July 17th, 2025

Happy Thursday

A few weeks ago, I had a buyer get cold feet and cancel escrow. We were at the top of his budget. The house was nearly turnkey, needed some window repairs, but nothing major. Still, my usual inspector cancelled morning of, and the backup inspector painted a picture that spooked my client.

Fast forward to today, we’re in escrow on a different home. This one, pre-inspected, fully repaired, and owned by sellers relocating for work.

It’s almost poetic. Sometimes, a small detour leads to a better destination. And sometimes, the difference between deal-breaker and dream home comes down to how a property is presented [and repaired] up front, not just how it looks.

Here’s what’s happening in real estate today:

3 properties to watch, 2 news updates on market trends, and 1 thought-provoking insight from me + a snapshot of current market conditions.

📊 Market Snapshot (Week of July 7)

• New Listings: 792 (⬆️ 26.7% vs. last week)
• New Pendings: 427 (⬇️ 5.9%)
• New Sales: 418 (⬆️ 5.6%)
• Actives: 6,929 (⬆️ 1.1%)
• 30-Year Fixed: 6.80% (⬆️ slightly)

Inventory ticked up slightly, buyers are still closing deals, and affordability remains top of mind for everyone. With new listings increasing, now's a window for buyers to explore without missing out. Sellers: fresh options may make your home stand out, price smart, prep thoroughly.

Median Prices This Week

3 Properties to check out

3514 Sitio Baya, Carlsbad, CA 92009 $1,995,000 Light, bright and partially renovated, this is a great home in La Costa right behind the high school. View property

2064 E Pearl St, Encinitas, CA 92024 $4,450,000 Brand‑new, energy‑efficient build by Toll Brothers at The Cove. 5 beds, 5½ baths, office, loft, attached 3‑car garage, steps from South Ponto Beach. This is the largest floorplan in the new community of 42 homes. View property

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17845 Via De Fortuna, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067 $29,995,000 Not a typo... $30m asking. I get to walk some amazing properties. This is near the top of the list. Just wow. Brand new, fully decked out down to the salt shakers... I'm not sure what else you could ask for. View property

2 News Articles

• ​Nearly one-third of major U.S. housing markets now see falling home prices​

San Diego isn't excluded from this. Prices are down slightly both month-over-month and year-over-year.
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In all reality, the market feels slow because here, it's really just flat:

Unless interest rates come down, it could stay this way for quite some time. Not CRASHING. But flat.

• Attached median price is down 4.4% year over year (compared to -0.92% for detached).
• Attached inventory is up 37% (compared to 27% for detached).
• For Q2, new pending sales fell by 1% in attached housing compared to Q1 (detached housing saw pending sales rise by 9% over Q1).
• This is extremely relevant if you are looking to buy/ sell an attached property (condo, townhouse, apartment)

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• ​Homebuilders see spike in all-cash transactions as buyers sidestep rates​

According to ResiClub, major builders like D.R. Horton and Lennar have seen the share of all-cash buyers double or even triple since 2019. For example, D.R. Horton rose from 9% to 26%, and PulteGroup from 17% to 33%. Even value-focused builders like Meritage and KB Home saw gains of 6-11% points.

Here are the homebuilders with the largest percentage point increases in all-cash sales from 2019 to 2024:

1. Clayton Properties Group: +24 pts
2. NVR: +23 pts
3. D.R. Horton: +17 pts
4. Century Communities: +17 pts
5. PulteGroup: +16 pts
6. Lennar: +12 pts
7. Meritage Homes: +11 pts
8. Toll Brothers: +9 pts
9. Taylor Morrison: +7 pts
10. KB Home: +6 pts

A lot of people assume this surge is Wall Street scooping up homes. It’s not.

Institutional investor activity has actually cooled since mid-2022. What we’re really seeing? Equity-rich repeat buyers, mostly Boomers and Gen X, coming in strong with all-cash offers. No financing, no contingencies, just clean deals that move fast.

1 Tip or Thought

Mindset Shift: Pre‑Inspect Strategically​
A pre‑inspection & disclosure package isn’t just for buyers, sellers benefit too. Repair reports smooth negotiations and prevent surprises that derail deals.

We even have a concierge service that can handle all of this for sellers, smoothing out the transaction before it even begins.

And buyers? You'll know what you're getting early, and skip the secondary negotiations that blow up deals OR leave everyone with a salty taste in their mouths.

Josh Meltzer DRE 02098859 REALTOR® M: 858.585.0309​ ​Josh@joshmeltz.com​ ​joshmeltz.com​

P.S. It’s Opening Day at the Del Mar Races this Friday. Big hats, bold bets, and that coastal energy. Even if you don’t bet the horses, it’s worth a visit just for the people watching and scene.

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DISCLAIMER: Due to recent changes by California Association of Realtors, and the SDMLS Clear Cooperation Policy (the “Policy”), Brokers are limited in their ability to share off-market properties. It is the intent of this letter to be in compliance with the Policy. For this reason, Talechia & Associates can only share such property information with clients of Talechia & Associates. If you would like more information on our properties that are not publicized in the MLS, and becoming a client of Compass, please contact Josh (858) 585-0309 or Talechia (858) 229-2181

Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01991628, 01527235, 01527365. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to the accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate. If your property is currently listed for sale this is not a solicitation.