Found 56 blog entries tagged as Sellers.

What Those Westchester Price Cuts Really Mean

Westchester County Listings with Price Reductions (Monthly)

Nationally, more sellers are cutting asking prices as rising inventory, and pickier buyers collide. According to Realtor.com, price cuts showed up on about 1 in 5 listings last June, the highest share since at least 2016. Perhaps surprisingly, despite all the bidding wars, Westchester has followed suit. Let’s take a closer look at what our own price-reduction data actually shows.

  • January YoY:  January 2026 saw just 85 cuts — a 25% drop from 2025.

  • Most Reductions:  June 2022 tops the list with 538 reductions (26.2% of listings).

  • Fewest Reductions:  December 2023 bottoms out at 76 reductions (6.2%).

  • Annual Reductions:  2024 had just…

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Stop Over-Spending on Pre-Sale Renovations

New York Home Projects with the Highest Return-on-InvestmentIf you’re planning to sell your home this spring, you shouldn’t wait to start making updates. In today’s market, homes that feel well-maintained and move-in ready still stand out and sell for top dollar. To decide what’s worth doing, I recommend leaning on return-on-investment (ROI) data, which shows that smaller, visual improvements can pay off just as much as – or more than – major renovations. Here are the highlights from Zonda’s 2025 Cost vs Value Reportfor the New York market:

  • 323% ROI: Garage door replacement (top performer in New York)

  • 103% ROI: Minor midrange kitchen remodel (slightly pays for itself)

  • 25% ROI: Solar power installation (limited…

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Counties New York Homebuyers Love

The Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors (HGAR) ranked the New York counties that saw the biggest year-over-year increase in home sales in 2025, just in time for Valentine’s Day. Putnam County tops the list with the strongest sales growth and the tightest inventory, showing how intense buyer demand remains there. Several Hudson Valley and downstate counties — including Ulster, Rockland, Westchester, and Sullivan — also posted notable gains, underscoring that many local markets stayed competitive despite broader national housing headwinds. Key points:

  • Head-Over-Heels: Putnam - Sales up 15.6%. 1.7 months of inventory

  • Fighting Over: Westchester - 45 days on market. 1.6…

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Modest Prices, More Inventory, and Better Odds in 2026

Real Estate Forecast

The most recent 2026 real estate forecasts point to a cooler but stable market rather than a boom or a crash. Zillow and Redfin see U.S. home prices rising only about 1–1.2% in 2026, as affordability slowly improves but high prices and rates keep demand in check. Mortgage rate projections cluster around the low-6% range for much of 2026, with only gradual easing expected. Slightly lower rates and rising inventory should bring more transactions as the market continues to normalize after the pandemic-era rollercoaster.

Ralph’s Take

When you blend these forecasts together, you get a pretty clear picture of where I think the national market is headed in 2026: increased…

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Westchester’s Hottest Price Ranges of 2025

Where buyers actually showed up — and what it means for your price strategy.

Westchester’s Hottest Price Ranges of 2025

If you want to know where the real market is, don’t start with closed sales — start with showings. I pulled every showing on listed homes across Westchester County in 2025 and grouped them by price range. The result is a clear look at which price ranges are truly hot, which are just warm, and where buyer activity starts to thin out. Most of Westchester’s showing activity was in the mid-market tier, with nearly half of the roughly 170,000 showings on homes priced between $400,000 and $900,000.

Additional Findings:

  • Heaviest Pool of Buyers: $600k to $700k with about 18,800 showings.

    • …

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WSJ: When Home Sellers Set Prices Too High, They’re Paying for It

Average Cumulative Price Cut Between Listing and Sale

According to a new report from The Wall Street Journal, homes that underwent price reductions this year spent nearly five times longer on the market compared to homes that were priced right from the start. Not only that, but many of them ended up selling for less than similar homes listed more strategically. This “price and pray” strategy may have worked in the turbocharged 2021–2022 market. But in today’s climate, it’s a recipe for lost momentum and missed opportunity. Additional findings:

  • 20% of active listings in October had a price cut.

  • 57% of homes sold in 2025 (through October) had at least one price cut.

  • Many sellers cut…

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Now “Baby Rave” Open Houses?!

A $4.5 million Los Angeles home sat stagnant on the market for months, despite its prime location, pool, and school district appeal. Traditional marketing methods failed until the seller’s agents staged a bold, family-centered event: a BABY RAVE. With bubbles, toy instruments, and a live DJ energizing the space, prospective buyers could envision real life unfolding inside the home. The event not only transformed the open house but also generated buzz online, leading to increased interest and a quick transition into escrow.

Ralph’s Take

We’re always on the hunt for unique and compelling real estate marketing ideas, especially when they go beyond just showcasing a property and instead…

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NAR’s Forecast: Home Sales Headed for a 14% Increase

The latest forecast from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) predicts existing home sales in the U.S. will increase by about 14% in 2026, driven by improving economic fundamentals and a slight easing of mortgage rates. Home prices are expected to continue rising nationally around 4% next year, after an estimated 3% rise by the end of this year. Additional predictions:

  • 14% increase in existing home sales.

  • 5% increase in new home sales.

  • Mortgage rates to drop gradually to 6%.

Ralph’s Take

I’ll be putting together a full list of forecasts as we get closer to the end of the year, but here’s my early read:…

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The Shutdown Is a Speed Bump, Not a Real Estate Deal Breaker!

As the federal government shutdown drags on, there are some ripple effects in the housing market. Programs like FHA, VA, and USDA loans are severely delayed or halted altogether, leaving thousands of home transactions in limbo because crucial paperwork is stuck in bureaucratic gridlock. The complete suspension of USDA loans and the shutdown of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) are exacerbating the issue, impacting an estimated 3,600 home closings daily, valued at $1.6 billion.

Here’s what you need to know:

  • FHA, VA, and USDA loans may encounter significant processing delays.

  • The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is…

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For Sale By Fewer: FSBO Sales Plunge to Historic Low

The latest data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) reveals that For Sale By Owner (FSBO) sales have plummeted to just 5% of all transactions — an all-time low. Back in the 1980s, FSBOs made up 21% of the market. Here’s what changed according to the report:

  • Lower Returns: FSBO homes typically sell for nearly $100K less.

  • Limited Reach: No MLS means fewer eyes on your home.

  • Off-Market Deals: Most FSBOs are sold to friends or family.

  • Online Gap: FSBO listings rarely show up where buyers are searching.

  • Legal Risk: One wrong form can turn into a costly mistake.

Ralph’s Take

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