Is this really the best week of the year to buy a home?

Realtor.com says September 27–October 3 is the best week to buy nationally in 2026, based on a combination of more inventory, lower prices, less buyer competition and a slower market pace.

But real estate is local—and Seattle is different.

For Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Realtor.com identifies October 18–24 as the local “best week,” with historically more listings, fewer competing buyers, longer market times and lower asking prices compared with the busiest parts of the year.

In Episode 7 of Keys & Context, Brian Richmon breaks down what the “Best Week to Buy” headline actually means—and why a date on the calendar shouldn’t determine whether you buy a home.

Then we look at two issues homeowners and buyers may not be thinking enough about:

CONDO FINANCING:
You may qualify for the mortgage—but does the building? Condo buyers aren’t the only thing lenders evaluate. The financial health, insurance, deferred maintenance and eligibility of the condo project itself can affect whether a buyer can obtain financing.

HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE:
Your home may be insured—but are you actually covered for what it would cost to rebuild? Market value, mortgage balance and replacement cost are three very different numbers.

Plus, two questions from the Keys & Context Mailbag:

Should I wait to buy?
With mortgage rates around 7%, does it make sense to wait, lower your budget or keep looking?

Updated home or fixer?
Is it smarter to pay more for a move-in-ready house or buy something cheaper and renovate it yourself?

The common thread this week:

National doesn’t always mean local.
Preapproved doesn’t always mean the condo is approved.
Insured doesn’t always mean fully covered.

Keys & Context — News. Numbers. Real decisions.

Have a real estate question you’d like Brian to answer in a future episode? Send it on social media @BrianRichmon.

Brian Richmon
Real Estate Broker | Compass
Serving King & Snohomish Counties and the greater Puget Sound

Learn more:
brianrichmon.com

Follow Brian:
Instagram: @BrianRichmon
Facebook: Brian Richmon
TikTok: @BrianRichmon
LinkedIn: Brian Richmon

Sources / Further Reading:
Realtor.com — Best Time to Buy 2026
Fannie Mae — Condo Project Standards & Eligibility
Resources for the Future — Homeowners Insurance & Underinsurance Research
Freddie Mac — Primary Mortgage Market Survey

Disclaimer:
This podcast is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not legal, financial, tax, lending, insurance or investment advice. Real estate markets, insurance policies and individual circumstances vary. Information is believed to be accurate at the time of recording but is not guaranteed. Consult the appropriate licensed professionals before making real estate, financial, legal, lending, tax or insurance decisions.

Brian Richmon is a licensed real estate broker in Washington State with Compass.

The U.S. housing market has become the strongest buyer’s market Redfin has recorded — but if buyers have more choices and negotiating power than they’ve had in years, where are all the buyers?

In Episode 6 of Keys & Context, Brian Richmon breaks down the unusual conditions shaping today’s housing market. In August, sellers outnumbered buyers nationally by 57.9%, while Seattle had an even larger gap between sellers and buyers.

We look at why a buyer’s market doesn’t necessarily mean an affordable market, how higher mortgage rates continue to sideline buyers, and where buyers who can afford to participate may have new negotiating leverage.

Also in this episode:

• Zillow says the housing recovery is “back on pause” for the remainder of 2026
• Why growing inventory isn’t necessarily translating into more home sales
• What seller concessions and slower demand mean for buyers and sellers
• Why Seattle and San Francisco’s housing markets are moving in very different directions
• Whether tech layoffs and employment uncertainty may be affecting Seattle housing demand
• Why confidence in your job can matter almost as much as your mortgage rate
• Mailbag: Is it always a bad time to buy?
• Mailbag: What if mortgage rates go down after we buy?

The big takeaway: buyers may have more leverage, but affordability remains a major obstacle. And in Seattle, housing is increasingly being shaped by the intersection of inventory, mortgage rates, affordability, employment and consumer confidence.

Keys & Context — News. Numbers. Real decisions.

Have a real estate question you’d like answered in a future episode? Find me on social media @BrianRichmon.

Brian Richmon
Real Estate Broker | Compass
Serving King & Snohomish Counties and the greater Puget Sound

Learn more:
brianrichmon.com

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not legal, financial, tax, lending or investment advice. Real estate markets and individual circumstances vary. Information is believed to be accurate at the time of recording but is not guaranteed. Consult the appropriate licensed professionals before making real estate, financial, legal or tax decisions.

Zillow and Redfin are back in the spotlight. Following regulatory scrutiny over their $100 million rental-listing partnership, Zillow executives and board members are now facing shareholder lawsuits filed in King County, Washington.

In Episode 5 of Keys & Context, I break down what happened between Zillow and Redfin, what the lawsuits allege, and why the story matters beyond the two companies.

We also look at Washington’s new protections for certain homeowners who receive unsolicited offers to buy their property — including appraisal and cancellation rights, important exceptions, and what sellers should consider before accepting an off-market cash offer.

Finally, mortgage rates are moving again. I explain why rates can rise or fall before the Federal Reserve makes a decision, how the bond market prices expectations in advance, and what a 0.50% change in rate can actually mean for a buyer’s monthly payment.

In this episode:

• The $100 million Zillow-Redfin deal and what happened next
• What the new shareholder lawsuits allege
• Washington’s new rules for certain unsolicited cash offers
• Appraisal and cancellation rights for qualifying sellers
• The important broker-representation exception
• Why sellers should compare net proceeds — not just the offer price
• Why mortgage rates move before the Fed
• What a 0.50% rate change can cost on a typical Puget Sound mortgage
• Mailbag: Should I lock my mortgage rate or wait?
• Mailbag: Is this cash offer actually a good deal?

Keys & Context cuts through the real estate noise with the news, numbers and context you need to make better decisions in the Seattle and Puget Sound housing market.

Have a real estate question you’d like me to answer in a future episode? Send it to me on social media @BrianRichmon.

Learn more:
https://brianrichmon.com/

Follow Brian:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brianrichmon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brianrichmon
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brianrichmon
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianrichmon/

Brian Richmon
Real Estate Broker | Compass
Serving King & Snohomish Counties and the greater Puget Sound

Disclaimer:
This content is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not legal, financial, tax, lending or investment advice. Real estate markets and individual circumstances vary. Information is believed to be accurate at the time of recording but is not guaranteed. Consult the appropriate licensed professionals before making real estate, financial, legal or tax decisions.

Brian Richmon is a licensed real estate broker in Washington State with Compass.