Weekend Warrior | April 19-20, 2025

Weekend Warriors: Cooler Temps, Holiday Cheer & 

Community in Full Bloom

After a week flirting with triple digits, this weekend’s cool-down feels like a gift - just in time for Easter brunches, egg hunts, and the final night of Passover 🌷✨ Whether you're celebrating with chocolate bunnies or matzo, we hope this weekend brings moments of connection, reflection, and joy.

Over here, we’ve been celebrating a different kind of movement - helping families make moves. From accepted offers to open houses across the East Valley, the market is buzzing. Inventory has crept up in many neighborhoods, interest rates are still bouncing, and savvy buyers are jumping in while sellers are leaning on strong pricing strategies and polished marketing to stand out.

🎉 This weekend, we’ve got open houses happening Valley-wide - whether you’re curious about what your home is worth, thinking of making a move, or just love real estate window shopping, come by and say hi!

We’re also soaking in the afterglow of a jam-packed few weeks - from our Business Mixer at Expansive to prepping for Family Dinner Night at the end of the month, where we’ll be packing hygiene kits for students at Carson Junior High. (Got donations? We’re collecting through the end of the month!)

✨ This season is all about being in community — and with events like Women Empowered, our Community Connections Virtual Series, Mastering Networking, and Family Dinner on the calendar, there are so many ways to connect, give back, and grow.

Whatever this weekend holds for you - celebrations, quiet moments, or home tours - we’re sending you warmth, gratitude, and maybe a little leftover matzo or jelly bean joy 🐣

Let’s spring forward, together.

📉 Market Update: Gravity Has Arrived - and So Has Buyer Leverage
 What You Need to Know This Week

Mid-April is delivering the biggest pricing correction we’ve seen in over a year - and while that sounds dramatic, for well-prepared buyers and realistic sellers, it also means opportunity is taking a more grounded (and negotiable) form.

Rates remain in the mid 6s, but it’s not interest rates making the biggest noise this week - it’s the pricing shift. After months of headlines saying prices were holding strong, we’re now seeing the lag catch up to reality.

📊 By the Numbers:

• Average $/SF is down 2.8% since March, now at $305.88

• Median price dropped from $465K to $450K - a 3.2% drop in just 30 days

• Pending price per sq ft is down 3.6%, signaling further softening

• Price cuts are up 68% from this time last year

• Forecasted average $/SF for mid-May: $295.51 - meaning we may officially dip into year-over-year depreciation territory

We’ve said for weeks that the market has been walking a tightrope between supply and demand. Now it’s feeling more like Wile E. Coyote realizing there’s no cliff beneath his feet. Prices are coming back to earth, and the second half of the year could bring even more competition among sellers - and more leverage for buyers.

🏡 For Buyers:

This is your moment - but only if you come prepared.

Yes, rates are still bouncing. But pricing power is shifting your way in a big way. There’s more inventory, softer list prices, and seller concessions are stacking up. FHA buyers, especially those using down payment assistance, made a noticeable impact last month, pushing a spike in contracts under $500K.

Strategy Tip: Come in pre-approved and pre-negotiated. Many homes still close at 97–99% of list, but list prices are coming down - and so are expectations. Use your leverage wisely and act quickly when the numbers (and the condition) line up.

🔥 For Sellers:

The tide has turned. But that doesn’t mean panic - it means precision. Of the 25 major cities tracked, 12 have shifted further in favor of buyers, and only 2 remain strong seller’s markets (Chandler and Avondale). The rest? Either balanced or teetering toward buyer territory - especially in places like Scottsdale, Tempe, Gilbert, and Peoria. Sellers who list now with the right prep and pricing can still win - but waiting may invite more competition and price reductions.

Strategy Tip: Now is not the time for wishful pricing. Focus on updates, staging, and professional marketing. The next 30–60 days are crucial. Get your home positioned now before the summer surge in inventory makes it harder to stand out.

The bottom line? The pricing shift we’ve been forecasting is here - and it’s likely not done. The emotional headlines will keep swinging, but local data tells the truth: buyers have more choices, and sellers have to work harder. But that doesn’t mean deals aren’t happening - it just means strategy matters more than ever. We’re here to help you navigate the details and make sense of your specific timing, goals, and market. Ready to talk through it? Let’s connect.

🔥HOT New Listing & Weekend Open Houses 🔥   

📰🧠 Community Connections: Monthly Expert Series 📰    

📅  Upcoming Events Calendar 📅  

📰 In the News 📰    

‼️ FHA Financing Update for Non-Permanent Residents ‼️ 

A recent update from HUD will impact FHA loan eligibility for non-permanent residents, including DACA recipients. Starting May 25, 2025, only U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and individuals from a few select territories will qualify for FHA-insured loans. 

This means that buyers who are non-permanent residents must be under contract and have an FHA case number assigned by May 24, 2025 to remain eligible. Social Security cards alone will no longer be accepted as proof of residency - lenders must now verify immigration status with official USCIS documentation. 

If you or someone you know may be affected by this change, please reach out - we’re here to help all families explore available options, including conventional loan alternatives. 

♥️ East Valley Moms April Family Tips ♥️   

For Deals, Discounts, Don't Miss Events and HOT local picks for your whole crew, visit East Valley Moms! and subscribe to the EVM Weekender.

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