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Hi, I’m Doron Weisbarth with Weisbarth & Associates, and welcome to my March 2025 Market Update! This spring is shaping up to be one of the best we’ve seen in several years, with all trends pointing to increased activity in the real estate market. Buyers continue to be out in force, and they’re encountering much lower inventory than what was typical before 2020. But make no mistake—they’re out shopping, and with just 1.5 months of housing supply, competition is getting fiercer. Let’s take a look at the data. If you check out this graph, you’ll see that all key market indicators are rising—new listings, pending sales, closed sales, and median prices. And while it’s not shown on the graph, the time that homes are staying on the market before selling has plummeted. In January, homes were taking about 26 days to sell. By February? That number dropped to just 6 days. That’s a drastic shift in a very short time. And let’s talk prices. The highest median single-family home price in Seattle for all of last year was $960,000. In February, we already hit $940,000—and the year is just getting started. While numbers may fluctuate throughout the year, what really matters is the overall trend. And if you look at the graph of median sales prices for King County, you’ll see that prices are trending sharply upward, following a very familiar pattern. By the way, if you want to look at this data and read my report at your pace and leisure, you’ll find all this information in my March newsletter, available online and for download, for free, at Weisbarth.com/Newsletter , that’s Weisbarth.com/Newsletter . One segment of the market I’m keeping a close eye on is new construction. According to the National Association of Home Builders, tariffs and construction labor shortages are expected to impact both the number of new housing starts and the final cost of new construction homes. In our area specifically, we need to add 17,000 new homes per year just to keep up with demand, and we are already way behind. With inventory already tight, this could have a significant impact on home prices in the coming months. So, whether you’re thinking about buying or selling this year, or know someone who is, 2025 holds great opportunities—but only for those who know how to navigate this market strategically. My team and I have developed proven systems for both buyers and sellers that outline exactly what to anticipate and how to maximize success. We’ve got a 3-step system for buyers, and a 5-step system for seller, and… we’ve got the numbers prove that our systems beat out the competition on every measure. Preparation, timing, and execution are everything! So let’s map out a plan that sets you up for success in 2025. For a no-obligation consultation just reach out by email, text or, the best way - a good old-fashioned phone call at 206-779-9808, that’s 206-779-9808. I love talking to new and old friends alike, so don’t be a stranger.  And as always, when you work with us, you’re also making a difference. Your business and referrals help support Akin, an organization doing incredible work to help kids and families in need. So, you’re not just making smart real estate decisions—you’re also giving back to the community. Thanks for watching this vlog. don’t forget to like, subscribe, and follow for more updates, and be sure to check out my monthly newsletter at Weisbarth.com/newsletter . I’m Doron Weisbarth with Weisbarth & Associates, and I’ll see you next time! Happy Spring!

Hi, I’m Doron Weisbarth with Weisbarth & Associates, and welcome to my February 2025 Market Update! As the new year takes hold, both buyers and sellers are coming out of the cold and jumping back into the real estate market. Now, we know this tends to happen every year after that December slowdown—but this year might be a bit different. Maybe. Possibly.  We track a series of markers, and so far, the pattern appears mostly predictable. If you’re looking to buy, you’re going to have more options, as the number of new listings took a big jump compared to last year.  And if you’re looking to sell, you’re likely to find plenty of eager buyers ready to compete, provided, of course, that your home is properly priced and marketed.  So the big question, in my opinion, is whether prices are going to increase rapidly, moderately, or just gradually. Of course, it’s still too early in the year to say with any certainty, but we’re keeping a close eye on the numbers that should emerge in the next month or two.  Let’s take a look at these graphs to see what’s going on in the market. What you’re looking at is a graph displaying New Listings and Pending Sales for single-family homes in King County. You can clearly see the annual pattern that we’ve talked about many times before in this vlog. The new year always brings lots of new buyers to the market, while sellers are slower to join the party. I’ve added vertical BLACK lines on each January to help make the trends clearer.  And to help you see more clearly what’s going on in the market right now, I’ve drawn a horizontal dotted BLUE line to show how the number of New Listings in January 2025 compares to the past few January, and the same thing with a dotted ORANGE line for the number of Pending Sales. What you’ll notice is that January’s number of new listings is higher than any January we’ve seen in the previous three years—almost on par with January 2021, which was a real boom year. So it appears that this might be more than just the usual new year uptick in activity. By the way, if you want to look at this data and read my report at your pace and leisure, you’ll find all this information in my February newsletter, available online and for download, for free, at Weisbarth.com/Newsletter , that’s Weisbarth.com/Newsletter . Now, you may have correctly sense this hesitation in my voice earlier. The fourth quarter of 2024 saw some of the slowest activity levels we’ve experienced in many years, in fact, I don’t remember a weaker fourth quarter since we’ve emerged from the great recession of 2007, 8 and 9. I, and many others, believe that this slow activity was largely due to the uncertainty around the election. There’s that old saying in psychology that a confused mind will do nothing. Well guess what – a lot of people, buyer  and  sellers, were stuck in a very confused mind. So, that low activity might have built up a groundswell of pent-up demand—and pent-up supply—that’s now asserting itself in 2025. It will be very interesting to see how the activity in February (fingers crossed the snow doesn’t get in the way) and March unfolds. Now, it is possible that we’re emerging from an even broader slump that’s lasted for more than two years now. In the past two years we’ve seen the market overall activity drop considerably, for a variety of reasons. One big reason was that many sellers were reluctant to put their homes on the market and give up those wonderful low mortgage interest rates. But sooner or later some people will need to move, whether for family reasons, jobs, or other life events. So with time we’re likely to see more of those reluctant sellers make their moves. And with more inventory we’ll see more overall market activity.  One thing’s for sure: if you’re ready to sell now, buyers are out in force, and sales are on the rise. We’re back to homes getting offers more quickly after listing, and multiple offers that push prices higher above the asking price.  So, if you or someone you know is considering making a move this year, let’s put together a custom strategy that’s tailored to your home and your unique needs. Our 5-step system lays out a clear plan that has proven itself in a variety of market conditions, to get sellers the best results. You can reach out to me by email, or on my website. The best way to reach me is by phone at 206-779-9808. And we still offer our no-obligation consultation, so you can talk to us and make your choice without pressure.  By the way, if you’re a buyer, we also have a great plan for you, our 3-step system, and again – no obligations, just reach out and let’s talk.  And as always, a big plug to Akin, the local organization that helps take care of kids and families in need. We, at Weisbarth & Associates, are huge fans of this amazing organization, and we donate a substantial amount from every sale to help the kids and families in need. So your business your referral make a direct, positive impact on the good people at Akin.  Here’s to another successful year in real estate! Thanks for tuning in—don’t forget to like, subscribe, and follow for more updates, and be sure to check out my monthly newsletter at Weisbarth.com/newsletter . I’m Doron Weisbarth with Weisbarth & Associates, and I’ll see you next time!

Hi, I’m Doron Weisbarth with Weisbarth & Associates, Happy New Year and welcome to my January 2025 Market Update! Today, we’re going “Back to the Future” to look at what’s happening in our local real estate market—and where we might be heading this year. Now, my crystal ball’s been in the shop for a while, so I’m forced to rely on real data and patterns from the past decade, as well as a few notable curveballs we saw in 2024—like the election, the Fed playing with interest rates, and mortgage rate fluctuations that didn’t always seem intuitive. As you’ll recall, in 2024 we had a big election that caused a noticeable pause in market activity. Many buyers and sellers felt uncertain until that was resolved. In addition, mortgage interest rates didn’t follow the Fed’s lead quite as one would expect—mortgage rates went up even after the Fed lowered its own rate twice. But, what’s interesting, is that as soon as people realized rates weren’t going back to 2021 levels, they jumped back into the market.  So now that consumers are back to normal behavior, the market activity went back to being driven by those two classic forces in real estate: supply and demand. Let me show you this chart that I’ve been studying. Right now, you’ll see only the BLUE line, which shows the cyclical pattern of Closed Sales for single family homes in King County from 2014 through 2024. Notice how every year, the number of sales spikes in spring and summer, then cools off toward the end of the year. That shape has remained remarkably consistent since even before 2014. But the bigger question is how many total homes sell within that cycle—and that’s where the scale of activity really matters. Now, watch as I overlay the ORANGE bar that shows the Annual Combined Closed Sales for each year. You’ll see we hit a record high of nearly thirty thousand single-family homes sold in 2021, then a big drop to around twenty-two thousand in 2022 and crashing down to 16,611 in 2023. I’m sure that you’ll agree that this is pretty dramatic!  Last year we inched up to just under eighteen thousand single family home sold, which is better than 2023 but still way below what we’d call “normal” levels. Whether this means the market is reversing course or just catching its breath, time will tell. By the way, if you want to look at this data and read my report at your pace and leisure, you’ll find all this information in my January newsletter, available online and for download, for free, at Weisbarth.com/Newsletter , that’s Weisbarth.com/Newsletter . So, what about 2025? Early indicators suggest buyers are actively searching for a good home, motivated by rising rents, the return-to-office mandates, and the possibility of refinancing later if rates drop. Sellers, however, aren’t rushing to list quite yet. Many are locked into those historically low mortgage rates and, understandably, are hesitant to give them up. That means supply might stay tight, and if demand significantly outpaces new listings, prices could climb at a fast pace. And we can’t forget new construction. Builders face material costs, labor shortages, and shifting economic conditions that can speed things up or slow them down. If fewer new homes come to market, that feeds directly into our ongoing shortage and puts upward pressure on prices. So, in short, 2025 looks like it’ll continue testing the balance between supply and demand. Buyers are eager, often willing to jump in despite higher rates, while sellers remain cautious about giving up their low-rate mortgages. Throw in the uncertainties around new construction, and it’s a recipe for a market that could see steady—or even rapid—price growth unless inventory levels improve. So if you or someone you know is thinking about making a move this year, let’s talk! My team and I use real data to help you navigate these ups and downs—no crystal ball required. Preparation and timing are everything, and we’ve got the numbers and strategies to back that up. Reach out by email, text, or—my favorite—a good old-fashioned phone call to 206-779-9808, that’s 206-779-9808. And as always, a big plug to Akin, the local organization that helps take care of kids and families in need. We at Weisbarth & Associates donate a substantial amount from every sale to this amazing organization and have been for eight years now. So your business your referral make a direct, positive impact on the people at Akin.  Thanks for tuning in! Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and follow for more updates. And, again, if you’d like to read my newsletter or share it with a friend, you can find it at Weisbarth.com/newsletter . I’m Doron Weisbarth with Weisbarth & Associates, Happy New Year and here’s to making 2025 a year of smart moves and bright possibilities. See you next time!