Seller tips

Selling your home this fall with rates near 7%: what actually matters

By Antonia Bagoje, Realtor, CA DRE #02134539. Published September 24, 2026

With the Fed raising rates last month and mortgage rates sitting near 7%, a lot of homeowners are asking me the same thing: is this a bad time to sell?

My answer is no. But you do have to be smart about it.

Buyers are still out there

Buyer activity is still strong. In Newark, 119 homes sold in August, up from 95 the year before, and homes sold in about 26 days on average compared to 29 last year. People are still buying. They're just more careful about their monthly payment, so they're paying close attention to value.

Pricing comes from the data, not the headlines

When rates go up, sellers often want to know how much they should knock off their price. That's the wrong way to think about it. Your price should come from what's actually happening around you right now.

When I price a home, I look at three things. What's sitting on the market. This is your competition, and it's what buyers are comparing your home to. What's gone into contract. This shows what buyers are willing to act on today. What's sold in the last one to three months. This is the most recent proof of value.

Then we adjust based on the activity. If homes like yours are going into contract quickly, that tells us one thing. If they're sitting, that tells us something else. The data leads, and we price to where the market actually is, not where it was in the spring or where the news says it's headed.

Why fall can work in your favor

Fall is a great time to sell if you're prepared to get on the market efficiently. There are fewer homes for sale this time of year, so you have less competition. In the spring, a lot of new inventory comes on, and your home is one of many. Right now it has a better chance to stand out.

The key word is prepared. Fall rewards sellers who are ready to go, not sellers who are still deciding.

What about offering a rate buydown?

I don't recommend leading with one. A rate buydown, where the seller pays to lower the buyer's interest rate, is a tool in the chest for negotiating. Sometimes it's the thing that gets a deal done, and sometimes it's more effective than a price cut. But it's something we pull out when the situation calls for it, not something we put on the table on day one.

How your home shows matters more than ever

This is what I'm telling my sellers right now. Your home isn't just competing on price. It's competing on how it looks next to everything else a buyer is touring that weekend.

Quality photos. This is the first showing, and it happens online. Staging. It helps buyers picture themselves living there. Fixes. Take care of the small things before a buyer's inspector finds them. Clean. Truly clean, top to bottom.

Aesthetics go a long way. When buyers are watching every dollar, the home that feels ready to move into is the one that gets the offer.

The bottom line

Rates are higher than everyone hoped for this year, but that doesn't mean you should stay on the sidelines. Look at the data, price your home well, and present it at its best.

If you're thinking about selling in Newark, Fremont, Hayward, or Union City and want to see what the numbers look like for your home, reach out. I'll walk you through what's on the market, what's pending, and what's sold near you.

Thinking about buying instead? Read what the Fed's rate hike means for buyers.

Frequently asked questions

Is fall a bad time to sell a home in Newark?

No. Newark had 119 home sales in August 2026, up from 95 a year earlier, and fall usually has less competing inventory than spring, which helps a well prepared home stand out.

Should I lower my asking price because mortgage rates are near 7%?

Price from current local data, not headlines. Look at what's active, what's gone into contract, and what has sold in the last one to three months, then adjust to that activity.

Should I offer a mortgage rate buydown to buyers?

A buydown can help get a deal done, and sometimes it works better than a price cut. It's best used as a negotiating tool when the situation calls for it, not offered on day one.

What matters most when listing a home this fall?

Presentation. Quality photos, staging, small repairs, and a truly clean home help it compete with everything else buyers tour that weekend.

← Back to the blog