Events

Cause for Paws at Westgate

Christmas in July in Historic Downtown Glendale

Desert West Night Market

Household Tip

Monsoon-proof your home before the first storm

Monsoon season runs June 15 through September 30, and our West Valley storms can bring wind gusts over 40 mph (the strongest can top 100 mph). An hour of prep now saves you from water damage and surprise repairs later.

Five things worth doing this month:

• 🏠 Inspect your roof for cracked, loose, or missing tiles, and patch small issues before the rain finds them.

• 🌧️ Clear gutters and downspouts so water drains away from your foundation.

• 🌳 Trim trees and remove dead branches that could snap in high winds.

• 🪑 Secure or store patio furniture, umbrellas, and loose decor before a storm rolls in.

• 🔌 Plug electronics into surge protectors, and keep a simple storm kit ready (water, flashlights, first aid).

Quick tip: after the first storm, walk your yard and note any spots where water pools near the house. That tells you exactly where to improve drainage before the next one.

West Valley Market Snapshot

The West Valley market held steady in June. Prices kept their footing, there were plenty of homes to choose from, and buyers had a little more time to shop. Here is the month in plain numbers, and what they mean for you.

June at a glance

• 🏡 Homes for sale: 5,107

• ✍️ New listings this month: 1,619

• 🤝 Homes that went under contract: 928

• ✅ Homes sold: 1,415

• 💰 Median sale price: $415,000 (up about 1.2% from a year ago)

• 📈 About 4% more homes sold than the same month last year

• ⏳ Average time on market: about 89 days

• 🏷️ Homes sold for about 98.5% of the asking price

• 📦 About 3.6 months of supply

🔎 What these numbers mean

• Prices are holding. A median sale price of $415,000, up slightly from last year, means values are steady rather than sliding.

• You have choices. With 5,107 homes for sale and about 3.6 months of supply, this is close to a balanced market where neither buyers nor sellers have a big edge.

• There is time to think. Homes are taking around 89 days to sell on average, so you rarely have to decide overnight.

• There is room to negotiate. Homes sold for about 98.5% of asking, and the ones that have been listed longest often have the most give.

🏘️ Where the activity is

• The heart of the market is the $300,000 to $499,999 range, where the most homes are listed, go under contract, and sell.

• The $500,000 to $749,999 range is active too, with solid options for move-up buyers.

• Above $750,000, there are more homes to choose from than a year ago, so higher-end buyers have more to compare.

Thinking about a move this summer? I can walk you through what these numbers mean for your neighborhood and your price range. Call or text me at 623-288-0977, or just reply to this newsletter.

Real Estate Headlines

What's really moving mortgage rates right now

Rates have climbed again this summer, and a lot of buyers ask me the same question: who actually decides this number? The short answer is that no single person or agency sets it. Your mortgage rate is the last link in a long chain that starts in the bond market and runs through inflation, energy prices, and the wider economy.

Here is the picture in plain terms.

📉 It starts with bonds, not the Fed

• The 30-year fixed rate follows the 10-year Treasury yield, not the Federal Reserve's headline rate. The 10-year sits near 4.45% right now, and the 30-year fixed is hovering around 6.5%.

• The gap between the two (usually about 1.5 to 2 points) covers the lender's risk and the cost of servicing your loan.

• The Fed sets short-term rates, which shape the mood of the market. The 10-year Treasury does the heavy lifting on home loans.

🔥 How inflation pushes rates up

• Lenders lock in your rate for as long as 30 years. If they expect inflation to eat into those future dollars, they ask for a higher rate today to make up the difference.

• May's Consumer Price Index came in at 4.2% over the prior year, the highest reading in three years and well above the Fed's 2% target.

• Hotter inflation keeps rates higher for longer. Cooler inflation gives them room to ease.

🛢️ Where oil futures come in

• Energy is only about 7% of the inflation basket, but it touches almost everything: shipping, manufacturing, food, and travel.

• When oil futures jump (often on global tension, like the recent conflict in the Middle East), traders start pricing in higher inflation ahead. They sell bonds, yields rise, and mortgage rates climb with them.

• Oil is an early signal. Watching futures gives you a read on where rates may head before it shows up in the monthly inflation report.

✅ What this means for you

You cannot control the bond market or the price of oil. You can control your timing and your preparation. Rates move week to week, sometimes day to day, so a clean loan file and a clear plan let you act when a window opens.

Want a straight read on what today's rates mean for your buying power and your monthly payment? Let's talk it through.