Slowing market and less trash on the trails

Are you thinking about selling your home or buying one and wondering is this a good time? Clients will often ask their Realtor for their opinion on whether it's a good time to buy or sell. My answer is and always will be, "Do what is best for you at the time that is right for you." Sometimes, I will follow up with something to the effect that if I knew the answer, do you think I'd be here now?! Bottom line is, no one can really time the market, so you have to do what is in your best interest. Are you getting a divorce and have to share a home with someone you no longer wish to live with? Well then, maybe it is a good time to sell despite the market slowing down. Perhaps you've inherited a bundle of cash and need to park it somewhere. Real estate seems like a good idea, but you're not sure if you buy something today, will you lose money tomorrow? No one can answer that question except you. Will your purchase bring in income every month? What are the operating expenses? You can ask these questions and more to find what the best option is for you. Today, I can tell you the market is experiencing a slowdown. Homes are still selling, and some are still going quickly with multiple offers. However, they are becoming the exception rather than the rule. I pulled up home sales in Auburn, Newcastle and Loomis for two different time periods. I didn't use any criteria other than single-family homes that sold from March 8-April 15, 2025, and then from April 16-June 6, 2025. From March to April, there were 571 homes sold; from April to June 6, only 140 homes were sold. I think we can all agree that is a huge decline. There appears to be three factors to consider when looking at these numbers. The first is inventory has increased. More homes are going on market, giving buyers a larger choice of inventory to choose from and perhaps minimizing the feeling of having to rush into making a purchase. Buyers seem to be shopping longer and taking their time. Hence reason number two, interest rates popped up a bit last week, making housing less affordable for some. And lastly, the third reason is the uncertainty many are feeling in today's world, especially in our country. Many have said they don't know if they will still have a job and are hesitant to get into a financial situation they may regret later. Add up these three factors and you'll see the brake lights ahead. However, all is not lost! Life still happens. New jobs, new spouses, divorce and death, these are parts of life that keep moving despite what the market is doing. So remember, buy or sell when the time is right for you and your family. You have no control over any other factors, only over yourself. Lastly, I went on a hike in the canyon recently and am delighted to tell you all there was barely any litter on the trail! No plastic or glass bottles, all dog poop bags, toilet paper and a few miscellaneous items. My hopes are that guests of the canyon and the outdoors in general will not feel comfortable dropping their litter when they see there isn't any around them. Let's all be good stewards of our canyon and pick up what you see (when possible) and take out what you've brought in. Thank you. Remember to spread kindness like it's confetti and please, pack it in, pack it out, pick it up. Every litter bit counts. Kristi Meyer is a Realtor at Granite Real Estate in Auburn. She has been serving the foothills for 20 years. If you have questions about real estate or need a Realtor, you can call or text her at 916-847-5128, or email her at ItMattersToKristi@gmail.com.