Doron's Vlog

December 2025 Vlog  Hi, I’m Doron Weisbarth with Weisbarth & Associates, and welcome to my December 2025 Market Update! Let’s talk about 2025 — a year that was about as exciting as lukewarm cup of tea. Yes, home prices in the Seattle area did end higher than they started, but overall? The year felt pretty flat. And that modest price bump? It hides a much bigger story: this market did not  treat all price points equally. Homes at or above the median price did fairly well. Lower-priced homes? Not so much.And condos… well… let’s just say 2025 was not their comeback tour. In fact, it may have been their toughest year in more than a decade. But here’s the part that’s actually fascinating. Despite everything happening in the world — elections, global tension, inflation, tech jitters, and the occasional “AI is taking over” headline — one thing stayed remarkably consistent: our market’s seasonal rhythm. Every year we see the same pattern: Q4 activity drops,  then Q1 activity bounces right back up and with a vengeance.  And this year? Same dance, different music.The slowdown happening right now is seasonal, not structural. The market isn’t collapsing. It’s simply doing what it always does at this time of year — taking a holiday nap. By the way, if you want to see the full chart and read the full report at your own pace, you’ll find everything in my December newsletter—available online and for download, for free, at Weisbarth.com/newsletter . That’s Weisbarth.com/newsletter . So What Happens Next? Well, if history is any guide, we should start seeing the first signs of life again in late January or early February. And here’s the part that I think is really  interesting: For the last few years, that bounce back hasn’t been gentle — it’s been more like a slingshot.A sharp burst in buyer activity.A quick jump in prices.A wave of offers that suddenly appears out of nowhere. Why?Because buying a home is deeply emotional. When people feel uncertain — about interest rates, the economy, global events — they freeze. But life doesn’t wait for things to “feel safe.” People still get married, divorced, have babies, need office space, want a yard for their dog, or finally decide they’re done with walking up three flights of stairs with groceries. That demand builds — quietly — until eventually, it bursts. And Here’s the Big Fuel for 2026 Interest rates just hit their lowest levels in almost three years .That is exactly  the kind of jolt that has the potential to wakes up hesitant buyers. Now, will it be a huge surge? A moderate wave? Or a “just enough to make things interesting” kind of bump? We’ll know a lot more by the end of January — so definitely tune in for the February update. So are you or someone you know thinking of selling? Right now, in December, the window for selling successfully is basically… closed. Buyers are busy with holidays, family, and pretending they’re not procrastinating on their shopping. BUT — if you want to sell in early 2026? This is exactly  the moment to get ready. Because that Q1 surge — when it arrives — is one of the best opportunities of the year to sell fast, for top dollar, and with the least amount of hassle. My team and I can help you get your home prepared, fine-tune your strategy, and make sure you hit the ground running when buyers re-enter the market. We offer a no-obligation consultation. We use our proven 5-step system that outperforms our competitors and we have the numbers to prove it. So if you’re thinking of making a move, email, text or call directly at 206-779-9808, that’s 206-779-9808 . We’ll map out a smart plan so you’re ready the moment the market wakes up.  And remember—when you work with us, you’re also supporting Akin, an amazing nonprofit helping kids and families in need thrive. Your business and referrals make a real difference in our community, and we’re incredibly proud to be part of that mission. Thanks for watching! Remember to like, subscribe, and follow for more updates. And be sure to check out the full December newsletter at Weisbarth.com/newsletter . I’m Doron Weisbarth with Weisbarth & Associates — stay warm, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year, and I’ll see you next year!

Hi, I’m Doron Weisbarth with Weisbarth & Associates, and welcome to my November 2025 Market Update! With everything going on in the world right now—from political upheaval to tech layoffs, AI disruptions, wars, and Cal Raleigh coming in second on the MVP list—you might think the real estate market would be more jittery than a squirrel at a rave. Normally, you’d expect that kind of uncertainty to make buyers hit pause and sellers second-guess their timing. But that’s not what’s happening. And that’s exactly why I always caution against relying too heavily on year-over-year comparisons. The world today is not the same as it was a year ago—economically, socially, or emotionally. And if you’re trying to make decisions about buying or selling a home, you need to know what’s happening right now.  So let’s take a look at the charts.  For the past six months, King County’s real estate market has been remarkably steady. The number of pending and closed sales has held a consistent pace since May. Even inventory—the number of homes for sale—has stayed steady, albeit at levels higher than we’ve seen since mid-2022.  And prices? With higher supply and lower demand you’d expect prices to take a sharp turn downward. But they too have been mostly steady, in places even inching up a bit. Not dramatically, but enough to notice. And just to be clear, while I use King County’s data to illustrate my points, the same trends apply to the other local counties as well.  Now, in most years, the fourth quarter brings a noticeable slowdown. But this year? Not so much—at least not yet. October held firm across the board, defying the usual seasonal dip. By the way, if you’d like to review this graph and explore all the data in more detail, you can find it in my November newsletter—available online and for download, for free, at Weisbarth.com/newsletter . That’s Weisbarth.com/newsletter . So, what does this mean if you’re planning to sell? Typically, the fourth quarter can be a tougher time for sellers. But 2025 has been the exception—a steady year in an otherwise volatile world. The real question is: what happens after the first of the year? If the trend of the past 15 plus years will hold again, then the market activity will reset starting in early January and we will see a surge of new buyers hit the market, just as the inventory level will hit it’s lowest point of the year.  Now, if you’re hoping to sell before the end of this year, the good news is that the window hasn’t closed—yet. The market is still active, and with the right strategy, you can absolutely make a successful sale this season. But if you’re flexible, waiting until the first quarter might be the stronger play, since that’s when buyer activity typically surges. Either way, the key is having a plan that fits your goals—and that’s where my team and I come in. We’ll help you fine-tune your pricing, prep, and marketing to make sure you’re set up for success. So, if you’re thinking about buying or selling—or you know someone who is—let’s talk. You can reach me directly at 206-779-9808 —that’s 206-779-9808 —or by text or email, or click on the link below. And remember, when you work with us, you’re also helping support Akin , an incredible nonprofit that helps kids and families in need thrive. Your real estate decisions make a real difference in our community, and that’s something we’re very proud of. Thanks for watching! Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and follow for more updates—and be sure to check out the full November newsletter at Weisbarth.com/newsletter . I’m Doron Weisbarth with Weisbarth & Associates—stay warm and enjoy your Thanksgiving, and I’ll see you next month!

Hi, I’m Doron Weisbarth with Weisbarth & Associates, and welcome to my July 2025 Market Update! June gave us a market surprise that turned some heads —and this time, in a good way. After a sluggish and jittery spring—complete with stock market swings, economic uncertainty, and the announcement of new tariffs—King County’s housing market pulled a sharp move. Not only did the number of closed sales jump, but so did prices… especially at the high end. As always, the full story lives in the details, so let’s dig into the data. I was curious to see if there were any differences in market activity when looking at the data in three different segments of the market for single family home in King county.  This first chart shows the absorption rate in June—that’s the number of pending sales divided by new listings, which tells us how quickly the market is soaking up new inventory.  Across all three major price points—under $750k, $750k to $1M, and over $1M—the absorption rate rose by about 6%. Final rates were 65%, 66%, and 55% respectively. So while the increase was uniform, the high-end market is still moving more slowly overall. But that’s not the whole story. Here’s where it gets interesting. Take a look at this second chart showing the number of homes sold in each price bracket. Even though the high-end market had the slowest absorption, it still saw a noticeable jump in sales volume. It wasn’t a broad-based surge—it was a targeted burst of activity from high-end buyers who are often less affected by interest rates or market jitters. And that’s what brings us to this third chart—median home prices by segment. You can see that prices rose most dramatically in the higher-end tier. So even though absorption was lower, that concentrated buying pressure on fewer premium homes pushed prices sharply higher. So it’s not that prices jumped across the board—it’s that a handful of heavyweight sales tipped the scales. Pretty wild, right? Now, you might be wondering—with slower absorption and economic jitters—what’s keeping this market from tipping? One key factor is the sharp drop in new listings , which fell 20% to 30% across all price tiers from May to June. That helped keep inventory from ballooning out of control—and in turn, supported pricing. Another metric we track is what we call the demand ratio —pending sales relative to the total number of homes available for sale. That ratio stayed flat from May to June in all price segments, which tells us that while activity increased, the pace of listings declined enough to keep things in relative balance. By the way, if you want to review all of these charts and explore the data at your own pace, you’ll find everything in my July newsletter—available online and for download, for free, at Weisbarth.com/newsletter . That’s Weisbarth.com/newsletter . So what’s the takeaway? The high-end market may be slower-moving, but it’s leading in price appreciation. And while overall buyer confidence isn’t quite where we’d like it to be, lower inventory and targeted demand are keeping this market resilient. If you’re planning to buy or sell this year, strategy matters more than ever. My team and I will help you build a plan that fits the moment—no matter what kind of market we’re in. And remember: when you work with us, you’re also supporting Akin , an amazing nonprofit helping kids and families in need thrive. Your real estate decisions are making a real difference in our community, and we’re so proud to be a part of that. So if you’re ready to make a move—or if you’d like to refer someone—reach out. You can email, text, or use the contact info in the newsletter. But the best way? Just give me a call at 206-779-9808 . That’s 206-779-9808 . I love talking with new people and helping out. Thanks for watching! Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and follow for more updates. And be sure to check out the full July newsletter at Weisbarth.com/newsletter . I’m Doron Weisbarth with Weisbarth & Associates, enjoy this amazing weather, and I’ll see you next month.