, or do you feel that there’s the potential for the rapid pace of home sales to continue?
A: I think we’ll still see some rapid home sales happening as long as the properties are priced correctly in any market. If a property is priced where it belongs, it will sell quicker than those that are overpriced. As long as sellers are being realistic with what the price of their home is, they should still continue to see a pretty swift offer coming in. If we start seeing a significant amount of inventory, it may delay or add some more days on the market, but I don’t anticipate, with the shortage that we have got, adding that many more days on the market.
Q: When working with customers, how should Realtors navigate that pricing discussion?
A: I think it’s all about the data and having an honest conversation with the sellers to review the data, to show them exactly where the properties that are similar to theirs are currently selling. If you’re going off of the data of what has actually recently sold, then you do have an educated decision there as to what your home is worth. So just really presenting the information will help make that decision with the sellers, a realistic one that will help itself.
Q: Have you seen any differences in how commission negotiations have been handled?
A: Not a real difference. It’s always been a negotiation point between buyer and seller. We are just making sure that everybody is in contracts before taking them out to see homes. And buyers understand that. They are paying their buyer agent, and sellers are paying the seller’s agent. So, it really hasn’t been too much of a change, especially for those of us who have always worked that way, and need the buyer understand that that’s always been their fee. They may have received some compensation from the seller to assist them with it, but essentially, the buyer has always been responsible for their own agent fee, and the seller has always been responsible for theirs.
Q: As the new president of MAR, how important do you feel these associations are in this modern landscape?
A: I think it’s crucial. We need the data, we need information, and we need education, and that’s what the Realtor association provides. We have a high level of education that is consistently available for all of our members so that they can stay on top of the trends and what is happening legislatively in the market. The more education that we can have, the better we can serve our buyers and sellers.
Keegan’s Five Favorite Books
- “The Women” by Kristin Hannah
- “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- “The Goldfinch” by Donna Tartt
- “Demon Copperhead” by Barbara Kingsolver
- “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” by Steig Larson
