Chuck Barberini Real Estate

  Check Out This Weeks Newsletter President Trump’s October 22 executive order lays out four changes to lower housing costs, and almost all of them depend on future agency action. On Thursday, October 22, 2026, President Trump signed an executive order, “Decreasing Housing Costs for the American People.”  The order went out 12 days before the midterm elections, with four changes aimed at reducing regulatory and cost barriers to homeownership. However, almost every provision in the order depends on a future agency decision, funding, or a task force report.  Let’s look at the four biggest proposed changes and what has to happen before housing costs can be decreased.  The 4 Biggest Takeaways From the Housing Cost Order 1.       PMI Could Come Off Automatically The first change is about private mortgage insurance, or PMI. Under Section 2, the FHFA Director has to direct Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to set up a pilot program if he decides it’s ...

  “Just Thinking" My buddy Rich sent me an Instagram Reel the other day about the legendary 1951 University of San Francisco Dons football team "Undefeated, Untied, and Uninvited." He asked me, “Did you know about this?” I laughed and replied, “Uh, yeah!” I'm a City boy, and that's some San Francisco history right there. Plus, I'm a USF alumnus and a proud former stalwart of the Grey Fog. So yes, I know a little something about them Dons. We're talking about legendary names like Ollie Matson, Gino Marchetti, Burl Toler, and Bob St. Clair. The Dons finished the season with a perfect 9-0 record and a roster loaded with incredible athletes. Ten of their starters were drafted by NFL teams, nine went on to play in the NFL, five became Pro Bowl selections, and three were eventually inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. By any measure, it was one of the greatest teams in college football history. Another fascinating connection to the 1951 Dons is Pete Roz...

  Check Out This Weeks Newsletter House Beautiful reports that more than 60% of U.S. households have at least one security camera, and some sellers are listening in on buyers during showings. Would you tour a home knowing the seller was watching (and listening) via security cameras? More than 60% of U.S. households have at least one security camera, according to SafeHome.org figures cited in a recent House Beautiful article.  The share was 52% in 2024, up from 42% in 2023. Not all states require full disclosure of any in-house active camera and their locations. For buyer’s agents, an innocent comment about the home’s condition, a buyer’s excitement or even their maximum budget can cost them negotiating leverage or the deal itself. For listing agents, sellers who listen in could be exposing themselves to legal risks. House Beautiful spoke with agents who’ve seen these situations play out. Here’s what happened and what agents on both sides of the transaction should be doing di...

When you picture buying your first home, chances are you’re imagining a traditional single-family house with its own yard, maybe a garage, and little extra room to grow. But with affordability still tight, getting everything on that list right away may come with a higher price tag than you’re comfortable with right now. So, if you’re running the numbers and buying a house like that feels like a stretch, there may be another way in. A condo. Because in a lot of markets, condos come with a significantly lower price tag. And that could make them a smart way to get your foot in the door. Condos Can Cost Less Than You Think According to a recent study by Zillow:  “ Condos are the most commonly affordable home type in virtually every metro. At the starter level, the savings can be pretty significant. Nationally, starter condos average $197,468 — that’s about 6% less than the typical starter home. ” And depending on where you live, the difference can be much bigger.  Zillow identif...

  “Just Thinking" Well, I was putting this together late last night, but I got a late start because a couple of events on TV demanded my attention. First things first, if you want to be the champ, you have to beat the champ. The "Da Bums" were back-to-back champions until Thursday night, when the Brew Crew rolled into Los Angeles and completed a sweep of the defending champs on their home turf. I don't want to come across as a hater, but I've been a Giants fan my entire life, and my second favorite team has always been whoever is playing the Dodgers. So, while the Giants are facing a lot of rebuilding, I have to admit that I enjoyed seeing Milwaukee send the champs packing. Elated by the outcome but still not getting any writing done, I flipped over to Prime just in time to see the Seahawks tie the Broncos at the end of regulation sending the game into overtime. I stuck around long enough to see Sam Darnold throw an interception and Denver hitting a game-winning ...

  Check Out This Weeks Newsletter   AGNT CEO Leo Pareja says the housing market collapse happened three years ago in sales volume and shares his 2027 outlook for rates and prices. A lot of people have been waiting for a housing market crash. AGNT, Inc. CEO Leo Pareja says it happened three years ago, but it didn’t show up as plummeting prices. Pareja explained: “The collapse already happened three years ago. It happened in the transaction count.” Pareja shared the housing data, along with the population math, behind his outlook in a keynote at eXpcon 2026 in Salt Lake City last week. From there, he covered where he sees mortgage rates and home prices heading, along with where agents can find business next year. Let’s dive in.  The Collapse in Home Sales  When speaking about transaction counts, Pareja told agents the crash they keep waiting for is behind them. “I’ve been telling agents for months, winter is here. Anyone else feel like the whole world is waiting or wor...