Chris Perry Column: Five Men Have Enter - Only One Man Can Leave…

This year, we have a flyweight, a welterweight, a middleweight, a cruiserweight, and a heavyweight all vying for the broker’s crown.

But before we get to the introduction of the competitors, it is worth noting that today officially kicks off the island’s summer real estate blitz. Memorial Day Weekend has always been Nantucket’s traditional opening day, but as the bell sounds for round one, where do things stand?

On the rental side, several real estate offices shared a similar trend while summarizing their rental activity to date. They admitted that the number of executed leases is down from last year, but the gross dollar amount is up. Despite the mixed signals, the general consensus with the majority of rental brokers is positive and best summed up as “guardedly optimistic."

Moreover, the fact that Nantucket has developed a reputation over the last few years of having a robust, late-committing rental market during the month of June for the high-demand weeks of July and August has most real estate offices feeling giddy about the 2025 rental season.

On the sales side of things, the majority of brokers are feeling bullish. Many of the potential buyers who took a wait-and-see approach over the last few months, due to such things as tariff concerns and unpredictable interest rates appear to be ready to jump back in. With stability and fiscal control dominating the national and international scenes lately, Nantucket brokers have seen an uptick in activity, especially in the high-end market, which has helped fuel record levels of year-end, total dollar volume in recent years.

Even with the cold, wet, and windy weather ushering in a new real estate season, it has not dampened the spirits of our five local real estate professionals who have strapped on their gloves and donned their thinking caps to compete for a good cause in this friendly competition.

Ultimately, a local charity will be the winner. However, it’s more than just the money.

What motivates our competitors to enter into the Thunderdome today is the allure of winning the crown, the pelt, and the bragging rights. To make things a little more interesting, two twists have been added to the bout.

One: The five contestants have generously donated $100 each to the pot. In addition to wearing the championship belt for the year, this year’s winner will make a $500 donation to the local charity of his / her choice at the end of the year.

Two: Unlike last year, the brokers' answers will be made public and listed below for all to see. Until now, their responses were kept confidential, but with the betting window now open, you can track your favorite broker for the balance of the year by reviewing the Current’s Real Estate Round Up report, which is published every Friday.

The questions are simple, but I am not sure the predictions will be the same:

• Question 1: What will the total dollar volume be at the end of the year?
• Question 2: What will the average sales price of a single-family home be at the end of the year?
• Question 3: What will the median price of a single-family home be at the end of the year?
• Question 4 (Tie-Breaker): What will the total number of transactions be at the end of the year?

Without further ado...let’s get ready to rumble!

In the orange corner and representing Fisher Real Estate is our defending champion, Brent Tartamella. Dropping down to the middleweight class, Brent delivered a knockout punch with his end-of-the-year interest rate prediction that ultimately landed him the crown last year.

This year, the ten-year real estate veteran was the first to submit his predictions along with his $100 donation.

Brent added, “I’m back and ready to show that last year was no fluke. I am as confident with my picks this year as I was last year, and you know what happened. So here you go…”

• Total Dollar Value: $1.395 billion
• Average Sales Price: $4.6 million
• Median Price: $3.85 million
• Tie-Breaker: 320 transactions.

In the yellow corner and representing Great Point Properties and the country of Zimbabwe is flyweight Sam Parsons. A sentimental favorite among local bettors to win and an active supporter of protecting African wildlife, the seventeen-year veteran at GPP has the look of a quiet assassin who has done her homework, wanting to send a message to “the boys.”

“I might be a tad conservative with my numbers, so I am playing it a little tight, but here’s how I see it," Parsons offered:

• Total Dollar Value: $1.325 billion
• Average sales Price: $4.275 million
• Median Price: $3.250 million
• Tie-Breaker: 307 transactions

In the blue corner and representing William Raveis is heavyweight challenger Carl Lindvall, tipping the scales at 241 pounds… on a good day.

Lindvall, who thinks the best turn-key deal on-island right now is 2 Goldfinch at under $2 million, summed up the competition as a “two-person race.”

“I go head-to-head against Trudel in paddle tennis all the time. He’s got no game and he won’t be a factor this time around.”

Carl continued, “Tartamella… have you ever heard of Leon Spinks? He was a one-hit wonder, and like Brent, his reign was over quickly."

“Gillum is a fellow Mason, and maybe a dark horse, but I won’t show him any mercy.”

“It’s pretty simple: It’s me vs. Parsons and here’s my picks…”

• Total Dollar Sales: $1.48 billion
• Average sales Price: $3.92 million
• Median Price: $3.15 million
• Tie-Breaker: 345 transactions

Out of the green corner and representing J. Pepper Frazier Real Estate is welterweight Ed Gillum, who brings 35 years of Nantucket real estate experience to bear. The Nashville native and UNC Chapel Hill grad appears to be a man keeping pace to a different drummer.

“If we were doing this in July, I might feel the love more," said Gillum, who is keen on showing 78 Cliff Road for just under a cool $9 million.

Gillum did concede, “I have a feeling that my fellow competitors are leaning the other way, but I need to see how the next 30 to 60 days go before I consider hedging my bet….”

• Total Dollar Value: $1.138 billion

• Average Sales Price: $4,545,452.00

• Median Price: $3,372,933.00

• Tie-Breaker: 291 transactions

And finally, in the red corner and representing The Maury People Sotheby’s Realty is the charismatic broker and cruiserweight John Trudel, who thinks 69 Orange Street is a wise investment for $5.195 million.

Nevertheless, Trudel has an axe to grind.

“Redemption is the theme this year," said Trudel, who submitted a formal protest with the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, after last year’s results were announced, giving Tartamella the win. While an official ruling has not been rendered yet, Trudel has refocused on 2025.

“I heard a rumor that Carl Lindval is involved this year. I’ve seen Lindval in and out of his Kelly green, one-piece spandex suit, and it’s not a pretty sight. To think he might pull off an upset here is a joke,” offered last year’s runner-up.

Trudel added, “The International Court will soon rule - just like Judge Michael Vhay - and I am confident Tartemella will be stripped of his title. I was robbed. Everyone else is playing for second place, so read ‘em and weep…”

• Total Dollar Value: $1,496,386.00

• Average Sales Price: $4,860,900.00

• Median Price: $3,822,500.00

• Tie-Breaker: 363 transactions

With almost 100 years of combined Nantucket real estate experience under their belts, our five local professionals have entered Nantucket’s version of Real Estate Thunderdome.

Master of Ceremonies, Dr. Dealgood from Bartertown, summed it up best:

“Five men have entered, but only one man can leave….”

Let’s see who’s left standing at the end of the year.

Good luck to everyone.