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The Median Down Payment Falls to $27,100, a Four-Year Spring Low

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Check Out This Weeks Newsletter Realtor.com says the median down payment fell to $27,100 in Q2, the lowest second-quarter level since 2021, and monthly payments are up 74% in five years. Buyers put down a median of $27,100 in the second quarter of 2026. According to Realtor.com’s latest Down Payment Report, it’s the lowest second-quarter figure since 2021. The median fell 9.2% from the second quarter of 2025. As a share of the purchase price, the average down payment dropped 0.6 percentage points. For buyers, the bigger question is what happens to the monthly payment. Mortgage rates have more say over that number than the down payment does. The report breaks down where down payments stand and how they’re affecting monthly costs in different parts of the country. Down Payments Increased This Spring But Stayed Below 2025 Down payments tend to climb from winter into spring, and this year’s jump was bigger than normal. Realtor.com’s figures show how this spring compares with the winter and...
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What Higher Mortgage Rates Mean for Home Sellers

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 Higher mortgage rates don't just affect buyers. They can change what it takes to sell your house, too. That's because today's buyers are paying close attention to affordability. And when rates rise, even a relatively small change can make a noticeable difference in their monthly payment. So, they're looking for ways to make the numbers work. And in some markets, new construction is giving them exactly that. If you're planning to sell, that doesn't mean you can't compete. But it does mean you need to understand what builders are doing to win over buyers – and what options you have, too. Builders Are Competing on the Monthly Payment New construction has something interesting going for it right now. While existing-home sales  (homes that have previously been lived in) continue to struggle under the weight of higher mortgage rates, new-home sales are holding up a bit better. In a recent interview, Logan Mohtashami, Chief Economist at HousingWire explains new-ho...
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Location: Martinez, CA 94553, USA
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Collections and Collectables

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  “Just Thinking" Last week, I had coffee with my friend Tony. He's one of the loyal readers of my Just Thinking articles and often sends me a note whenever I post something he finds relatable. As I tell most people who comment on my writing, the hardest part of putting together these weekly pieces isn't the writing itself, it's coming up with a fresh topic every week. While we were talking, Tony mentioned his baseball hat collection and said, there's your next newsletter topic, the things that people collect. Tony then told me about a friend who collects Christmas Stockings from thrift stores. Now that's a pretty unique hobby, maybe not quite as unique as collecting fingernail clippings or empty toothpaste tubes, but unique no doubt. It seems that we all have a collection of some sort or another, for some, its baseball cards, stamps, coins, match books, hotel keys, dolls or vinyl records. Others collect coffee mugs from places they've visited, refrigerator...
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Location: Martinez, CA 94553, USA
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The Mortgage Rate You See Online Isn’t Necessarily the One You’d Get

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  You may have seen the headlines saying mortgage rates have climbed to the highest point since January 2025. And if that's left you reluctant to buy a home, here's what you need to remember…  That's not necessarily the number you'd get.   It's a common misconception that the rate you see in the headlines is the same one you'd get when you buy. The truth is, mortgage rates shift often, and the rate you actually end up with can vary a lot from what you may see or hear about.  What Determines Your Real Rate?  Advertised rates and “real rates” aren’t always the same. That’s because real rates are based on your specific situation, which includes your overall finances and goals. The rates you see in the headlines can’t possibly reflect that.  That’s why only a lender can tell you what your real rate will be. To figure out your unique number, they’ll look at: Your credit score : Your credit score includes your payment history (if you’ve made late payments – and ...
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Location: Martinez, CA 94553, USA
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Why So Many Sellers Are Cutting Their Price Right Now

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  Price cuts are turning up everywhere right now, and they read very differently depending on which side of the deal you’re on. Sellers tend to worry a cut means walking away with less than they hoped. Sometimes that’s true, but more often it just means the market moved faster than the listing did. Buyers, for their part, often assume a cut means something’s wrong with the house. Most of the time, that’s not it. This is what's actually driving all those price cuts, and why it matters no matter which side of the deal you're on. 42% of Homes for Sale Are Now Carrying a Price Cut According to HousingWire Data , the share of sellers cutting their asking price has climbed every month for 7 straight months ( see chart below ): Today, more than 4 in 10 active listings have had at least 1 price cut, and the typical seller is cutting about $17,560 off their original number.   Here’s why that’s happening. With rates still elevated and more homes to choose from, buyers can afford to wait...
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Location: Martinez, CA 94553, USA
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Seller Concessions Reach a Six-Year High Across the Country

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  Check Out This Weeks Newsletter Redfin says sellers gave buyers a concession in 44.7% of August home sales, the highest share for that month since 2020. Sellers gave buyers a concession in 44.7% of home sales this August, according to Redfin. It’s the highest share the company has recorded for that month since it started tracking concessions in 2020, and it’s up from 42.6% a year earlier. Buyers have more room to negotiate than they’ve had in years. How much room depends heavily on where they’re shopping.  Sellers in some markets are covering closing costs and repairs left and right. In others, buyers still can’t get a concession no matter how they ask. We’re looking at what counts as a concession, why the national number keeps climbing, and where buyers have the most and least leverage right now.  Stay tuned for a script agents can use right now to raise concessions awareness with buyer clients, specifically in markets where the concession rate makes it a viable play....
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Location: Martinez, CA 94553, USA
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Five Dollars for a Soda and a Candy Bar

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  “Just Thinking" I have made a conscious effort, while writing my Just Thinking pieces, to steer clear of religion and politics. Both topics are important, but they also tend to generate strong opinions and passionate discussions. I'd rather focus on subjects that bring back memories, spark a smile, or give us something we can all relate to. Another rule I try to follow is avoiding the temptation to sound like a grumpy old man reminiscing about the "good old days." You know the routine: Back in my day, we walked to school uphill both ways, in the snow, without a jacket, you kids have it easy. But I had and experience the other day that is forcing me to play the OMC (Old Man Card). Stopping at a liquor store the other day, I picked up a Milky Way and a Diet Pepsi. Yes, I realize that ordering a Diet Pepsi with a candy bar is about as logical as going to McDonald's, ordering two Big Macs and a large order of fries, and then congratulating yourself for choosing a D...
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Location: Martinez, CA 94553, USA
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