Above: Rob Giuffria.
When Rob Giuffria, managing broker for Tea Leaf Realty, headquartered in West Hartford, Connecticut, learned that Zillow’s 2026 Hottest Market Forecast had Hartford on top, he wasn’t particularly surprised, as his brokerage’s business has been thriving. And it’s Zillow that has helped it do so.
Tools like BuyAbility, which helps buyers see homes within their budget in real-time, Follow Up Boss, one of real estate’s leading customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and Showcase listings, allow Giuffria and his team to move fast in a market where speed clearly matters.
“Follow Up Boss is our No. 1 go-to CRM,” says Giuffria, who founded Tea Leaf Realty in 2016 to bring executive-level service to local homebuyers and sellers. “While I was reluctant to use Showcase, what we found was that it makes our listings stand out. And Zillow’s very proactive about understanding search behavior. They promote Showcase listings to anyone who may be interested in a similar home. The technology that goes along with it…I’m a true convert at this point.”
Zillow’s tools and programs ensure real estate professionals nationwide have all the information and technology they need to excel.
“Competition among buyers will be stiff, and sellers will have the upper hand in this year’s hottest markets,” said Zillow Chief Economist Mischa Fisher about the 2026 forecast report. “Shoppers will need to tap all the resources they can muster in these fast-moving markets, from their team of experts to tech aids to financial assistance, but successful buyers will quickly gain equity. In today’s market, affordability is all-important, but any improvements in 2026 will depend on location.”
Third on the hottest markets list is the New York metro area, which includes parts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Contributing to the area’s high ranking in 2026 are a positive home price forecast, strong employment and the lowest share of listings with a price cut among major metros at just 13.5%.
Rounding out the top 10 are Providence, San Jose, Philadelphia, Boston, Los Angeles, Richmond and Milwaukee.
The road to real estate
Giuffria has a military background, having served as a flight commander in the Air Force, with specialties in aircraft maintenance and counterintelligence. After leaving the military, he joined General Electric, where he held a leadership role in federal government sales. Transitioning to real estate in 2007, initially with a Prudential franchise before founding Tea Leaf Realty, he emphasizes the importance of data in real estate, leveraging Zillow tools to enhance property visibility. His Hartford County market inventory is tight, with demand remaining high.
“Connecticut is very town-based,” he says. “Hartford County is made up of 27 distinct and unique towns, and they’re all on fire. Buyers have realized that Central Connecticut is an awesome place to live. Connecticut is tolerant no matter what your political views are or where you stand from a religious standpoint. Whether you’re an athlete or a couch potato, Connecticut doesn’t care.
“Everyone gets along in a way that’s respectful of other people’s views. I moved 17 times in nine years with the military and General Electric before I got to Connecticut in 2003, and I stayed for that primary reason.”
Managing buyer expectations, especially in a hot market, is a critical skill that Giuffria says agents must possess.
“It’s a highly competitive market, and we don’t think that’s going to change this year to make it easier for buyers,” he says. “We show data with things like the average sale price to list price and the probability of winning with and without certain contingencies.
“You have to help them understand what they’re dealing with, and it comes down to trusted agents. You can tell someone until you’re blue in the face that here is the data and this is what you think, but if they don’t believe in you and they don’t trust in you and you don’t have credibility, they’re not going to listen to you.”
Having patience with buyers as they navigate what is likely the biggest purchase of their lives is another key skill Giuffria acknowledges is crucial. He sees impatience in a lot of the agents he competes with, and explains that even if agents get frustrated, they should know that buyers are probably even more frustrated.
“One important thing I tell clients when I meet with them is, ‘Look, if our efforts together take two days, two weeks, two months or two years, we’re going to do what’s best for you, and we’re going to work in the constraints we have to exceed your objectives.’”
How Zillow aids financing
Giuffria credits Zillow for yet another assist to his business when it comes to coaching buyers through the winding process of financial preparation.
“We require buyers to get pre-approved, and review the options that they have from a financial perspective. Most buyers will say that they want to buy a house in a certain price range, and they’re usually on the very low end of what they need to spend to get it done, so we encourage them to not only get approved, but get approved at the maximum amount. We don’t want them to spend that, but they know what their capabilities are before they go into a multiple-offer situation.”
Nationally, Zillow predicts home values will rise 1.2% this year, with mortgage rates trending toward 6%, which could help affordability. Giuffria is bullish on his market, of course.
“Hartford County, where we’re the experts, is going to be marginally hotter than last year, and last year was extremely hot,” he says. “The sellers are few and far between, and the reason they’re not selling is multifactorial. One is they don’t know where they’re going to go, so if they want to trade up or down, it’s a chicken or the egg.
“The market is going to continue to be extremely tight,” adds Giuffria. “I don’t think interest rates are going to be a factor whether they go down marginally or stay the same. There’s a lot of money chasing very few homes right now. And I think at least in Central Connecticut, we’re seeing that it’s going to be more competitive than last year.”
Regardless of market trends, the Zillow connection will continue to grow even stronger for Giuffria and Tea Leaf.
“Zillow has been a game-changer for real estate consumers, and will continue to be because they put the client out in front.”
For more information, visit https://www.zillow.com.
