The Sky Is Not Falling

A crash is coming. Rates are spiking. That's what the headlines were screaming, and suddenly everyone froze like it was 2008 all over again. The sky wasn't falling. Here's what was really happening.

Hi, I'm Tanja Odzak, Realtor with eXp Realty, helping people sell and buy homes right here in the East Bay for the last 10 years.

Prices remained up in some markets, softening in others, dipping in a few. But a dip isn't a crash. After years of double-digit appreciation, the market was finally returning to a healthier pace. Nationally, home prices were still up 3.9% year over year, down from the year before, but still growth. Over the previous five years, prices had increased by over 57%. This market wasn't broken, it was balancing. There was no excess inventory to trigger a crash, in fact, supply was still about 16% below pre-pandemic norms.

Even so, a recent survey showed 70% of Americans feared a housing crash, and that fear caused inaction. One in four buyers had paused their plans. One in eight sellers were on hold. Mortgage rates stayed on a roller coaster, spring gave a breather, then summer brought uncertainty back with tariff talks and no Federal Reserve movement. Experts predicted rates would moderate to the low-to-mid 6% range by the end of that year.

I'm Tanja Odzak, and I've sold over $100 million worth of homes with a decade of experience in the East Bay. Whether you're a buyer timing your move or a seller wondering if you've missed the peak, don't despair. Align yourself with an agent who can give you the insights and strategy you actually need.