Now that my husband, DC, and I had sold the Happier Yellow House to the first buyer who saw it, we were quite suddenly, technically, homeless. Yeep! My head was literally spinning. I need to sit down often and put my head between my knees.
At Home: Walking the rightsizing walk –House hunt
What had we done? We had accepted a handsome all-cash, full-price offer, I kept reminding myself. But still! Because the big idea behind this selfimposed upheaval was to decrease our overhead (but not our lifestyle) as we slide toward retirement, we asked our broker to show us gentle fixers that cost no more than 75% of
the price of the home we were selling. Otherwise, what was the point?
We knew we’d have to make sacrifices, but we had a must-have list: DC wants a man cave, which our current home lacks, a retreat where he can work on his creative projects, which he plans to do more in retirement. I still need a home office. We want at least two guest rooms for our growing blended family, which now includes five adult children, their four spouses and seven grandchildren. We want a yard for our two dogs, an updated kitchen and inviting curb appeal.
Marni Jameson At Home
Are home prices dropping? It depends on where you live
Realtor.com
News release
The national market is cooling overall, but the pace and severity of the slowdown varies widely across regions, according to the latest Realtor.com July Housing Trends Report.
The South and West are shi ing decisively in favor of buyers, with rising inventory, deeper price cuts, and longer time on market. In contrast, conditions in the Northeast and Midwest remain much tighter. Nationally, active listings rose for the 21st straight month, homes took 7 days longer to sell than last year, and 33 of the 50 largest metros posted yearover-year price declines — including Austin (-4.9%), Miami (-4.7%), and Chicago (-4.4%) and more than one in ve sellers cut their asking price.
“The housing market has cooled modestly in 2025, prompting our lowered outlook for home sales and price growth. But the extent and persistence of rebalancing really varies across the country, and, regionally, homebuyers and sellers are likely to experience a very di erent market,” said Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at Realtor.
com. “In the South and West, we’re seeing clear signs of a shi toward buyer-friendly conditions — more price cuts, rising delistings, and homes sitting longer on the market — which has led to sometimes sizable price adjustments since 2022. Meanwhile, the Midwest and Northeast remain relatively tight, with less inventory relief and stronger pricing power for sellers. This widening divide underscores how local market dynamics are driving very di erent experiences for buyers and sellers.”
Southern and Western markets lead price declines
While some metros continue to hold onto post-pandemic price gains, others, most notably in the South and West have started to reverse course. In July, 33 of the 50 largest metros posted year-over-year price declines. Miami, Austin, Chicago and Los Angeles led the way in terms of largest year-over-year median list price declines; however, where prices are declining most right now is not necessarily where they have declined the most since the peak of the market in 2022.
“We’re seeing a reset take hold in markets
across the country such as Nashville. List prices are so ening, homes are spending more time on the market, and buyers are nding more room to negotiate,” said Gary Ashton, founder of The Ashton Real Estate Group of RE/MAX Advantage. “A er years of intense competition, it’s starting to feel more balanced — especially in the South and West. It’s not a buyer’s market yet, but we’re headed in that direction.”
Miami’s median list price is now 17.8% lower than its July 2022 peak. Meanwhile, Los Angeles saw prices 18% higher than in July 2022 — a stark contrast from Austin, where prices declined 4.9% since last year and prices are now 14.8% below 2022 levels.
Only 19 of the 50 largest U.S. metros currently have prices below July 2022, and all are located in the South and West. Furthermore, each of these 19 has seen prices decline further in the last year — except for Seattle, which has eked out 0.8% yearover-year growth.
Price cuts still elevated
Price cuts continue to be a key feature of this summer’s market, even if median list prices have shown little movement overall. In July 20.6%
of home listings had price reductions — up a modest 1.1 percentage points from last year, but down from 20.7% last month. This marks the rst time in six months that price cuts have declined nationally. Regionally, price cuts were far more common in the South and West (23%) than in the Northeast (12.7%). Metros with the most listings with price cuts, o en linked to slower demand, included: Denver (32.9% of listings), Portland (31.3%) and Austin (31.2%).
Delistings surge as sellers retreat
Sellers who couldn’t nd buyers at their desired price continued to pull listings from the market. Delistings in June (reported with a one-month lag) rose 48% year-over-year and 38% year-to-date. The delisting-to-new listing ratio climbed to 0.21 in June, up from 0.13 in May — meaning that for every 100 new listings, 21 were removed without a sale. The metros with the highest delisting ratios in June were Miami (59 per 100 new listings), Phoenix (37) and Riverside, Calif. (30).
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Jameson
Continued from 2
(Some houses actually look like fortresses, their arms crossed to fend off intruders.) Oh, and I want to stay in the area, near my friends. We looked. We panicked. We crossed off houses that were too cramped, too run down, too modern. We eliminated those that didn’t have enough natural light or were on busy streets. Vibe mattered. One house was so chic and chilly, I felt like I would need to wear a black cocktail dress and stilettos and lose 10 pounds just to fit in. One house I loved, but it didn’t have
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a fireplace, and no easy place to install one. Not everyone feels this way, but I believe a home needs a hearth.
I lost sleep. I would bolt awake at 4 a.m. with a racing heart, shake a soundly sleeping DC and say, “Stop the car! Someone is stealing our house!” The unknowns were many and scary. We knew a house was out there, but to find it we needed the persistence of a spawning salmon, the grace of Mahatma Gandhi and a heavy dose of divine intervention. We looked at a dozen houses in person, dozens more online.
Nope. Nope. Nope. Time was going by. We had to be out in 45 days. Then I saw her. Set back on a quiet street, she had a deep front porch with a bench swing, inside a spacious living room with high ceilings, an office, dining room and sunny breakfast area, a newly updated kitchen, four bedrooms on the first floor, a bonus room over the garage, which DC claimed as his mancave and a wood-burning fireplace. Just three miles from our current house,
Prices
she was still near dear friends. Because she needed some cosmetic improvements, she had languished on the market for almost three months. This was my kind of house.
Oh, and she was yellow.
Like the Happier Yellow House when we bought it, this house has great bones but a bland interior. In my head, I began installing wood floors and window treatments, painting walls, updating light fixtures and guest baths, and redoing the landscaping to make the most of the small yard — all projects I took on at the Happier Yellow House, so nothing I couldn’t handle. I finally began sleeping at night, but as I drifted off I would play furniture checkers, arranging pieces in the new home. The hutch on this wall, no! On this wall, the sofa on that wall and so on.
Once our house passed its home inspection to the buyer’s satisfaction, and we felt confident the sale would go through, we made our move. We offer a price reflecting the work the house
Continued from 3
Inventory growth slows
The number of homes actively for sale in July rose 25.1% compared to July of last year, marking the 21st consecutive month of year-over-year gains and there are now over 1.1 million
would need. The sellers accepted. And the great house shuffle began. Was I out of my comfort zone? Yes, way out. But whenever I started hyperventilating, I focused on the why:
• A better fit . A rightsized home is one that is the perfect physical, emotional, social and financial fit for your life today and going forward. For us, this new home fits the bill. While we didn’t “downsize” in the sense of getting less house (the new house is actually slightly larger), we have less yard to maintain and no mortgage. Also, except for DC’s upstairs man cave, which I’d rather not see, all the rooms are on one level, which my knees will appreciate years from now. The house is still close to friends and the shops and restaurants we frequent.
• The financial upside . When this all shakes out, we will have no mortgage on either this house or on our beach condo getaway. With its mortgage paid off, the condo might actually start paying for itself through rentals.
• A chance to clean house . Call me
homes for sale nationwide, the third consecutive month with over 1 million active listings. However, the pace of growth is slowing — down from 28.9% year-overyear in June and 31.5% in May. Inventory remains 13.4% below typical 2017–2019 levels, indicating
odd, but I am looking forward to sorting through everything I own, winnowing my household down to what I need, use and love, and donating, selling or tossing the rest. I crave the idea of less. Someday, our kids will thank us.
• The fun part . I get a new decorating project. The Happiest Yellow House is a blank canvas.
• The character building . None of this means my stomach isn’t roiling. But as I have often told my kids — and myself — when making a difficult change, whether for a job, a relationship or a move, once you’ve made up your mind in a rational moment of strength, don’t change it in a fearful moment of weakness. When you know it’s right, stay the course.
Marni Jameson is the award-winning author of seven books, including “Rightsize Today for Your Best Life Tomorrow.” If you have questions about home improvement, better living, downsizing or rightsizing, send them to marni@marnijameson.com.
that while buyers have more choices, supply is still constrained by historical standards. Inventory increased in all four major U.S. regions in July, though the pace varied: West: +32.5%, South: +25.4%, Midwest: +18.1%, Northeast: +15.5%.
OPEN HOUSE DIRECTORY
Saturday, August 9
11-2PM 4740 WILDERNESS WAY, PLACERVILLE
$750,000
JUST listed! Country charm with a modern feel! 2725sf, 3 bedroom, 2.5 baths, 2.31 acres. Custom Built with quality and style, most of the living is on the main level, including the Master Suite w/an amazing bath! Only the remote 3rd bedroom & family/ game room are upstairs! 2.31 acres is peaceful and has end of the road privacy. 5” Hickory plank ooring, Hardie Board siding, 2 newer HVACs, tankless water heater, too much to list!
Come see for yourself this Saturday, 11-2pm!
CENTURY 21 SELECT REAL ESTATE • TY & MARYSUE RUSSELLS (530) 417-3727
DIAMOND SPRINGS MANOR—1281 PLEASANT VALLEY RD.
11-2PM SPACE #20, DIAMOND SPRINGS
$140,000
Beautifully updated 3-bedroom, 2-bath doublewide is ready to impress anyone 55 and better. This home is move-in ready and stylish, with fresh vinyl ooring, new carpet, updated lighting and ceiling fans, and a fresh coat of paint throughout. The newer heating and air system and upgraded roof add peace of mind. Space rent of just $780.
11-2PM SPACE #15, DIAMOND SPRINGS
$125,000
Home sits on a large fenced parcel surrounded by beautiful trees and lovely gardens creating a parklike setting. There is a covered front porch and large back patio to enjoy outdoor entertaining and listening to nature. Diamond Manor Park offers clubhouse with kitchen for gatherings, pool tables and covered pool to enjoy. Just minutes to Downtown Placerville.
11-2PM SPACE #24, DIAMOND SPRINGS
$130,000
This charming 2-bedroom, 2-bath home features an open oor plan with thoughtful upgrades throughout. A lovely Trex deck offers the perfect spot to relax or entertain, and there’s ample parking with two driveways, a carport, garden area and a storage shed. This is senior living at its nest! Base space rent for the new buyer is $785/month, plus utilities.
11-2PM SPACE #52, DIAMOND SPRINGS
$159,900
This charming 2-bedroom, 2-bath home offers a spacious open oorplan with vaulted ceilings and stylish laminate ooring throughout. Additional features include a Generac generator with a transfer switch, a storage shed, covered parking, and nearby guest parking. Situated on a corner lot across from the clubhouse. Base space rent for the new buyer is $785/month, plus utilities.
CENTURY 21 SELECT REAL ESTATE •
HELEN RIVARD (530) 409-2687 / JANICE DAVIES (530) 306-6899
Sunday, August 10
11-2PM 2895 KNOLLWOOD AVE., CAMERON PARK
$599,900
This welcoming home base featuring 4 spacious bedrooms, 2.5 baths home with an attached 2 car garage plus large parking pad, detached shed & room for boat or small RV. This is an ideal commute location, quick access to Cameron Park Lake & Recreation area, fabulous schools, restaurants and more! This home is move in ready - freshly cleaned & painted with a new stove top & propane tank installed in May 2025. All you’ll need to do is move in & send out the house warming invites. Lovely local views from this location.
CENTURY 21 SELECT REAL ESTATE
You’re going to love this beautiful new home! This adorable home boasts an open floorplan, woodlike flooring, a cozy covered front porch, a chef’s island, stainless steel appliances and more. This new home is located in a desirable Senior Mobile Home park near an abundance of shopping, dining, freeway access, walking trails, and public transportation. The park has a nice clubhouse for community gatherings, a free library and a community park for your enjoyment.
MOUNTAIN RETREAT
cabin charm meets modern comfort on 12.46 peaceful, tree-studded acres. This stunning bedroom, 3 bath home offers nearly 2,200 sq. ft. of warm, inviting living space with a spectacular concept that brings the outdoors in. Wrapped in rich wood inside and out, from the soaring to the custom pine cabinetry, every detail evokes the cozy feel of a lodge-style getaway. The is a sun-drenched living and dining area with windows that frame serene views of nature, used as an office. The kitchen features pine cabinets, pull-out mixing board, dining bar, with pull-outs and lazy Susans. The master retreat boasts vaulted log ceilings, dual sinks, Step outside onto the wrap-around deck and enjoy the quiet beauty of the land ideal for gardening, raising chickens in the coop. Oversized 2-car garage & 1,000+ sf of unfinished basement wired) offer ample space. Extras include owned solar (2024), Generac generator, Kinetico stove (plumbed for propane), and Starlink/Direct TV. Minutes from award-winning wineries living at its best!
$850,000 • MLS# 225067885 • www.russteaguehomes.com
PLACERVILLE $599,900
This charming 3 bedroom home will give you bit of a Marin County type vibe with it’s well cared for interior and awesome gardens, and yet a mountain feeling with its mature Christmas trees and fresh country air. Two garages are included, one with possible RV parking and a workshop area. There is also a detached studio with a full kitchen and bath, making it nice for guests to have their own space. New Marvin windows have been installed, and the quiet serenity on this level, gated 1 1/2 acre property will bring a smile on your face. All this for $599,900.00
Placerville ~ $1,099,000
Eight burner gas range, double oven, a built-in oversized refrigerator, two dishwashers, a very large butcher block island, a wet bar with a wine frig and a pantry to die for. Vaulted ceilings, and a six foot propane fireplace. The master Bedroom opens to the valley view and deck. The master bath w/free-standing slipper style soaking tub and a enormous shower. The double doors to the master closet reveals a large closet. Tile roof w/ solar.
Camino ~ $815,000
Picture perfect 0.5 acres lot in a highly desirable community of Camino Hills! Welcome to this meticulously maintained and quality built single story Stigall home offering 2,264 SQ FT plus additional huge workshop/ workout/storage room under the house, 4bd/2 ba, gleaming hardwood floors, RV access, attached 3-car garage and a perfectly manicured lush backyard full of flowers and gorgeous dogwood trees!
2024 REAL ESTATE BROKER OF THE YEAR
$439,000 MLS#225061161 Janine4real.com TURN-KEY CHALET-STYLE COTTAGE!
