Joe Frank Real Estate

05/25/2026

Hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend!

Today's a great reminder to take a moment to remember and honor the men and women who gave their lives serving our country. Their courage and ultimate sacrifice give us the freedoms we enjoy every day. Forever grateful.

05/25/2026

🏡 More homes. Higher rates. And buyers are STILL showing up. Here's what's really happening in the market right now.

Happy Memorial Day! While you're firing up the grill, here's your real estate reality check for this week 👇

📍 RIGHT HERE IN WASHINGTON STATE (Snohomish County):
• Inventory just jumped 58% year-over-year — buyers finally have more to choose from
• But homes are STILL selling at 99.7% of list price — sellers aren't giving it away
• Average home price: $787,838 (down ~4% from last month's peak)
• Mortgage rates holding at 6.44% — not great, but buyers are adapting
• Nearly half of all listings are going under contract within the first 30 days

🇺🇸 NATIONALLY:
• April existing home sales barely budged — up just 0.2% to 4.02 million units (economists expected more)
• The national median home price hit a RECORD high for April at $417,700
• First-time buyers? Only 33% of sales — well below the 40% needed for a healthy market
• NAR's chief economist says we need 30% MORE inventory to fix this market

Here's the bottom line: This isn't a crashing market OR a frenzy. It's a disciplined market. Buyers are being strategic. Sellers who price right are still winning. And if you've been waiting on the sidelines hoping for a big price drop — the data says that window may not be coming.

Condos and new construction are where buyers have the most negotiating power right now. Single-family resale? Still tight.

So here's my question for you — are you adjusting your strategy to this market, or are you still waiting for 2021 rates to come back? Drop your thoughts below 👇

05/23/2026

Latest podcast (spotify, apple, etc) just dropped about elevated & sticky mortgage rates and how they're tied to the 10-year Treasury yield + risk factor/premium (war, inflation, etc) vs the Fed’s short-term rate / adjustments.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6KixYHmLoC29CySNehoEPI?si=IvS1j2FTQB2dtrw2iZASJg

This is an AI generated podcast base off our blog article. JoeFrankRealtor.com/blog

05/19/2026

Mortgage rates are still hovering near multi-year highs… but why? 🤔

A lot of people think mortgage rates simply follow the Federal Reserve, but the reality is much more complicated — and understanding it can help buyers and sellers make smarter decisions in today’s market.

In this latest article, we break down:

🏡 How the 10-year Treasury yield affects mortgage rates

📈 Why inflation and global conflicts matter

💰 What mortgage spreads are (in simple terms)

🔍 What all of this could mean for home prices, buyers, sellers, and affordability over the next 3–6 months

If you’ve been wondering whether to buy, sell, wait, or just want to better understand today’s housing market, this article is worth the read.

📖 Read the full article here:
https://www.joefrankrealtor.com/post/why-mortgage-rates-are-still-so-stubborn-and-what-it-means-for-buyers-and-sellers

05/17/2026

🏡 What’s really happening in the Snohomish County housing market?

In this podcast episode of Real Estate Unlocked, we’re breaking down the April 2026 real estate numbers in a simple, practical way — including home prices, inventory, new listings, days on market, and what it all may mean for buyers, sellers, and homeowners.

The big takeaway? Snohomish County is still moving, but the market is becoming more balanced. Buyers have more choices, sellers have more competition, and pricing correctly matters more than ever.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0PN2xC2vWkxGm10VV8OiJo?si=vpAm6T51RzKtk5UzPyaPmQ

Listen in for a quick, helpful market update — and check out the full article at JoeFrankRealtor.com/blog

05/11/2026

🏠 King County home prices just dropped 5.3% — and inventory is up nearly 30%. Is this the opening buyers have been waiting for?

Here's what's happening in the Washington State & U.S. housing market right now (May 11, 2026):

📉 King County median home price: $859,000 (down from $907,000 a year ago)
📈 Snohomish County inventory: up ~58% year-over-year
🏡 WA statewide median price: holding steady at $650,000
💰 Today's 30-year fixed mortgage rate: 6.328%
🏦 The Fed held rates at 3.50–3.75% at its last meeting — no cuts yet
📊 Nationally, May historically sees a 10.7% jump in existing-home sales vs. April

Here's the bottom line: More homes are sitting on the market, sellers are showing more flexibility on price, and the spring buying season is heating up. If you've been on the sidelines waiting for a better deal, the data is starting to shift in your favor — especially here in Washington.

That said, rates are still elevated and mortgage applications are trending down, so affordability remains a real challenge.

So here's the question — are you a buyer who's finally ready to make a move, or are you still waiting for rates to drop before jumping in? Drop your thoughts below 👇

05/10/2026

❤ Happy Mother’s Day to all the amazing moms, grandmas, and mother figures out there! ❤

Thank you for your love, strength, patience, and care each and every day. So much of what you do happens behind the scenes, but it never goes unnoticed. You lift others up, hold families together, and make life better in countless ways!

Today we celebrate and appreciate you.

Wishing you a Mother’s Day filled with love, joy, and a little time to relax — you deserve it! ❣

05/09/2026

Snohomish County housing market update -
Inventory up, new listings up, BUYERS have more breathing room. Prices haven’t fallen off a cliff, they’ve flattened. SELLERS - price it right, or it will sit!
https://www.joefrankrealtor.com/post/snohomish-county-housing-market-update-april-2026

05/09/2026

Latest episode on Real Estate Unlocked Podcast: Understanding Washington State's Active Volcanoes and Risks When Searching For Your Next Home (or preparing for the risk if you're current home is in a hazard zone).

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7JkkAEeeoND2fKq5E4oM7s?si=wbpgfdnCTWCQxVmRoYMLTQ

Real Estate Unlocked - AI Blog Article Discussions · Episode

04/27/2026

Mortgage rates just dropped — and the window might be opening for buyers. 🏡

As of this week, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell to 6.23%, down from 6.30% last week. And here's the bigger headline: Morgan Stanley is forecasting rates could drop to 5.50%–5.75% by mid-2026. That's a meaningful shift.

Here's what's happening right now in Washington State:

📍 Statewide median sold price: $640,000
📍 King County: $812,500 — but down 10% year-over-year
📍 Pierce County: up 12.7% YoY to $620,000
📍 Snohomish County: up 8.6% YoY to $789,950
📍 New listings (9,941) are now outpacing homes sold (4,505)
📍 Homes are sitting longer — Pierce County averaging 56 days on market, nearly double last year

What does this mean for you? Sellers are getting more patient competition. Buyers are gaining negotiating power they haven't had in years. And with rates ticking down and nearly 2.7 million homeowners nationally now eligible to save on a refinance — the market is shifting.

One local broker put it best: "I've never had a client say they regret buying their home."

Are you waiting for rates to drop more before making a move — or do you think now is the right time to jump in?

04/26/2026

Though this Zillow article is from Nov 2024, always relevant and important for home buyers no matter the rates.
https://www.zillow.com/learn/interest-rate-impact-mortgages/

Even seemingly small changes in mortgage rates, like 1% or 0.5%, can make a big difference in what you pay over the life of your loan.