Make Offers, Even If They’re Insultingly Low

A report from WINK. “The Cape Coral housing market has been making headlines recently, with a Wall Street Journal article labeling it the worst in the nation. WINK News reporter Jillian Haggerty explored the situation, speaking with Cape Coral homeowner Sheila Fincel. ‘I’ve had a couple of people interested, but…they’re not ready, you know what I mean, they come and look and like the house but not ready to buy,’ said Fincel. Data from Florida Gulf Coast Listings shows the median sale price in June was more than $371,000, nearly matching prices from late 2021. Inventory has also increased from 773 to over 3,000 homes. Experts like Denny Grimes, president of Denny Grimes & Company, see this as a positive adjustment. ‘Our market is correcting, and it’s really good. Here is a good point: Prices needed to come down because they were so high. I mean, if prices always went up to the point where no one could afford to buy your home, who could you sell it to?’ said Grimes.”

Florida Politics. “A Tampa-based real estate investment firm is under investigation by Attorney General James Uthmeier’s Office for possibly violating the state’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act and other laws. Uthmeier has issued subpoenas for RAD Diversified REIT Inc. and its subsidiaries, along with owners Brandon ‘Dutch’ Mendenhall and Amy Vaughn. Uthmeier’s Office has received multiple complaints from several investors in RAD Diversified who say they can’t collect returns or get their money back after getting involved in the investment proposal. ‘Our office has received complaints that a popular internet duo selling real estate investment services through their fund is pocketing cash instead of buying properties as advertised,’ Uthmeier said in a news release. ‘This appears to be a Ponzi scheme, and with several individuals claiming they’ve been exploited, we are investigating to ensure Floridians are not being deceived by greedy fraudsters.'”

From KDVR. “The number of homes for sale in the Denver Metro is up significantly. According to the Colorado Association of Realtors, there are about 18,000 homes for sale along the Front Range. Dan and Tristin Gleason’s home in Lone Tree is one of them. ‘It’s been on the market about a month,’ Dan said. ‘Certainly it’s a little scary knowing there’s so much product on the market and so much competition now,’ he said. The couple bought a new house in April that needed renovations and kept the Lone Tree home while the work was being done. But now? ‘It’s costing us money every day that we don’t sell our previous home. So that adds a lot of stress to life, a lot of costs,’ Dan said. New construction makes up a big chunk of the local inventory.”

“‘The market is really challenging if you’re a seller,’ said Kelly Moye with the Colorado Association of Realtors. ‘We’re seeing our average days on the market between 60 and 70 days now to sell. Even just last month, our average days was 40,’ Moye said. In addition to the increase in inventory, interest rates, the cost of homeowners insurance and uncertainty over the economy are also making buyers cautious. ‘If you’re a buyer right now, enjoy it. Enjoy the inventory. Enjoy a little bit longer to think about it. Maybe go back and see it a second time. If you’re a seller, price it right. Make it look great. Be patient,’ Moye said.”

Vail Daily in Colorado. “Back in January 2023, I stopped by my office to grab an envelope. A gentleman approached the window, and after exchanging a few cheeky words, he asked, ‘What will $5 million buy me?’ It took us nearly four months to find a suitable home. Inventory was low, and sellers were fetching premium prices for their homes. From 2021 to 2025, the average sales price in Eagle County has significantly increased. In 2021, the average was $1,689,442, and by 2025, it rose to an impressive $2,627,892. The median sales price followed suit, climbing from $1,000,000 in 2021 to $1,508,500 in 2025.”

“By 2025, the days on market had increased to 93 days. This change suggests shifting buyer behavior and inventory levels, affecting how quickly homes are sold. The number of sold listings has decreased from 1,051 in 2021 to 587 in 2025, while active listings have fluctuated, peaking at 1,250 in 2025. This could indicate a more competitive market where buyers have more options, but sellers might need to adjust expectations. For buyers, understanding market trends and being prepared for competitive pricing is crucial. Make offers, even if they’re insultingly low, particularly for owners who must sell due to circumstances like death, divorce, or career changes. Sellers can accept, counter, or ignore these offers, but it never hurts to cast your line.”

From Market Watch. “Home sellers in some of the nation’s most sluggish housing markets are tired of cutting prices. So they’re yanking their listings off the market. In May, there were relatively elevated shares of delisted homes in metro areas including Miami–Fort Lauderdale–West Palm Beach in Florida, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler in Arizona, and Houston–Pasadena–The Woodlands in Texas, according to a new analysis by Realtor.com. In years past, inventory was scarce, while now there’s oversupply in some markets. That oversupply is partly due to builders adding newly constructed homes to the market. In many cities in Arizona, Florida and in Texas, for-sale listings have surged largely due to these newly built homes.”

“Eric Ravencroft, a Phoenix-based real-estate agent with the Real Broker, has been talking about delisting as a strategy with some of his clients. When talking to sellers, he advises that ‘it’s going to take time. It could even take up to six months for it to sell, but you need to have a plan,’ the agent told MarketWatch. Some sellers who decide to delist are facing little pressure to sell. For instance, people who are looking to buy a bigger home or want to downsize are not necessarily pressed to sell immediately, he said, because because ‘it’s not a need-to-sell; it’s more of a let’s-try-to-sell.'”

From AZ Big Media. “Despite the sometimes bleak headlines, many Arizona real estate professionals say the local market is far from stagnant. ‘The headlines scream doom and gloom, but it’s busy, we’re working hard,’ says Mike Zschunke, an agent in the Phoenix area who primarily handles high-end properties in North Scottsdale. ‘Sellers think it’s 2021 and buyers think it’s 2008. Getting everybody on the same page is the hard part,’ he says.”

From Multi-Family Dive. “Two multifamily properties in Austin, Texas — Orbit Apartments and Starburst Apartments — were transferred to special servicing for monetary default in June, according to a report Morningstar Credit shared with Multifamily Dive. The properties’ full-year 2024 net cash flow decreased 16% from loan issuance. Weak revenue and increased expenses pushed the debt service coverage ratio to a near-breakeven mark of 1.02x at the two garden-style apartments, according to Morningstar. ‘The underwriting on this one was a bit skinny to begin with, as the underwritten debt servicer coverage ratio was just 1.27,’ David Putro, head of commercial real estate analytics at Morningstar Credit, told Multifamily Dive. ‘Revenue has dropped a bit and expenses have risen a bit, so the combination had it teetering on breakeven by the end of 2024.'”

“Austin has stood out nationally for its apartment supply, with 23,000 units delivered between the city and nearby Round Rock, Texas, over the past two years, according to data from Yardi Matrix. ‘In a market like Austin, especially North Austin, there has been so much new supply that there’s been a total shift in the renter base,’ Chris Nebenzahl, vice president of rental research at Irvine, California-based John Burns Research & Consulting, told Multifamily Dive. ‘You’re getting two, three or four months’ free concessions in some places.'”

The Globe and Mail. “Martin Alderwick is a millionaire. But he doesn’t feel like one. The 76-year-old retiree lives modestly in Guelph, Ont., with his wife. The couple bring in about $7,500 a month in retirement income and own a townhouse that makes up nearly 40 per cent of their total assets. Their net worth crosses the seven-figure threshold. But Mr. Alderwick doesn’t identify with the millionaire title. ‘I live comfortably,’ he said. ‘But I still look for bargains and where I can save.’ His unease reflects a growing reality in Canada: A rising number of people technically qualify as millionaires, but don’t feel, or function, like it. ‘The tension is that a lot of that net worth happens to be in things that they can’t access on a day-to-day basis, mainly their home equity,’ Brenda O’Connor Juanas, a financial adviser at UBS said. ‘You see a lot of net worth in terms of a paper number but not necessarily what an everyday millionaire Canadian would feel.'”

The Los Angeles Times. “Since the early days of the pandemic, foreigners have flooded Mexico City, particularly Americans and Europeans drawn by the cost of living and possibilities of remote work. Rents have soared, and some locals have been priced out of their homes. Some blame the city’s housing crunch and rising costs on the new arrivals — and the more than 35,000 Airbnbs operating here. In recent days, that anger spilled into the streets. A march against gentrification drew hundreds of people, with protesters holding signs that said ‘gringo go home,’ and demanding that Mexican leaders curb short-term rentals and tax foreigners. In parts of the city, walls remain scrawled with graffiti: ‘My culture is not your trend’ and ‘Kill a gringo.’ The protests, which echoed demonstrations against mass tourism and high housing costs in other places, including Barcelona, and Berlin, have challenged the long-held notion of Mexico City as a place that welcomes outsiders.”

“Analysts have pushed back on the claims that an influx of foreigners is largely to blame for rising costs in Mexico City. ‘The reality is that, with or without gringos, housing in Mexico has become enormously more expensive,’ Viri Ríos, a political scientist, wrote in El País newspaper. From 2005-21, home prices throughout Mexico increased by 247%, she said. That includes states with low tourist flows, such as Morelos, where prices increased 193%. She said increases in Mexico City have actually decelerated since the pandemic. ‘The rise in Mexico City precedes the gringos, is happening throughout the country and has causes that go beyond the arrival of tourists or digital nomads,’ she wrote.”

From Vinetur. “In the world of French vineyard transactions, business bankers and advisors are facing a challenging period. The phones at Tusker Wine, a firm specializing in vineyard sales, ring constantly. However, the calls are mostly from owners eager to sell their estates, not from buyers. The number of sellers continues to rise, but buyers have become scarce. As a result, the volume of vineyard transactions has dropped to historic lows. Some appellations and estates still perform well in France and abroad, offering solid returns for investors. However, prices per hectare in these areas have soared, discouraging even motivated buyers. International interest has also waned; private jets from China, Russia, or the United States are no longer a common sight in French wine country. The trend that once drew new winemakers to Provence has faded.”

“Industrial buyers are waiting for prices to fall further before acting again. Foreign investors are more likely to sell than purchase now; Chinese buyers especially have seen mixed results from their previous acquisitions. Bordeaux is particularly hard hit; according to Jean-Luc Coupet, few want to buy there now despite fierce competition just two years ago. In Burgundy prices remain high while profitability stagnates. Provence has seen dramatic price drops—some properties fell from €100 million to €17 million without finding buyers—and Champagne demand has also softened after years of strong activity.”

From 36 KR on China. “According to media reports, some homeowners have switched to become real – estate agents in order to sell their houses. For example, Ms. Zhu in Shenzhen has an old house in the Liantang area of Luohu. In September 2024, due to work reasons, she planned to sell this house and buy a new one. However, it remained unsold for more than half a year after being listed. In March this year, an anxious Ms. Zhu decided to join the ranks of real – estate agents to learn selling skills. However, she finally concluded that the gap between the price buyers were willing to pay and the homeowners’ psychological bottom – line price was too large. To sell the house quickly, the price had to be reduced.”

“Buyers hope that the housing price will be lower, while sellers are already in great pain due to losses. However, ‘selling at a reduced price’ is the mainstream narrative in the current second – hand housing market. Although 29,231 second – hand residential properties were sold in Shenzhen in the first half of this year, a year – on – year increase of 36.6%, the individual experience is completely different. A latest housing report on China released by UBS pointed out that currently, 47% of homebuyers are experiencing book losses. The transaction cycle of second – hand housing is getting longer; the rental return of a few old and shabby houses reaches over 3%, but the rental return rate of most luxury houses is only about 1%. Renting a luxury house is, in a sense, taking advantage of the rich; land is no longer the biggest asset of real – estate enterprises but a liability.”