The 22% YoY increase in the number of actives (unsolds) is alarming enough.
But let’s consider how the market has changed over the last two years:
The reason we survived the doubling of mortgage rates in 2022 was because there were so few homes for sale. In August, 2023, the ratio of actives-to-pendings was a healthy 2:1, where today the ratio is getting closer to 4:1.
Nobody seems to care, and I doubt many even notice the differences. Agents will tell you that “it just takes longer now” and the market will pick up once Powell lowers the rates (which probably isn’t going to happen).
Everything about selling homes is tougher today, and there is no margin for error.
The first home is Kelly and Lisa’s listing and they are great agents. They did better than us last year with fewer people! Their listing is priced at $3,800,000. Kurtney’s listing on Neptune is priced at $10,000,000.
It was in October last year that I was lining up new listings for January, 2025. Today, I’m already pushing sellers to next year – and specifically to hit the market in January, 2026, rather than now. I’m not the only one:
NSDCC Cancelled, Expired, & Withdrawn Listings in July
2023: 67
2024: 93
2025: 138
It will become a very popular choice for unsuccessful sellers to cancel their listing now, and “wait until the market gets better” – rather than adjust their price. It might keep the door open for the remaining sellers to get lucky over the next month or two, but generally the focus for most sellers and agents will be on next spring.
If you thought there was a surge of listings in 2025, wait until next year!
Glennda is an active agent in Atlanta, and she posed the question yesterday on her Insta account. Do you have sellers who want to cancel their listing now and wait until next year? Here are responses from around the country:
If you’re already on the market, you might as well stick it out and hope the current inventory thins out quickly – you can always cancel in the 4th quarter and try again next year. But if you’re not on the market and want to wait until the spring selling season, don’t be surprised if A LOT of other sellers are thinking the same thing!
Whether you’re living in an apartment or condo, downsizing to a smaller home, or just trying to make the most of a smaller floor plan, then utilizing smart storage and layout tricks can completely change how your home feels. With a little creativity, even the smallest spaces can feel open, organized, and welcoming.
Here are some space-saving tips! These ideas all work whether you own or rent – most can be done without major renovations.
1. Go Vertical – When floor space is limited, walls become prime real estate. Install floating shelves, pegboards, or wall-mounted hooks to store items and display décor. Even over-the-door racks can add instant storage for shoes, coats, or accessories.
2. Utilize Hidden Storage – Look for pieces with hidden storage – ottomans, benches, couches, and coffee tables with lift-up lids or drawers. Beds with built-in drawers or lift-up frames can replace bulky dressers.
3. Create “Zones” Without Walls – By using rugs, lighting, or open shelving to break up the space visually, define different areas to make a single room feel larger and create more opportunities for various activities. Folding or sliding screens are great for creating a temporary work-from-home nook.
4. Opt for Foldable or Stackable – Drop-leaf tables, nesting tables, and fold-down desks make it easy to switch between “living” and “working” mode. Stackable stools or chairs are perfect for guests but don’t take up space when not in use.
5. Use Mirrors to Open Up a Room – Strategically placed mirrors, especially full length ones, reflect light and create the illusion of depth, making a room feel bigger.
6. Hide Storage in Plain Sight – Baskets, trunks, and decorative boxes double as storage and style. A slim rolling cart can fit into narrow gaps and fashionable baskets can add some flare to a room while organizing blankets and pillows.
7. Maximize Kitchen Space – Mount magnetic strips for knives, use under-cabinet hooks for mugs, and add stacking shelves inside cabinets to double your storage. See here for more kitchen specific organizing tips.
Looking for a sign that the market is still alive and well? There were 31 of the 166 sales last month (19%) that closed over their list price! The average amount paid over the list price was $66,000, or about +2% on average.
The median price is about the worst way to gauge pricing because the houses that sell each month are so different. Maybe the trend is noteworthy? No real concerns here – the average sales price is up 6% and the median is down 4% MoM:
During the covid frenzy, buyers were forced to live with everything. Bidding wars with no rules of engagement, paying way over list price, having to buy the home as-is and tolerate 1-2 months of free rent – plus the buyers were generally treated like they should feel lucky to get the house. And they put up with it!
Boy, is it different now.
Today, buyers are looking for any reason to stay on the fence.
I think it’s why the market can slow for weeks or months at a time, then all of a sudden a bunch of homes go pending. Buyers hold out as long as they can, but at some point they realize there are no perfect homes and they have to live with something.
Here’s my challenge to buyers and buyer-agents everywhere.
Live with just one thing.
It’s all too common for today’s buyers to search every home for something wrong, and then throw their hands up and declare, “Ok, I found something I don’t like – on to the next home.”
Recognize that there are no perfect homes and you have to live with something.
If you are looking hard and can only find one thing, it’s probably the house for you!
The number of pendings has been very consistent since the end of June.
In the previous five weeks (May 26-June 23), the number of pendings were in the 134-146 range.
Since June 30th, they have ramped up and have been steadily in the 159-169 range every week. For the count to stay so consistent, it means new escrows are opening as fast as sales are closing.
Is it because prices are finally starting to fall?
Are sellers dumping on price to get out?
Pricing was getting softer coming out of spring, but it’s firmed up nicely:
There are 4-6 weeks left of the late-summer rally!
When we went on the market, there were ten active listings and no pendings, which looked daunting. A new-home tract nearby was trying to sell off their last few stragglers plus there were three others in our tract that had just hit their two-year mark and became eligible for their tax-free winnings.
There are times when price adjustments are necessary, and other times when patience is needed until a few sales happen to help create a more-active marketplace. It probably wasn’t going to hurt to have KB Home conduct the price discovery because they can hide it in their incentive packages and not have to drop their prices much.
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Jim & Donna Klinge helped us sell our home of 30 years in Ocean Hills. We were very happy with their service and would HIGHLY recommend them to anyone looking for an Honest, Knowledgeable, Skilled, Informed Efficient realty team. Both Jim & Donna were so helpful in different ways and complemented each others skills. Please refer to a more detailed review that we wrote on YELP. Thank You Both for all your help!!!
Jesse O'Hara
June 12, 2025
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A+ thank you
Lisa Tuomi
June 11, 2025
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Many years ago, we purchased a home in Carlsbad, using a realtor that was recommended to us - Jim Klinge. Fast forward to 2025, we recently had the privilege of selling 2 homes in Carlsbad, CA and didn't hesitate to reach out to Jim and Donna Klinge of Klinge Realty Group to guide us through the sales. The transactions were very different, each with its own unique situation, opportunities and challenges. From start to finish, Donna and Jim helped navigate the pre-sale preparation, the listing, showing of the house, buyer negotiations, the final close and all of the paperwork and decisions in between. What stands out with both transactions is the professionalism of Jim and Donna (and their team), wonderful communication (timely, relevant, concise), their deep understanding of market dynamics (setting realistic expectations), their access to top-notch contractors, and last, their ability to guide us across the finish line successfully. We wouldn't hesitate to use Jim and Donna in the future and highly recommend them for anyone looking to buy or sell a property in North San Diego County.
Jerry Meyer
March 28, 2025
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We sold a home with Jim and Donna and from beginning to end they were consummate professionals. Their initial walk through the property resulted in a list of items to be repaired or updated. They supplied a list of vendors and job quotes to do the repairs and updates. We originally wanted to sell ‘as is’ and just get it over with. They gave us a selling price for ‘as is’ and options for doing a few updates/repairs to doing it all with the selling price for each option. We agreed to do all they suggested and we sold for the exact price they predicted. For every dollar spent we got back more than $2 back in the selling price. And they got that price in a rising interest rate environment! Donna and Jim are extremely detailed and guide you through ever aspect of the sale. There were no surprises thanks to their guidance. We couldn’t be more pleased with their representation.
Thank you Donna and Jim,
Jerry and Mary
Heather Quejada
March 27, 2025
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We have known Jim & Donna Klinge for over a dozen years, having met them in Carlsbad where our children went to the same school. As long time North County residents, it was a no- brainer for us to have the Klinges be our eyes and ears for San Diego real estate in general and North County in particular. As my military career caused our family to move all over the country and overseas to Asia, Europe and the Pacific, we trusted Jim and Donna to help keep our house in Carlsbad rented with reliable and respectful tenants for over 10 years.
Naturally, when the time came to sell our beloved Carlsbad home to pursue a rural lifestyle in retirement out of California, we could think of no better team to represent us than Jim and Donna. They immediately went to work to update our house built in 2004 to current-day standards and trends — in 2 short months they transformed it into a literal modern-day masterpiece. We trusted their judgement implicitly and followed 100% of their recommended changes. When our house finally came on the market, there was a blizzard of serious interest, we had multiple offers by the third day and it sold in just 5 days after a frenzied bidding war for 20% above our asking price! The investment we made in upgrades recommended by Jim and Donna yielded a 4-fold return, in the process setting a new high water mark for a house sold in our community.
In our view, there are no better real estate professionals in all of San Diego than Jim and Donna Klinge. Buying or selling, you must run and beg Jim and Donna Klinge to represent you! Our family will never forget Jim, Donna, and their whole team at Compass — we are forever grateful to them.
Lou F
March 27, 2025
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WeI had the pleasure of working with Klinge Realty Group to sell our home in Carmel Valley, and I cannot recommend them highly enough!
Jim and Donna demonstrated exceptional professionalism, offering expert guidance on market conditions and pricing strategy, which resulted in a quick and successful sale.
Communication was prompt and we were well-informed throughout the entire process.
For anyone looking for a dedicated and knowledgeable real estate team, look no further!
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William Sams
March 25, 2025
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Donna and Jim Klinge of Klinge Realty Group have our highest possible recommendation. From Donna and Jim’s first visit to our house through closing their advice and counsel was candid and honest in all dealings. They kept us fully informed throughout the process. The house sold less than three days after listing with a two-week closing. My wife and I have sold several houses during our lives. This was by far the best experience. Klinge Reality is a premium service realtor. You can’t make a better choice for someone to sell your home fast and for top dollar.
Emily Hernandez
December 29, 2024
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Donna and Jim provided exceptional support and professionalism throughout the entire process. We couldn't have been happier with their efforts. They made our house shine, and thanks to their expertise, it sold above the listing price in the very first weekend! Truly a fantastic experience from start to finish.
Jesus Adrian Sahagun
November 11, 2024
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This year has been difficult on our family, mainly due to having to sell our home. Thankfully we knew God had a plan for us and working with the Klinge team was a key part of it. It was an obvious decision to work with them again after such an amazing experience when purchasing the same home we needed to sell. The challenge was, how will we do this in so little time with so much going on? Jim and Donna held our hand every step of the way. Whenever an unexpected issue arose they found and provided a solution. Never once did we feel pressured to make a decision and the Klinges were always reassuring after providing the information that the decision was ours to make. Despite the curve balls, they never panicked and exemplified the “can do” attitude, making us feel optimistic and taken care of. Their expertise and professionalism was superb. But of all the reasons to work with the Klinges, the most impactful and valuable is their compassion and genuine care for their clients. We pray that we can one day purchase our forever home and you better believe that Jim and Donna will be representing us - as long as they will have us of course. Thank you again Klinge team! Your execution, experience, and care are unmatched.
SABIHA PASHA
July 23, 2024
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Jim and Donna were fantastic! Jim understanding my needs, recommending potential places, pointing out the pros and cons of each property was invaluable. Then when the offer was accepted Donna’s organized guidance through the inspections, paperwork etc made the whole process seem effortless.
So grateful that I had them on my side!
