The monthly Janna Mooney Report keeps you informed on current market trends and how they affect you.
NOVEMBER 2025
Window of Opportunity
Right now, and for the remainder of the year, is a window of opportunity for buyers before the market heats up after the New Year, growing hotter as housing moves towards spring. With mortgage rates at their lowest levels in over a year, the housing supply up 18% from last year, and many homes still waiting for offers, it’s an excellent moment for buyers to make a move. Buying now will prove a wise decision, as the lower-rate environment is projected to continue into next year, fueling increased demand and a more competitive housing market in the coming spring. The current conditions are ideal. Mortgage rates dipped below 6.5% and are at their best level since September of last year. Buyer demand will decrease as the year draws to a close. Many homes have been on the market for months without success, and some sellers are more willing to negotiate.
If you have been thinking of buying don’t let this “window of opportunity” pass. Mortgage rates are projected to remain below 6.5% through the end of the year and into 2026. The favorable mortgage rate environment is poised to ignite spring demand, the busiest time of the year for housing. From mid-January through March, demand accelerates far faster than the rise in available inventory. The Orange County housing market is poised to heat up significantly, and buyers who delay may later regret missing the ideal moment to purchase… right now.
REALTOR LIFE -
Thanksgiving is not only a time to be grateful—it’s a reminder to pause and reflect in a world that seems to move faster every day. Taking time for ourselves has almost become obsolete, yet it’s more important than ever. In my fun, fast-paced world of real estate, I often forget to slow down and to appreciate the value of being truly present—with myself and with the people in my life. This year, I’m especially grateful for the chance to step away and celebrate Thanksgiving in New York with my brother and his girlfriend. Wishing you a Thanksgiving filled with gratitude, connection, and moments to pause and savor.
OCTOBER 2025
Today's Market Is Not Instant
Far too many sellers do not spend enough time carefully pricing their homes before coming on the market, and ultimately walk away with less money and take a lot longer to sell. It all boils down to price. The data illustrates a clear trend: the greater the price reduction, the lower the seller’s net proceeds and the longer the home remains on the market. When a homeowner initially comes on the market after pounding the FOR SALE sign in the yard, the home is fresh to the market. Yet, when a home is overpriced, it deters many buyers from making an offer or even touring the house. It sits on the market with waning activity. When the price is finally adjusted, it is not met with the same fanfare as when it initially came on the market. Instead, it is sold at a discount.
Too many sellers in Orange County are initially listing their properties at too high a price. They then have to adjust the asking price to secure a buyer willing to write a purchase offer. The data indicates that starting overpriced and then reducing it results in the seller walking away with less money. The sales price to last list price ratio is very revealing. This refers to the final list price before becoming an in escrow/pending sale. These are averages, meaning there are exceptions, but the overall trend is astonishing. In Orange County, 66% of all closed sales in September did not reduce the asking price. It was 80% in March. The sales price to last list price ratio for these homes was 98.4%, meaning, on average, a home appropriately priced sold close to its initial asking price. A house listed at $1 million sold for $984,000, $16,000 below the asking price. The median days on the market before becoming an in escrow/pending sale was only 16, indicating that accurate pricing also means considerably less time on the market.
It is revealing how 42% of all active listings have reduced the asking price at least once. Many sellers mistakenly expect a noticeable boost in showing activity after lowering the asking price. When a seller reduces the asking price, it is not met with the same level of anticipation and excitement as when it was initially placed on the market.
Today’s market is not instant. Sellers must price their home for success by scrutinizing every comparable pending and recent closed sale, carefully arriving at a home’s Fair Market Value.
REALTOR LIFE -
This past month, I had the honor of being featured in South Orange County Real Producers Magazine. The feature provided a glimpse into my life before real estate, shared what motivates me, and offered advice for new realtors. Ultimately, it highlighted that everything I do revolves around one central focus: helping my clients. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to share my story, and I’m reminded every day that the heart and passion I put into serving my clients is what truly drives me.
SEPTEMBER 2025
Lower Rates & Higher Demand
The lowest mortgage rates of the year are paving the way for a much different Fall Market with a falling inventory, increasing demand, and declining market times. Rates have slowly made their way from just over 7% for the first couple of months of the year to nearly 6.25% today, paving the way for a bump in buyer demand.
Mortgage rates tend to fluctuate from week to week, yet the trend has been for rates to improve slowly from month to month. They dropped below 6.75% at the start of August, and then dropped below 6.5% at the beginning of September. With weaker job numbers, they have settled close to 6.25%.
These lower mortgage rates have arrived just as the housing market transitioned from the Summer Market to the Fall Market. In real estate, the Fall Market spans from the beginning of September and runs through mid-November, the week before Thanksgiving. Typically, in Orange County, this is the time of year when the supply of available homes slowly decreases, along with a corresponding slow decline in buyer demand. With both supply and demand falling at a similar pace, the expected market time does not change much.
Lower mortgage rates will improve affordability, and should fuel an increase in buyer demand. It appears that rates will remain below 6.5% for several months, a period significantly longer than last year’s brief reprieve from the higher mortgage rate environment. The inventory is already slowly falling and demand rising, therefore, the expected market time is should decrease as well. The Fall Market will be a turning point for the Orange County housing market. The longer rates remain below 6.5%, the more pronounced the change.
REALTOR LIFE - A Season of Balancing Both Sides
What am I experiencing with my clients this month? I’m seeing both sellers and buyers navigating this market with a lot of thoughtfulness. My sellers are motivated, but they know pricing too high can stall momentum, so we’re having deeper conversations about strategy—everything from setting the right list price to making small updates or staging their home that help their home stand out. On the buyer side, clients are still very much engaged but more cautious, weighing affordability closely and watching interest rates to see where things might head. Some are willing to wait for the perfect home, while others are prepared to move quickly when the right opportunity comes along. Focusing on the interest rate is not necessarily the right strategy as compared to finding the right house. For me, this season is really about balancing both sides—guiding sellers to position their homes for success while helping buyers see the possibilities in front of them. It’s a market that requires patience, education, and steady communication, and I’m grateful to be walking alongside my clients as they make these important decisions. If you are considering to sell your home or make a purchase reach out, I’d love to help you!
