Seller buydowns of the buyer's loan.  So when the buyer can't refi and loses the house, will they sue the seller in addition to their lender now?  Seems like fogging a mirror once again.  "I can't afford it, but please, please, please take my money."

Even in the worst of times, there are those who desire to buy and those who need to sell. Life will go on.

That sounds like a good plan to me, haha.  Our meetup will be on Wednesday, December 7th at Noon at Mijares Mexican Restaurant 145 Palmetto Drive, Pasadena, CA.  I hope that you will be able to join us! 

And, if sellers aren't offering buy-downs, buyers are asking! I'm not sure I would Offer as a seller but, I am recommending my buyers to ask and so far, we're getting them locked into a Contract with that. 

Yes, location is #1, buyers are buying and sellers are selling! Cash has always been king and as for your #5...I SO wish I had a crystal ball!

In my market, while there WAS pent-up demand, that demand has softened a bit in some areas/price-ranges...

2 examples - #1 buyer was in a bidding war last night and, thankfully, we won. According to the LA, we beat out 4 other buyers and there were FIVE buyers competing! That, to me, was totally unexpected!

#2 example - cash buyer is about to go under Contract by morning, essentially 'beating-up' a seller in a lower price range than example #1 and only a few days on the market.

There is simply no logic to this market in the Charlotte Metro!!  

1. Only if priced right. 2. Yes and more important, smart buyers are.
3. Here & there yes. 4. ALL cash never left. Been a factor since 2007.

Choose your battle, pay a higher rate you can refi on a great buy now or join the herd when rates drop and competition and overbids return. The smart investors and buyers are buying right now.

The glass to repair my crystal ball is on back order and may take forever to get it working again!

Richie Alan Naggar  This is a normal market we came out of an abnormal market in my humble opinion. Buyers were overpaying for homes. No inspections and no negotiations 

i agree with your analysis.  I am actually enjoying this changed market for various reasons. Regarding Cash!  I've never seen more cash deals than in the past few years and today is still no different.  IMHO

Timing timing timing impacts the best laid plans too Richie Alan Naggar . Buyer has to sell home first and wants seller on house #2 to wait , wait some more. Timing timing timing is a close second to location, location, location. Wanna buy is not ready, willing and able to buy the same. The devil is in those contingencies and "gotta sell first" situations. Say, do you know anyone on the west coast who repairs crystal balls? (sound of broker knocking, thumping side of crystal ball for better reception.)

All cash was gone?

There are certainly going to be a slow down at the lower end of the market. It is a game of numbers. There may be some blips in the upper markets on a temporary basis. But overall, people need to buy and people need to sell. So we march on!

we're not seeing buyers ask or sellers willing to pay points of help a buyer buy a house.  That's never been a thing in my market for the most part. ALWAYS, we have cash buyers in the mix.  We are seeing less buying demand, but I'm a "mostly" second home market and that changes everything.

All cash has never left in my area and in CRE past half a dozen years! 

It feels much better with the market being slower, and buyers have more than a minute to make a decision.   Cash is still king!

Seeing a lot of reactionary short term activities right now, it will level off and we will be back to a frenzied market before long.

These rates are not that bad, I bought my first few homes at 18%.

and doesn't rain in Indianapolis in the Summertime