Found 11 blog entries tagged as Patrick Hake.

Why First Impressions Matter More Than Ever in Today's Placer County Real Estate Market

This week I spent the morning at one of my upcoming listings while the photographer was capturing the home.

As I watched the drone fly overhead and the Matterport camera scan each room, I couldn't help but think about how much selling a home has changed over the years.

Growing up, I watched my parents build their real estate business in the early 1990s. Back then, marketing a home was much simpler—and much more limited.

Many listings didn't include photos at all.

Buyers relied on a written description, local knowledge, newspaper ads, and often a drive-by to decide whether a home was worth seeing in person.

Today, that seems almost unimaginable.

…

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Whether you're buying or selling a home in Placer County, one of the biggest misconceptions is that success begins and ends with the MLS.

For buyers, many people assume every available home can be found online.

For sellers, many people assume that once their home is listed on the MLS, the marketing is done.

In reality, that's often just the beginning.

Recently, I mailed the letters pictured below to homeowners in a neighborhood where one of my buyers would love to live.

Why?

Because the home they wanted had already gone under contract.

Rather than simply waiting and hoping another similar home would hit the market, I decided to see if there were homeowners who had already been thinking about selling but just hadn't taken the next…

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Congress recently passed what many are calling the most significant federal housing legislation in decades. The bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act cleared both the House and Senate with overwhelming support, but it has not become law yet.

As of the time of writing, President Trump has not signed the legislation. He has indicated that he is delaying action while seeking movement from Congress on separate election-related legislation. That means the timing—and even the final outcome—remains uncertain.

So what exactly is in the bill, and more importantly...

Would it actually make housing more affordable here in Placer County?

The Goal: Build More Homes

At its core, the legislation has one primary objective:

Increase America's…

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After helping buyers and sellers throughout Placer County for more than two decades, I've noticed that the people who successfully achieve their real estate goals almost always share two important traits:

Honesty and decisiveness.

Every transaction is different. Every family has unique needs and circumstances. But time and time again, these two qualities are what separate the people who reach their goals from those who remain stuck on the sidelines.

Honesty

The first trait is honesty.

Not just honesty with your real estate agent, but honesty with yourself and your partner.

For buyers, that means being realistic about:

  • What you truly need versus what would simply be nice to have
  • What you can comfortably afford
  • What homes…

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Placer County neighborhood in winter preparing for the spring real estate market

Even though spring may still feel a little ways off, this is actually the ideal time to start getting organized if you’re thinking about buying or selling later this year — especially here in Placer County.

In our local market, the homeowners and buyers who prepare early tend to have the smoothest experience once activity begins to pick up.

For Buyers: Get Your Financing in Place Early

If buying this spring is on your radar, now is a great time to begin the pre-approval process.

One practical advantage this time of year is that many buyers are already gathering tax documents and financial records, which often makes getting pre-approved simpler and quicker.

Having a strong pre-approval ready helps:

  • Clarify what price range…

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As we kick off the new year, one topic is dominating conversations across Placer County: mortgage rates have recently dipped to their lowest levels in roughly three years.

While rates are still above the historic lows of the early 2020s, this drop is meaningful — and it’s already influencing real estate decisions for buyers, sellers, and homeowners throughout the region.

Here’s what’s driving the change, why it matters locally, and how to think about it going forward.

What’s Going On With Mortgage Rates?

Over the past several days, mortgage rates have eased due to a combination of factors — including a recent federal mortgage-bond purchase announcement, which helped push bond prices higher and mortgage rates lower.

At the same time,…

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As we turn the page on another year, it’s a good time to reflect on how the Placer County real estate market performed in 2025 — and what current data and expert forecasts suggest for 2026.

Whether you’re considering buying, selling, or simply planning ahead, understanding where we’ve been and where the market may be headed can help you make more confident, informed decisions.

How the Placer County Market Shaped Up in 2025

2025 was another active year for local real estate, even as the market continued to normalize from the historically fast pace we experienced between 2020 and 2021.

Here’s how the year unfolded:

  • A Steady Seller’s Market
    Limited inventory and consistent demand kept Placer County in seller-favor territory for much of…

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One of the most common questions I’m hearing lately is:

“Why did that house sell immediately… but the one down the street has been sitting for weeks?”

The short answer: the market is still moving — but it’s moving selectively, especially this time of year.

Placer County remains a seller’s market overall, but as we move deeper into winter, the pace naturally slows. Buyers are still active, but they’re more deliberate, more analytical, and more price-sensitive than they were a year ago. That shift is what’s creating very different outcomes for homes in the same neighborhood.

Here’s what I’m seeing consistently.

What Homes That Are Selling Have in Common

Homes that are selling quickly right now tend to share several important…

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There’s been increasing discussion about two major mortgage ideas that could reshape the U.S. real estate landscape: 50-year mortgages and portable mortgages. These proposals are designed to help unlock a market that has largely frozen in place, offering new ways to improve affordability and mobility—especially in high-cost areas like Placer County.

With inventory remaining tight across our region and throughout California, here’s a clear breakdown of what these proposals mean, how they might help, and what limitations still remain.

The 50-Year Mortgage: Pros, Cons & What It Solves (and Doesn’t)

A 50-year mortgage simply stretches a traditional 30-year mortgage into a longer term, reducing the monthly payment.

Potential Benefits

Lower…

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The Placer County real estate market is shifting—and for buyers, that brings fresh opportunities we haven’t seen in a while.

In my recent June 2025 market update, active listings rose by 40.1% year-over-year and 6.7% from May, bringing our months of inventory to about 3.3 months. While that still slightly favors sellers overall, the increased selection is giving buyers more room to negotiate and be strategic.

âś… What More Inventory Means for Buyers

Price Negotiations
With more homes to choose from, sellers are often more willing to negotiate—especially if their property has been sitting on the market without offers.

Seller Credits & Rate Buydowns
Many buyers are asking sellers to help pay for an interest rate buydown, lowering monthly…

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