Nick Slocum is the team leader behind The Slocum Home Team, a Warwick-based real estate and insurance company that’s been in business since 1949. The Slocum Home Team is part of the eXp Realty brokerage.
Slocum is also co-founder and president of Slocum Cares Inc., a nonprofit established to support local causes and provide assistance to those in need. He also serves on the Rhode Island Association of Realtors board and executive committee, and he was named 2024 Realtor of the Year by the Kent Washington Association of Realtors.
PBN: What is the state of the Rhode Island real estate market as we head into 2026?
SLOCUM: Rhode Island’s market still leans toward sellers, but that advantage is starting to fade. We’re seeing more listings sit longer, more price drops, and buyers starting to regain leverage in certain circumstances. The story has shifted from everything sells to everything strategic sells. In this market, your home has to be a diamond or a deal. Diamonds are turn-key, modern and emotionally compelling. Deals are priced with precision to earn attention and offers. Anything in between tends to sit.
There’s still solid demand. Zillow’s latest data shows nearly six serious buyers for every listing, but buyers are more informed and cautious. They want clarity on pricing, timing and condition. Sellers who lead with transparency and realistic expectations continue to win.
On the agent side, the gap is widening between those who adapt and those who don’t. Tech, communication and trust now decide who earns business. The agents combining data, speed and genuine connection are the ones thriving as this market normalizes.
PBN: What trends or shifts will define next year for homebuyers and sellers in the state?
SLOCUM: The next year will be shaped by how technology and AI [artificial intelligence] are changing the way buyers and sellers make decisions. Data is now everywhere and easy to understand. Buyers can ask an AI tool to find every home within a 10-minute walk of a Starbucks, compare neighborhoods and estimate costs before they ever step foot inside a house. They’re smarter, more confident and more selective.
For sellers, that means the bar is higher. Proper pricing, strong presentation and fixing deferred maintenance are no longer optional. Buyers think it’s 2008. Sellers think it’s 2021. Neither one is true. The market sits somewhere in between, where strategy and realism win.
This is the year where agents have to be more than door openers. We need to be true advisers who help buyers and sellers cut through the noise, understand both national shifts and neighborhood-level realities, and make decisions grounded in data and experience.
PBN: What guiding principles or practices have been most important to The Slocum Home Team’s success?
SLOCUM: For 76 years, our family has believed that every home is someone’s castle. No matter the price point, every client deserves a five-star experience. Our job is to do everything possible to help them reach their goals, maximize their proceeds and create the best possible outcome.
We’ve always believed in blending modern technology with traditional service. That belief led us to partner with eXp Realty, the No. 1 independent brokerage in the country for transaction count in 2024. Partnering with eXp gives our clients and agents even better exposure and resources while allowing us to protect the local legacy and brand we’ve built over three generations.
We made this move to future-proof our business and ensure that The Slocum Home Team can continue serving Rhode Island families for generations to come. The foundation of our success remains the same: Treat every customer like gold and every home like it’s your own.
PBN: What’s one piece of advice you find yourself giving clients repeatedly, especially in today’s market?
SLOCUM: I tell clients to focus on the most recent data, not what happened months ago. The market this fall is not the same as it was in the summer or spring. Real estate is shifting week to week right now, and the best decisions come from looking at what’s happening today.
As local experts, our job is to skate to where the puck is going, not where the puck is. That means helping clients understand trends as they develop, not react after they’ve changed. The people who stay nimble and adjust with the market always end up in the best position.
PBN: Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future of your business or the local real estate industry as a whole?
SLOCUM: What excites me most is that even in a tough market, there are still plenty of opportunities for both buyers and sellers to win when the strategy is right. These moments separate the professionals from the part-timers. The best agents always rise to the top when things get challenging; not when everything is easy.
Who you work with matters, and that’s more true today than ever. I’m excited about what’s ahead because our team is built for markets like this. We’ve been helping Rhode Islanders navigate change for 76 years, and that experience gives us the confidence to help our clients succeed no matter what the market looks like.
Marc Larocque is a PBN contributing writer. Contact him at Larocque@PBN.com. You may also follow him on X at @Marc_La_Rock.
