Tag: selling

How’s The Weather/Market?

It’s that time of year where one day feels like summer and the next winter. Last week I put away my outdoor furniture, only to want to haul it out just a few days later to enjoy the warm sunshine! And today the forecast was for over an inch of rain and it’s looking like we won’t even get half that. It’s tough to plan with such wild weather swings!

The real estate market is similar at the moment. After an encouraging September where home sales surprisingly increased year-over-year in most parts of the state, October showed disappointing figures. With such inconsistent trends, identifying the vibe of the market is harder than ever. The government shutdown, high cost of living, and unpredictable mortgage rates are all impacting the real estate market in unpredictable ways.

You can read the signs

and still get it wrong!

I have a number of clients hoping to sell their homes in the coming months, and many of them are trying to time the market. They ask me questions like,

“Should I list for sale now before the holidays?”

“Should I wait till Spring?”

“How much more will my home be worth in 2026?”

Just ask me if it’s going to rain on Christmas while you’re at it! In all honesty, timing the market is a lot like timing the weather. You can read the signs, but ultimately its impossible to pull off every time. Here’s a throwback video I shot discussing this analogy.

Even though I’m an expert and live & breath market statistics and trends, I can’t predict the real estate future with any certainty. That’s not what you should expect of me or any real estate professional. What you should expect is help identifying what is most important in your next real estate transaction and navigating through it without losing sight of your priorities. Sellers often get caught up in timing the market that they forget why they are selling in the first place.

I have a client who lives in a home that no longer suits her and the property is bleeding her money in repairs. There are 2 homes that sit on 10 acres and require a lot of upkeep, so this widower recognizes she needs to live in a simpler, low-maintenance home. That is the priority; to change her lifestyle that will improve her health and finances.

But sadly, the quest of maximizing her sales price based on market timing has taken over. And during this quest, she has changed her mind several times, questioned herself, and ultimately is shackled in indecision. All the while, the property expenses are piling up and she loses sleep worrying about what to do. She keeps asking herself “when,” while the most important question she needs to ask herself is “WHY.” Why am I selling my home?

Does this sound familiar to anyone you know? Perhaps your own situation? When toiling over an upcoming home sale, ask me these questions instead:

“What is my home worth right now?”

“Where should I put my focus on improving my home for a sale?”

“Who can help me make this process as easy as possible?”

In short, control your controllables, and most importantly…FIND YOUR WHY. Why are you selling your home? Allow me to help you never lose sight of that.

Spring Market Comes Before Spring Season

For those of us who miss the sunshine during these cold wintery months, springtime is a welcomed season. With daylight savings and the spring equinox both later this month, it feels like Spring is right around the corner.

But for the real estate market, spring is already here! The months of April-June (known as the Spring Market) are generally when we record the highest number of sales in the Sacramento region. A sale doesn’t typically close until 30 days after the listing goes into escrow, which means the market activity today gets reflected in those Spring month counts.

As this current crazy storm passes through Northern California and the weather eventually heats up, more folks will consider their options to buy or sell. If you’ve been thinking about a real estate transaction this year, don’t wait until Spring Break to do these essential “Spring Cleaning” steps!

  • Buyers need to get pre-approved for financing, check their credit report for any errors, and become laser-focused in the areas or amenities that are most important to them
  • Sellers need to spruce up the exterior of their homes, clear out the clutter, and do market research to identify how their home compares to other recent nearby sales

The Blue Waters Group is uniquely abled to help both buyers and sellers in this Spring Market. As experienced REALTORS and Mortgage Brokers in our region, we are well-versed in the changing dynamics of our market and can best counsel you through your next transaction. We look forward to hearing from you.