Today's Market News:
Spring Trying to Sprung
New listings of U.S. homes for sale rose 3% year-over-year (YoY) during the four weeks ending April 19th, the biggest increase since November 2025.
Some home sellers and buyers have entered the market as mortgage rates decline. The weekly average mortgage rate fell to 6.3% from 6.46% two weeks earlier. This brought the median monthly housing payment down 1.4% YoY.
Additionally, there were some signs last week that the end was in sight for the Iran war, which sent oil prices down temporarily. That may have brought some home sellers and buyers off the sidelines as they felt more confident about the economy.
Still, this spring's homebuying season is off to a slow start. Mortgage rates are still above the sub-6% rates we saw briefly in February, and home sale prices are up 2% YoY. In addition to elevated costs, some Americans are shying away from selling or buying homes because the economy feels shaky, partly due to concerns about job security and Middle East conflicts.1
Relocators Still Relocating to Warm-Weather Destinations
A Redfin survey of 2025 relocation trends found that just under one in five (18.8%) house hunters looked to move to a different part of the country in the fourth quarter of 2025. While Florida is still a popular destination, some West Coast cities — such as Sacramento, California — actually outperformed four Florida cities during this time.
Homebuyers continue to leave big-city job hubs like Los Angeles, Chicago and New York City. They're also moving away from the San Francisco area.
Remote work also remains more common than it was before the pandemic, allowing more Americans to relocate for affordability or lifestyle reasons without changing jobs.
Here are the top five destinations for those relocating during the 4th quarter of 2025:
- Sacramento, California welcomed relocators from San Francisco and Seattle.
- Las Vegas came in second, with most relocators leaving Los Angeles.
- Cape Coral-Fort Myers welcomed relocators, especially those leaving Chicago.
- North Port-Sarasota was also a preferred destination for Chicago residents.
- Miami saw almost as many arrivals, with New York City residents coming in first.
Why Some Homeowners Will Move Soon...and Why Most Won't.
Two recent surveys of current homeowners found that many with a low mortgage interest rate are determined to stay put. However, 10-20% of today's homeowners are planning to move in the next five years.
According to recent surveys, while 44% of homeowners with a lower-rate mortgage are not planning to sell soon because of their rate, more (56%) have no plans to sell during the next two years as they're happy in their current home.
But what about the homeowners who are planning to sell their current home and buy a new one? Interest rates aren't fueling this decision. Instead, they want to move to a different city or state, downsize, or find an area with lower property taxes and/or lower cost of living. Only 17% are moving to be closer to family members.3
Not Sure Which AI Tool Speaks Your Language? Crosscheck It.
Even if you're already using an AI tool like ChatGPT or Gemini, you can take others for a test drive. LinkedIn's Crosscheck is designed to help users find the right AI tools for their needs, while also feeding relevant information back to AI developers.
Crosscheck is currently being rolled out for LinkedIn Premium members, so they can try out the latest versions created by OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Microsoft and others.
Crosscheck makes researching different AI chatbots is easy. Users can share any prompt, which will then be matched with the various AI tools that Crosscheck can access. The system will then provide two responses from different AI tools, without identifying which models were chosen, and users can then rate those responses for quality.
LinkedIn will also provide Premium users with the opportunity to contribute to a public AI leaderboard and discuss the different tools' performance with experts.4
Tomorrow Starts Tonight
Here are some tips that can help you wake up with a plan.
Review your day. Take a few minutes to make notes. What did you accomplish earlier that day, and what got pushed to tomorrow? What are your top priorities for tomorrow? If your to-do list is looking empty, you can pencil in some tasks, such as creating social media content or preparing for a listing appointment.
Compose Tomorrow's Conversations. This is simple, yet underrated. Make a list of your follow-up texts, check-in emails, and client updates, and draft what they'll say. This speeds things up dramatically and improves content.
Do a Quick Pipeline Check. Before you log off for the day, scan your active deals and clients. Who would appreciate a follow-up call? Is there a conversation you need to have, but keep forgetting during the day? Set reminders for yourself, or add them to your to-do list.
Prepare Your Environment. This may sound simple, but it makes a big difference. Before you head home or log off, be sure to tidy up your workspace and set out the files and materials you'll need tomorrow. Starting with a clear space can help you start the day on the right foot.
Last but not least...if you're concerned about a would-be buyer's eligibility for financing, refer them to me so I can provide a fast, free loan pre-qualification.5
Sources: 1redfin.com, 2redfin.com, 3bestinterest.com, 4socialmediatoday.com, 5buildingbetteragents.com
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