Slow Out of the Gate
This year’s start is the slowest start to a year since 2019, yet the lower mortgage rate environment and improved affordability has the ability to jumpstart demand in 2026. With the highest inventory at the start of the year since 2020, the market is the slowest since 2019.
Trader Joe’s Chocolate Croissants have become a popular breakfast choice for shoppers. Their description showcases how they sell so many: “Made with creamy butter and filled with rich, semisweet Belgian chocolate, Trader Joe’s Chocolate Croissants bring high-end bakery quality to your home kitchen with minimal effort.” They are initially frozen solid. After placing them on a cookie sheet and allowing them to proof overnight, many wonder how in the world the small, hard squares will turn into something edible. After an hour, they do not change at all and remain frozen. Something magical happens by morning. They triple in size! After popping them into the oven for 20 minutes and letting them cool for 10, the flaky croissant filled with chocolate goo is ready to eat. They are perfect!
Similarly, the Orange County housing market starts frozen at the beginning of every year. For those buyers and sellers stepping into today’s housing market, many will wonder how in the world anything will sell. There is a holiday hangover, and most everyone is still distracted with New Year’s resolutions. Yet, over the next several weeks, after shaking off the holiday fog and leaving most resolutions behind, the housing market will magically heat up, seemingly overnight.
Excerpt taken from an article by Steven Thomas.
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