A recent San Francisco Chronicle article highlights a crucial issue for both condo buyers and sellers: some California condo buildings are flagged in a federal database as ineligible for conventional financing. The reasons behind this vary—from structural problems to missing documentation—but the outcome is the same: many lenders won’t approve mortgages for these properties.

In late November, Bay Area markets began moving into the mid-winter holiday slowdown, which in December typically results in the lowest counts of the year for new listings coming on market and homes going into contract. Homes are still listed and deals continue to be made, just at a much slower pace, and this is usually the period where buyers can negotiate most aggressively on unsold properties with longer days-on-market.

In today’s real estate landscape, buyers increasingly resemble stock market investors, engaging in a delicate game of timing and strategy. Both markets thrive on anticipation, emotion, and the allure of seizing the perfect moment.

1. Not having your agent do a full comparative market analysis of the property: a clear-headed assessment of what fair market value is.

In the dynamic landscape of Bay Area real estate, the temptation to delay property purchases in anticipation of lower interest rates is common.

Negotiating can significantly impact the outcome of a transaction for both buyers and sellers.

So, what exactly is a buyer's agent, and why might partnering with one be the best decision you make in your home-buying journey.