Welcome to the Interior Perspective, where luxury real estate meets timeless design. I'm Nicole Fisher, a Hudson-based interior designer working with the region's most exclusive properties. Each week, we sit down with top brokers to explore the stories, insights, and inspirations behind the most remarkable homes on the market. This is your front row seat to the art of elevated living. Let's get started. Welcome back to the Interior Perspective. So much of this podcast has been about how design extends beyond the home into the way we live, move, connect. And today's episode is about the journey of discovery. What happens when we decide to redefine what home looks like? My guest, Genevieve Geaney, is an elite real estate agent with Compass based in the Hudson Valley. But to call her just that wouldn't be enough. She's creative, storyteller, founder of Upstate Guides, and clear-cut, beautifully crafted series that demystifies the process of buying, renovating, and living upstate. What I love about Genevieve's approach is her transparency. She doesn't romanticize upstate living. She contextualizes it. Her guides give people clarity, confidence, and a sense that they're not just buying property, they're stepping into a lifestyle. In today's conversation, we'll talk about her background in the creative world, how she made the leap into real estate, and how her guides are shaping a new generation of buyers who want information that feels as thoughtful and honest as it is Oh, yeah. So tell us about your early career. What drew you to, you know, your creative work in real Yeah, so I was in fashion and beauty for about 11 years, probably also could say my whole life. I grew up in Connecticut and my parents were in the fashion industry as well. So my dad was a fashion photographer, still is. And my mom was a supermodel in the 80s and 90s. Yeah, she's stunning and she's extremely talented and they're a big part of my story. I'm very close with my parents. And so I started off as an agent for hairstylists, makeup artists, models, photographers, set designers, prop stylists, wardrobe stylists. I've always had the eye that I think that I must have gotten from my parents. I mean, I think that they're much more creative and I am definitely, you know, maybe more on like if I had to say more on like the art directing side, like I can't create what they can create. And so when I was in LA, that was in New York and then LA, I got pregnant in 2021 and decided to make a big move to upstate. I just kind of started to feel like so many people during the time of COVID were ready to make a change. I didn't think that the fashion and beauty world would be conducive to the lifestyle I wanted to live as a mother. And so I moved to upstate New York. I live in Woodstock and that happened in May of 21. And I had no idea what I was going to do. I was kind of freelancing. I was, you know, helping some other creatives. with their branding and their Instagram and things like that, just kind of to make a little bit of extra money on the side. And while that was all happening, and while I was raising my son for the first two years, my mom was building this incredible staging business here. So she does the majority of the real estate staging in the Hudson Valley, I would say, and, you know, Ulster, Dutchess counties. And so I was just like, you know what, I'm going to try it. I'm going to try and get into real estate. I love homes. I love interior design. I'm so inspired by my mom starting a whole brand new career. Like, why can't I do that and have it be more flexible for the lifestyle that I want as a mother? So that's kind of how we got started, you know, started there. And it's been two years since I got my license and Yeah. Amazing. So how did you get introduced to So I was originally at Berkshire Hathaway. My mom was working a lot with the Unlock Upstate team. And so the three team leaders are Donna Brooks, Hayes Clement, and Harris Safier. And Harris actually sold my parents their first house in Stone Ridge back in 1983 before I was even a blip on their radar. And getting to reconnect with him on a different level has been really exciting for me because that was the first house that they purchased together. And, you know, Donna was the one who I kind of connected with prior to getting my license. And she was like, I'm taking you under my wing, come to our meetings, learn on the fly before you even get your license. It'll be easier to pass the exam. I was very nervous about the exam. And so, yeah, we started at Berkshire Hathaway. And then I think back in May of this year, we I love it. I'm very happy at Compass. I feel like the technology is incredible and the referral businesses are amazing through there. I just it was really what I needed at the time, honestly. So I'm really happy that the whole team got to go together. We're very close knit. We lean Oh, that's awesome. I want to go back to your mom because that is such an incredible journey to not only be inspired by someone like that, but also kind of see them move into a different element in their, you know, their creative world. How involved is she in your in the styling with your properties It really depends. And because I am a newer agent, I haven't had hundreds of properties as a listing agent. But I know that, you know, anytime I need a little bit of advice from her, if I want her to help me, you know, just jump into a new listing, she's always there. So we're, she's pretty involved. You know, we haven't yet been able to bounce business off each other yet. But we're hoping for that to Yeah, I love that. Tell me about how she is, you know, inspiring you to maybe look at properties differently or inspiring you maybe to think about opportunities differently now Yeah, I mean, I think that a lot of times agents want to keep their secrets close to their chest, right? Like they really they don't want to say, oh, this is my stager to another agent who's their competition. They don't want to say this is my photographer. And for me, I look at her being in my corner as such an incredible tool for being a listing agent that I'm really excited to lean into. I mean, the fact that I have You know, my mom as the stager and I have, you know, storage units at my disposal because she's very generous. And then my dad is a wonderful, beautiful photographer. So really, like for me, it's about mood setting in a home. I am you know, I will die on this hill. I say this all the time, like we have to capture people's attention from their first access to the home, which is usually on the internet. I think previously it was mostly on Zillow. I think a lot of it's happening on Instagram now. People want to feel like they're excited to be living in that moment in that home, right? So I think that it's so important to stage. I think it's so important to capture light at different times of day. in terms of the photography and just having it be moody is just, I think the way to go. I think that's, what's really resonating with buyers right now. I think that buyers don't want to even look at a house if it's not Instagram worthy. I mean, it's, it's this element of storytelling, right? We have to not only we're setting ourselves apart from the competition, not only are we selling, setting these houses apart from everything out there, but you have to create a, all of these elements create a story for somebody to envision themselves living in and being a part of. And what I love about what you're doing is you're kind of taking that one step further. And I love your Instagram so much because it's just very different from what we're seeing. Um, And you're not only telling a story, you are being like super, super informative about this really big decision that Yeah, I mean, I, you know, as a realtor, before you have your referral base built up, which I feel like only comes like five plus years in, you're grabbing at anything that will work for you to help build your business. I didn't have a year of ramp up time. I wanted to work and make money immediately. Um, and so I was purchasing, you know, $600 worth of postcards every month. And then I was doing this and this and this and everything was adding up to be very, very expensive. Um, so I did this Instagram course. And I feel like it was probably the best thing I ever did for my business. It was not cheap, but I, yeah, I did a course and I think obviously it's done really, really well for me. It was the best investment that I've made. And I decided in January of this year that I'm going to go all in on that. It was a one-time fee, and now it's free. All of my marketing is free. And I really think that it's helped get my name out there. I've had to kind of break through my comfort level of pushing through and actually putting my face on Instagram and posting every single day, trying not to care what other people are thinking. And I really think that it's been great. It's been just really helpful to use their templates and create the lead magnets that I have in terms of the guides. I have one for every single season and then some. So I have the relocation guide as well. I try to focus on the areas that I prefer to work because the whole idea of being in real estate was so that I could be more flexible and be with my son more. So the closer I work to the home, then, Yeah, totally. Yeah. I'm a six-year-old, so I totally get it. You totally get it. Yeah, totally. I love that. And I love that you are just totally putting yourself out there. We went through a very similar evolution this year. And so much is, I mean, we live in a world of social media. That's just like what it is. So you got to get on board or understand that you're going to kind of plateau. That's just what it is. And the more people, the more young people have money and are ready to spend it. They need someone who's kind of on their level in terms of the content that they're getting. And I love that you are just you're just doing it. You just, cause that's what you got to do. You just got to go, you got to go for it. And it does, it does pay off. It's a lot of work, but it does. Yeah. It pays off with consistency. So I applaud you for that. You managed to simplify complex topics like zoning and taxes and renovations and more of like a digestible way. How do you decide like what to focus on? You know, I think that I'm still learning so much about all of those things. So I try to break it down as simply as possible so that I understand it because it is so complex. So if I am making, you know, any of my posts or my guides on any of those complicated topics, then I want to make sure that if I understand it, someone else can understand it. And then I guess deciding to talk about those factors are probably a little more few and far between just because it's not my comfort level. But I, you know, I definitely feel like it's important to touch on all of the, you know, the Right. No, that totally makes sense. Do you see your guys as part of like a Yeah, I do. And I also think that it's so important to focus on the local spotlights and things like that because When people are purchasing a home, they're not just purchasing the home. They're investing in a community. And I really believe in what I'm posting. I will not ever be just posting to post. I really do actually love the community that is here in Woodstock and in Kingston and all of the surrounding areas. So yeah, I mean, maybe there's something bigger that I can create with this down the line. I'm hoping to find what that might be. I don't know what yet. If you have any ideas, let me know. But yeah, yeah, I think that this is, it's important for people to know where they're going to be. And if they see someone like me, like I'm always trying to target my ideal client. And I feel like I can resonate maybe with the millennials who had a city life before and are now wanting to move upstate. Maybe they have kids. Maybe they are making a career change. Maybe they love the types of restaurants that I like. If I'm attracting those types of people, then I'm probably going to have a better time getting on with them, enjoying my days with them. I mean, we spend a lot of time together. So we're driving around for hours, or I'm at their house working on getting their listening ready. I want to make sure that I'm resonating with the people that I work with and then I can, you know, vice versa, do the same. Right. What is the main thing do you find people are moving for? You think community isn't like that number I think that most people want to come here for an old beautiful farmhouse on many acres, a pool. And I think that community is important if it's not their second home. But otherwise, I think that people are looking for the Hudson Valley vibe. They want their escape. And so I work with a lot of people who honestly prefer the property to the location. And then on the other side, of course, I have people who are coming here for their primary residences and they care much more about the community. So it really, it really differs, but I think that almost everyone wants pretty much the same thing, which is the old gorgeous farmhouse. That quintessential Hudson Valley look. Yeah. So you said something before where people won't even attempt to look at a place if they're not Instagram worthy. Do you, is that getting them through the door or is that more on the sales side or is that both? Can you clarify the question? Do you think it's more Instagram worthy importance on a Okay. I think that, well, it applies to both, but I think that the buyer... How picky are people being at this point? They're insanely picky. Yeah. They're very picky. They want to move right in. They want to feel what, you know, if I capture a corner of a room with light coming in or dappled light and they have this like gorgeous comfy chair and a throw blanket, you know, they want to feel that the second they move into this house. I feel like While I think it's important to stage, I do feel like the art of imagining what it could feel like to be in a space is kind of disappearing. So we have to do it for them. I do think that You know, we've seen it. I mean, it's almost like a case study. Like if we're still using really generic photography for our pictures, we're seeing the lack of response from buyers. So then that does become important to the sellers because then they're like, well, what can I do to make my listing stand out? I don't want to do another price reduction. I'm Right. So I'm curious if that's even taken one step further and is that a, okay, this house looks incredible on a picture. I walk in and I'm like, wow, this looks incredible. But then like the materials are really cheap or the finishes are really cheap. Like, are they seeing that part of it when they walk in or they don't No, I think that if, I think they'll notice and I think if they have a good buyers agent, they'll point that out to them, you know, and then that might say to them, okay, that's, that's not the place for me. And then maybe next time they put it high on their list to make sure they're looking at the finishes and maybe looking at them closer in the pictures and not just looking for the feeling and the vibe. So. on one hand, as a buyer's agent, I'm going to point out all of the flaws because I want my buyers to know exactly what they're walking into. As Right. Well, I think it's also challenging because they're just They're more savvy than they were. Buyers just know a lot more. It's very rare. I think you're getting people coming into this totally blind that have no idea, that A, have never bought a house before or have never dealt with something like this. As you are quite aware, the cost of living has just gotten, you know, you certainly can't get that quintessential upstate big farmhouse on a lot of land for a deal. So, you know, people are coming in here ready to spend a lot of money. They They know a lot. They're not ready to kind of sacrifice. Have you seen the market cool, even if it's getting the, um, hitting all of those check marks, you know, it looks amazing, but like people Definitely. I definitely feel like we're going through a huge market shift right now. I think it's softening. And I think there's a discrepancy between what the buyers want to spend and what the sellers want to get. I think that we're, you know, not that our market isn't strong because I think it's still a really strong market. All of the really exceptional homes are still selling significantly over ask. But in the same breath, I think we're starting to normalize after the surge of COVID prices. I think it's, you know, it's a normal thing. And I think it's a good thing that we're kind of getting down to the regular prices that maybe we should be at as opposed to. completely out of this world numbers. Yeah. But I also think that, you know, buyers aren't being as realistic either. So it's hard. You know, I think that people want all of that beautiful land and those houses, but they don't want to spend more than a million dollars for it. And I'm probably going to say something really controversial, but I feel like a million dollars is the new six hundred thousand. Like you aren't getting what you're not getting all of that for a million bucks. Yeah. Unless you're, you know, on a road, you see a neighbor, you don't have tons of acreage, like you're going to have to sacrifice quite Right. Yeah, it's gotten out of control. It's just wild. It really is wild. I told somebody the other day that was a client and I said, it's just a million dollar shack. That's what it's going to be. You get a shack for a million dollars now. It's insane what is acceptable. It Oh, totally. All we do is see unrealistic expectations. That's just what it is. you know, seeing the pages of a magazine and like, I want that. Oh, that, that, that's a $200,000 room. Like, that's just like, that's what that is. You know what I mean? It's, it's a, um, it's a giant disconnect between what people think is so readily available because of social media and Pinterest and stuff. And they're so unrealistic in actually what it costs to do that. And I think, you know, social media is great for a lot of things, but, you know, it has been really hard for expectations in, in Yeah. And so, yeah, on one hand, I'm like, you know, let's go on with this social media thing and make it look beautiful and special. And maybe it is a really beautiful and special home, but you know, it really does change the expectations or maybe I can't set the expectations, no I know. It's just the name of the game. Yeah, it really is. So what do you love most about living upstate? What Yeah, I mean, I have never once thought about going back to New York City or L.A., which is kind of crazy because I loved L.A. I mean, I really love New York, too, but spent four years in L.A. after nine years in New York. And I don't know. I mean, I just think that it really is the community. It's being close to family for me. It's experiencing all the seasons. It's having more space. It's, you know, not being on a subway train that's driving around like the most beautiful views you will ever see all day long. You know, like I, I don't mind that part of my job at all. I love that part of my job. Maybe not in March. Maybe not in March. That is the worst month. Totally. February and March can just Disappear. What do you think is hard for people to understand about the pace and like rhythm about living up here if they're relocating? I don't know. I mean, to be honest with you, my pace has remained New York City pace. Okay. So yeah, I don't think that I've changed and I feel like maybe more people coming up here from the city are bringing the same pace with them, unfortunately, right? Like I did. I mean, I don't really know how to slow down when you're in New York City and you're in the heat of everything. You're in LA and you're in this fast paced business. I feel like you kind of can't kick Totally. But I think you gotta come from that. And that's what I find is one of the most challenging things is, you know, staff, hiring people up here who are from here, do not function the way that I function. No, I'm from the city. Like we we just move at a different. Yes. Level. And my clients are from the city. I'm sure most of your clients are from the city. I find that that pace disconnect in when I have workers up here, contractors, my staff, like, you know, anyone that is from the area. Totally. No, I completely agree with that. Yeah, it's definitely hard. We just opened a wellness studio in Woodstock called Selma Grove, my husband and I. Oh, congratulations. Yeah, thank you. And yeah, we just, we haven't found staff yet for exactly that reason. And so we're both kind of like just winging it. We're just going 24 seven until we can find those fits, right? Like I feel like my business could run a little bit smoother if I were able to hire someone to take care of the little things. And then obviously he could have a day off and not be sitting there at the studio all day. But yeah, that's been a huge challenge. Oh, man, I can't even wait. OK, so now you have to tell me what's Domegrove. OK, yeah, definitely. OK, so Domegrove is a wellness studio. It's high end. We have a cryotherapy chamber. So, you know, someone could spend three minutes in there at negative one hundred and seventy degrees and basically have like a complete rejuvenation of their cells. And it's just like the best feeling ever. It's freezing cold. I prefer it over cold plunges. because you're not wet afterwards. And we also have an infrared sauna that seats up to four people. I think it's more comfy with two or three, but it says four people. And then we've got like really high end, beautiful gym equipment. So yeah, yeah, we kind of met in the wellness realm and it's been a huge part of our lives. And so this is him living out his Oh, that's awesome. I love that. So, what is next for you upstate guides? Will you expand into other elements in the real estate market? I'm just looking to grow. I'm just looking to grow. You know, I feel like every day is so different in real estate and I'm still learning and I'll be learning forever probably with this job. But I do think that I'd really like to expand my guides. I'd like to spend more time on them. And yeah, I don't know. I think just kind of stay in a float right now, but maybe next year will be a little different. Okay. I love that. What I love about Genevieve's work is how she redefined what it means to sell real estate. She's not just selling homes, she's building context around what it means to sell homes. And she's giving people knowledge to make empowered decisions and the inspiration to imagine what life could look like once they get here. It's the blend, education meets emotion, clarity meets design, changing the way that people discover our home, the Hudson Valley. Because at the end of the day, good design, good living, both come down to the same thing, knowing what matters and cutting through the noise to find it. Oh, at Genevieve Ganey, and that's a big mouthful, but G-E-N-E-V-I-E-V-E, I look forward to chatting with you soon. You too. Thanks for listening to the Interior Perspective. If today's conversation inspired you or you're a broker with a story worth telling, connect with us on Instagram at NicoleFisherInteriorDesign or visit NicoleFisher.com. Until next time, keep creating beauty, living with intention and seeing every space