The U.S. housing market has slowed to a near standstill, and the data now looks more like the early-pandemic freeze than a normal seasonal dip. According to Redfin, U.S. pending home sales fell 4% from August to September and reached their lowest level since spring 2014—except for April 2020, when much of the economy shut … Read more
When preparing to list a property here on Oahu, one of the most common questions I get asked is, “Should I paint before selling, and what color?” A fresh coat of paint is one of the fastest and most affordable ways to make your home look pristine and move-in ready. But according to a recent … Read more
It’s one of the most common fears among home sellers: “If my house sits on the market too long, buyers are going to think something is wrong with it.” It’s a natural assumption, but after working with thousands of buyers, I can tell you that it is exactly the opposite of how they actually think. … Read more
The numbers don’t lie — and they paint a sobering picture for anyone who invested in Chinese real estate over the past two decades. According to the Bank for International Settlements data tracked by FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data), China’s real residential property prices (inflation-adjusted, indexed to 2010=100) have collapsed back below their mid-2000s levels. … Read more
For decades, the standard path to building generational wealth in America was straightforward: save up a nest egg, secure a fixed-rate mortgage, and buy a home. It required discipline, but the math worked for most middle-class households. Today, that mathematical equation has completely broken down. A perfect storm of exploding asset prices and aggressive monetary … Read more
In today’s competitive real estate market, many homeowners face a frustrating “chicken and egg” problem: you need the equity from your current home to buy the next one, but you can’t sell your current home until you know you have a place to go. Even worse, carrying two mortgages often pushes your Debt-to-Income (DTI) ratio … Read more
For decades, homeowners looking to upgrade or downsize have faced the same stressful dilemma: Do I sell my current home first, or try to buy my next home first? If you sell first, you risk being temporarily homeless or forced into a double move. If you buy first, you might get saddled with two mortgages, … Read more
In real estate, there is a common misconception that the seller or the Realtor “sets” the price. While we certainly choose the number that goes on the MLS, that number is actually just a suggestion. The truth? The buyer is the ultimate arbiter of value. A seller can list their home for $2 million, but … Read more
We often talk about the high cost of living in Hawaii, but a recent April 2026 report from WalletHub puts a specific, sobering number on it: 13.3%. That is the share of total personal income that Hawaii residents pay toward state and local taxes. For 2026, Hawaii has officially claimed the top spot as the … Read more
The latest data shows that existing home sales have plunged to an annualized rate of 4.09 million, nearly matching the lows of February 2009. For those who remember the Great Financial Crisis, that year represents the “bottom” of the most significant housing crash in modern history. Back then, the market was flooded with foreclosures and … Read more