Thinking About Selling or Buying in this year? Here’s What We’re Seeing Locally

Bay Area Homes

As we move into the second quarter of 2026, we’ve been getting a lot of the same question:

The honest answer is—no one can predict it with certainty. But we can look at patterns, buyer behavior, and what we’re seeing on the ground to get a pretty good sense of where things are headed.

A Market Facing More Uncertainty

There’s a lot going on right now that’s influencing how people feel about making big decisions:

  • Interest rates have moved higher
  • The cost of goods and services continues to rise
  • There’s more global uncertainty than we’ve seen in a while
  • The job market is shifting
  • And consumer confidence, which had been improving, is starting to soften

Any one of these on its own doesn’t change the market much.
But when they all show up at once, people tend to take a step back.

How Buyers Typically React

In times like this, most buyers don’t panic—they pause.

Instead of rushing in, they take more of a “wait and see” approach:

  • They become more cautious
  • They look more closely at value
  • They’re less willing to stretch beyond their comfort zone

In other words, the most aggressive buyers start to step back first.

What This Means for the Market

So what does that look like in real life?

You’ll likely see fewer bidding wars.
Instead of 10–15 offers, it may be more like:

  • 2–5 offers on strong homes
  • And sometimes just one solid, well-qualified buyer

At the same time, buyers become more selective.

Homes that are:

  • Well-priced
  • Move-in ready
  • In strong locations

…are still going to do well.

Homes with trade-offs—or pricing that feels a little too aggressive—may take longer to sell.

And overall, price growth tends to slow.
Not necessarily decline dramatically—but level off or adjust modestly.

The “Flight to Stability” Effect

There’s also another dynamic worth mentioning.

In uncertain times, some buyers actually lean into real estate.
They’re looking for:

  • Stability
  • Something tangible
  • A long-term place to land

But even these buyers tend to be more thoughtful.
They’re not the ones overpaying—they’re looking for value.

Why the Bay Area Is a Little Different

The Bay Area has always had some built-in support:

  • Limited housing supply
  • A strong base of high-income buyers
  • Long-term demand for homeownership

That doesn’t make it immune to change—but it does tend to prevent more dramatic swings.

What We Expect Moving Through Q2

If current trends continue, the most likely scenario is a more balanced, selective market.

  • Buyers are still there—but more cautious
  • Competition still happens—but not as consistently
  • And pricing becomes more important than ever

The margin for error just gets smaller.

What This Means for Sellers

For sellers, this doesn’t eliminate opportunity—it just changes the approach.

The homes that are performing best right now are the ones that:

  • Are priced strategically from the start
  • Show well and feel move-in ready
  • Line up with what buyers are expecting today

Where we’re seeing challenges is when homes:

  • Start too high
  • Rely on past peak comps
  • Or assume buyers will stretch the way they did before

That’s where momentum can get lost.

The Wrap

The housing market isn’t disappearing—it’s becoming more disciplined.

And in markets like this, the difference between an average result and a strong one usually comes down to:

strategy, positioning, and timing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are homes getting fewer offers?

Is the Bay Area housing market slowing down in 2026?

Are home prices expected to drop?

Is now a good time to sell in Belmont?

Drew and Christine Morgan are experienced REALTORS and NOTARY PUBLIC located in Belmont, CA, where they own and operate MORGANHOMES, Inc. They have assisted buyers and sellers in their community for over 30 years. Drew and Christine have received the coveted Diamond award, ranking among the top 50 agents nationwide and the top 3 in Northern California by RE/MAX. To contact them, please call (650) 508.1441 or emailinfo@morganhomes.com.

For all you need to know about Belmont, subscribe to this blog right here. You can also follow us on Facebook and on X.

This article provides educational information and is intended for informational purposes only. It should not be considered real estate, tax, insurance, or legal advice; it cannot replace advice tailored to your situation. It’s always best to seek guidance from a professional familiar with your scenario.

BROKER OWNER | MANAGER | NOTARY

Are Belmont Homes Still Getting Multiple Offers in Today’s Market?

The Hidden Opportunity: Why Some Belmont Sellers Are Winning Right Now

You may have heard that higher interest rates have “slowed the market.” But here in Belmont, the story on the ground looks very different.

Just last week, a home on Francis Court — where we were writing an offer for our buyers — received 27 offers. That’s not a slowdown. That’s serious demand.

What’s Really Driving the Market?

The biggest factor today isn’t interest rates — it’s low inventory.

Many homeowners are staying put because they have low mortgage rates or aren’t sure where they’d move next. The result? Fewer homes for sale. And when a well-prepared home in a good Belmont location hits the market, buyers don’t have many options — so competition can be intense.

Today’s Buyers Are Serious

Buyers right now are:

  • Well qualified
  • Well funded
  • Focused on the long term

When the right home comes along, they act quickly — and often aggressively.

But here’s the key:
Not every home gets multiple offers.

The homes that win typically have:

  • Smart, realistic pricing
  • Strong preparation and presentation
  • Clear value compared to recent sales
  • A desirable micro-location (flat streets, walkability, commute access, etc.)

In today’s market, strategy matters more than ever.

The Hidden Opportunity for Sellers

Because inventory is so limited, prepared sellers currently have:

  • Less competition
  • Highly motivated buyers
  • Strong negotiating leverage
  • The potential for multiple offers

The Francis Court property is a perfect example of what happens when strong demand meets limited supply.

Should You Wait for Rates to Drop?

Many homeowners ask this question.

The reality is: when rates fall, more buyers will enter the market — but so will more sellers.
That means more competition.

Right now, the environment is unusual:
Strong demand with limited competition.

Belmont Is a Local Market

Home values here depend on the details — street location, lot usability, expansion potential, commute access, and neighborhood feel. Understanding how buyers see these factors often makes the difference between a good result and a great one.

Curious What Your Home Might Do Today?

The headlines may sound uncertain, but locally, well-positioned homes are still performing very well.

If you’re wondering what your home might sell for — or whether this market makes sense for you — we’re always happy to provide a local, no-pressure analysis.

Because in today’s Belmont market, success comes from preparation and strategy — not timing the headlines.

Enjoy the day!

Drew & Christine Signature


Drew and Christine Morgan are experienced REALTORS and NOTARY PUBLIC located in Belmont, CA, where they own and operate MORGANHOMES, Inc. They have assisted buyers and sellers in their community for over 30 years. Drew and Christine have received the coveted Diamond award, ranking among the top 50 agents nationwide and the top 3 in Northern California by RE/MAX. To contact them, please call (650) 508.1441 or emailinfo@morganhomes.com.

For all you need to know about Belmont, subscribe to this blog right here. You can also follow us on Facebook and on X.

This article provides educational information and is intended for informational purposes only. It should not be considered real estate, tax, insurance, or legal advice; it cannot replace advice tailored to your situation. It’s always best to seek guidance from a professional familiar with your scenario.

BROKER | MANAGER | NOTARY

Belmont Homes Sales Price Report for March 2010

Belmont had an interesting month this March.

The big news—which shouldn’t be news at all—is that the median price of homes in Belmont shot up 24% from $800,000 last month to $994,750 in March. Alas the size home also shot up 43% which more than negates any increase in the real median price of homes.

Belmont Mar 2010 

(Click on the spreadsheet for a full size image) 

That said, other factors are showing indication of a more robust sellers market than in previous months.

Not to be overlooked is the home on Bayview which listed for $688,000 and sold for $914,500—a whopping 133% of the asking price. Of course the home had many multiple offers and many which bid far above the original asking price—apparently grossly underpriced. 

Bayview

That’s only $390/square foot with the average Belmont home selling at $417. If this home had sold at what the agent had listed it fo,r it would have sold for $294/square foot a ridiculously low amount.

  
DOM

The time it took to sell a home was down a little bit form 81 days in February to 76 in March.

SALES

The exact same (ten) number of homes sold in March which was down from 13 a year ago. That’s a bit of a surprise since the market should be getting better. Our take on this is that in January and February of 2009 sales were so low—a combined ten for the two months—that in March of 2009 there were was a slight pent-up demand caused by the slow start to the year, increasing March’s sales figures.

Four homes sold under asking again and on average each took around a $50,000 price reduction. Three of those had to accept an even lower price of on average $40,000 more from where they had already lowered the price.

PERSPECTIVE

Watch for rate hikes to initially spur home sales as buyers scramble like musical chairs to get into a home before the rates start to climb. The Fed has halted its purchasing of mortgage backed notes which means it up to the public appetite for these investments to set the pace and the rates. If rates climb too much too fast, watch for homes sales to drop off and values to continue to dip.