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The Strangers We Love: Finding Community in Rochester
A shoe repairman on Monroe Avenue. A familiar face at an East Avenue gas station. Mark Siwiec reflects on the people we may barely know, yet come to love, and the everyday connections that make Rochester feel like home.

Is Rochester’s Housing Market in a Horror Movie Phase?
Rochester’s fall housing market is slowing, and Mark Siwiec and Corey Moran have a few horror movie comparisons to match. Explore the latest inventory figures, homes lingering after delayed negotiations and the questions surrounding the next selling season.

Ice Fishing and the Art of Building a Business
What does ice fishing have to do with building a real estate brokerage? Mark Siwiec explores how Clarence Birdseye’s story illustrates the power of curiosity and how ideas from unexpected places helped shape Elysian Homes.

Prologue Isn’t Prophecy: Rochester’s Housing Market in 2026
Mortgage rates are rising, fewer Rochester homes are selling, and prices are still climbing. Mark Siwiec examines what the past can tell us about this market.

Rochester Housing Market Update: More Listings, Uneven Demand
Rochester listings are rising, yet one Henrietta home drew 28 offers. Mark Siwiec and Corey Moran explain rates, buyer competition, and seller timing.

Success is a Contact Sport
In 1990, a soaked and newly licensed Mark Siwiec knocked on doors in Browncroft, hoping to find his first clients. The lesson he learned about effort, fear, and opportunity stayed with him.

Table Diving In Armani
Standing inside Buffalo’s new stadium, Mark Siwiec reflects on the city that raised him, his move to Rochester, and the steel core that has stayed with him through both change and growth.

Rochester Market Update: Listings Rise, Pending Sales Fall
Rochester listings are rising while pending sales are falling. Mark Siwiec and Corey Moran discuss mortgage rates, pricing, and opportunities for buyers.

I built a $92 Million Business That I Hated
From the outside, Mark Siwiec’s $92 million real estate business looked like a tremendous success. Inside, its culture was breaking down. This is the story of why he dismantled the organization, rebuilt it around shared standards, and discovered that a better place to work could also become a better business