Ask Our Agent with Compass Real Estate Agent Karin Diana, Founder of The Home Collective
Grab Diana’s free worksheet that lays out the pros and cons to renovating or selling your home — with numbers! Email her Karin.Diana@compass.com.
Spring may feel far off with these freezing temperatures, but in Montclair, the real estate market is already heating up. On this week’s Montclair Pod, we chatted with our show sponsor and Compass real estate agent, Karin Diana, about what’s happening in our local market. Whether you’re thinking about buying, selling, or just curious how the school district might affect home values, we break down the key spring trends you need to know in the full episode below.
Selling in the Spring?
We spoke last year about the steps to prepare for buying or selling in 2026, but now is the time for spring sellers to start getting their ducks in a row, even if it feels like there is still plenty of time. “It’s been hard to convince some sellers that spring really starts in February. Most are focused on when their homes look their best, which is mid to late spring. In reality, buyers are ready to start exploring the market as early as the first weekend of February,” said Diana.
Of course, there are also the eager, or perhaps anxious, sellers who reach out as early as late December, urging her to keep them on her radar because they are ready to get started.
If you’re thinking of selling, it’s time to reach out to a hyper-local agent to begin the process.
Buying in the Spring?
We know the sellers market is usually on a high in Montclair, but “buyer activity in January has been stellar, really much higher than I think any of us anticipated. And it’s across the board. It’s not just what I’m seeing, it’s what my colleagues are also experiencing” shared Diana.
Farnoosh questions, “what are your clients saying as far as why they are moving to Montclair”? Diana shared “half of the buyers that I am actively engaged with right now are already in town. They bought their starter house 10 or less years ago or they’re renting locally and they’re ready to to dig in and make a commitment to the community. And then the other half of my clients are coming in from Brooklyn, Manhattan, Jersey City, Hoboken”.
We also see homeowners relocating from other states to be closer to their adult children, who are settling in Montclair to start their own families.
OfferS Above Asking PRICE
Montclair is one of those New Jersey towns where homes are known to sell above asking price, and Diana still believes that “houses will sell, on average, 15% to 20% above the asking price.” She notes that agents are now “pricing homes a little closer to their true value, rather than grossly undervaluing them, which has historically been the pattern.”
Diana explains that pricing below value has traditionally been the preferred strategy for sellers and is often what they choose. However, that approach appears to be shifting as agents look to reduce the significant gap between asking price and final sale price.
How School Issues Are Affecting THE LOCAL MARKET
It wouldn’t be The Montclair Pod without asking how the school district’s issues might influence prospective buyers. Diana shared she didn’t notice any changes in the market due to the districts fiscal crisis. “Buyers that are completely entrenched in the Montclair community are choosing to stay in the community. I don’t see a lot of flight out of town. I would say that incoming buyers to Montclair that maybe don’t have that foundation of understanding of what’s going on with the school district” shared Diana.
Transparency is key, so Diana is “certainly making them aware of it. I want them to be fully informed before they make a decision as big as buying a house in town. But I can’t really say that I see any real hard evidence of buyers avoiding the township”.
She assures buyers and our listeners that “it’s easy to forget that despite the financial issues that the district is having, it’s still a very highly ranked and efficient somewhat school system in that kids are getting really good educations here in and outside of the classroom, which I think is something to not be undervalued”.
Want more insight into Montclair’s real estate market? Explore the articles below:
Winning a Bidding War: The Offer Terms That Matter More Than Price
Your Spring 2026 Montclair Home Buying Guide
“Ask Our Agent”: Biggest Adjustments to Suburban Living?
Staging Your Home to Sell Quickly: What Buyers Notice First
The Hidden Costs to Home Ownership in Montclair
A high-touch agent known for her extensive market expertise and her unmatched devotion to clients, Karin’s success is based almost exclusively on referrals. Specializing in residential real estate in the New Jersey suburbs of New York City, she makes the experience of buying or selling property simple by combining her keen instincts, impeccable client service, and attention to market trends. Throughout the process, Karin offers a common-sense approach with sharp negotiating skills honed over the past three decades. Work with Karin | karin.diana@compass.com
