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A Bit Confused

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  “Just Thinking" I was thinking the other day about some of the television shows many of us grew up watching in the 1960s. In some ways, they might help explain why our generation occasionally seemed a bit confused. These were prime-time, family-friendly programs that were entertaining, yet blurred the line between reality and fantasy. We were invited into worlds where monsters lived next door, horses carried on conversations, witches married advertising executives, and genies could grant wishes with a blink of an eye. We knew that none of these things existed in our day-to-day lives, but these shows captured our imaginations and left us wondering, what if? The shows that I'm referring to are; The Munsters, The Addams Family, Mr. Ed, Bewitched, and I Dream of Jeannie. The Munsters was about a family of friendly monsters living in an ordinary American suburb, the family believed that they were completely normal, while everyone around them was shocked by their appearance and be...
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Median Home Price Reached an All Time High in June

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  Check Out This Weeks Newsletter   Median Home Price Reached an All Time High in June NAR reports the median home price hit $440,600 in June, a new all-time high, as sales cooled and affordability improved. The median existing home price hit $440,600 in June, marking a new all-time high and the 36th straight month of year-over-year price increases.  Meanwhile, NAR’s Existing Home Sales report shows sales activity moved in the opposite direction. Existing home sales fell 2.4% month over month even as the year-over-year comparison remained positive.  Relative to a year ago, affordability has improved for many buyers, mainly because wage growth has outpaced the growth in home prices.  How you frame this depends on who you’re talking to and where.  The Record Price and What’s Driving It Price growth and sales activity aren’t moving together right now. The median price kept climbing while the pace of sales slowed on a month-over-month basis, and inventory staye...
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Location: Martinez, CA 94553, USA
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14 Years Running: Why Real Estate Is Still America’s Favorite Investment

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  Quick gut reaction. Which investment do Americans trust more than stocks, gold, savings accounts, and bonds? The answer hasn't changed in 14 years.  It's real estate. And this year, that answer comes with even more conviction behind it. New data shows people aren't just saying homeownership is a smart move, they're feeling better about it than they have in years. Let's dig into why. Real Estate Takes the Top Spot – Again Every year, Gallup asks Americans to name the best long-term investment. And for the 14th year in a row, real estate came out on top ( see graph below ): That's not a fluke or a hot streak. That's 14 straight years of beating out stocks, gold, and everything else. Think about everything that's happened in that stretch – rising rates, market swings, election years, you name it. Through all of it, Americans kept picking real estate. That kind of staying power says something about how people view homeownership – and it makes sense. Histo...
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Location: Martinez, CA 94553, USA
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Think Nobody's Buying Homes Right Now? Think Again

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  If you've been thinking about selling, you've probably seen plenty of headlines suggesting buyers have just about disappeared. But there's a big difference between a slow market and a stalled one. Yes, mortgage rates are still higher than most people would like. Homes aren’t selling as fast as they were. And every week seems to bring another headline about buyers sitting on the sidelines. But here's what you haven't heard. Despite everything going on, buyer demand has been remarkably resilient. In fact, more sellers are getting to put up the “pending sale” sign now than during the last two years. What's even more surprising is that they're doing it at a time of year when activity usually starts to slow down. And if you're thinking about selling, that's a trend worth paying attention to. Buyers Are More Active Than You Think One of the best ways to measure buyer demand is by looking at pending home sales. Those are homes that have gone under contrac...
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Location: Martinez, CA 94553, USA
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Sixty Years Later and Still Rockin'

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  “Just Thinking" Well, I watched the US soccer team and was caught up in the hype, sitting by myself chanting USA, USA until the goal keep left the goal and kicked the ground instead of the ball giving Belgium a cheapie 3 rd goal. I confess that I really don’t understand the game but am really impressed by the stamina and athleticism of the players. Now that the United Sates is out of the tournament, I am relieved that I don’t need to watch another match for 4 more years.   Well, I watched the U.S. soccer team and, like millions of other Americans, got caught up in the hype. There I was, sitting by myself in front of the TV, enthusiastically chanting, "USA! USA!" Then came the moment when the goalkeeper left the net, took a swing at the ball, and kicked the ground rather than the ball itself, gifting Belgium a cheap third goal. At that point, even a soccer novice like me knew that couldn't be good. I'll confess that I still don't fully understand the game. ...
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Location: Martinez, CA 94553, USA
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Realtor.com’s 2026 Midyear Forecast Cuts Home Price Growth to 1.2%

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  Check Out This Weeks Newsletter Realtor.com's 2026 midyear forecast shows home price growth slowing to 1.2% while mortgage rates hold steady and affordability improves for buyers. Realtor.com’s Mid-Year Forecast downgrades its home price growth projection to 1.2% for 2026, one full percent down from the original 2.2% projection.  The revised figure puts price growth even further below the 3.4% projected inflation rate, further reducing the share of household income going to monthly housing costs even as other costs rise to squeeze homebuyer budgets.  Read on for key data points you’ll want to include in your conversations with clients.  Home Price Growth Is Cooling Faster Than Expected Realtor.com downgraded its price growth forecast for the year, and it’s not keeping pace with inflation. Price growth forecast: 1.2% for 2026, down from the original 2.2% projection Year to date price growth: 1.0% over last year Projected inflation for 2026: 3.4% Sellers are respondi...
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Location: Martinez, CA 94553, USA
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For the first time since 2023, more Americans say it’s better to buy a home than to rent one.

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  Check Out This Weeks Newsletter Bank of America’s 2026 Homebuyer Insights Report shows that 53% of consumers now favor buying, and confidence in homeownership is up across every attitude the survey measured. Affordability is still the number one barrier, and it’s gotten worse since last year. But fewer buyers are waiting for perfect conditions.  Here’s what the data shows.  90% Say a Home Is a Valuable Investment (Up 11 Points YoY) Based on 2026 survey responses, homeownership sentiment went up across every measured attitude compared to the 2025 survey:  90% say a home is a valuable investment, up from 79% in 2025 94% say homeownership provides stability, up from 83% in 2025 87% say owning a home feels like a milestone, up from 78% in 2025 86% say owning a home brings emotional fulfillment, up from 75% in 2025 32% say they’re more confident in their ability to buy this year, up from 27% in 2025 This is essential data for both buyer agents and listing agents. Your b...
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Location: Martinez, CA 94553, USA
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