Tricia Reece

Three big stories collided this week and together they point to real opportunity ahead for buyers who are paying attention.

First, a new peace framework reopened the Strait of Hormuz and oil prices fell more than 5 percent in response. That matters more than most people realize for the mortgage market because energy has been the primary driver of the inflation that has been keeping rates elevated. Headline inflation just came in at 4.2 percent with energy alone up over 23 percent year over year. That one category has been doing the heavy lifting on the scary headline number.

Here is the genuinely good news buried underneath that headline. Strip energy out and core inflation rose just 0.2 percent for the month. This has been an energy story, not a runaway structural inflation story. Those are two very different situations with very different implications for where rates go from here.

The Fed held rates steady this week which was widely expected. But with energy prices now easing meaningfully, there is real room for the inflationary pressure that has been keeping mortgage rates elevated to start coming off. That is a meaningful shift in the forward-looking picture.

The buyers who win in this environment are the ones who focus on what they can actually control: their local inventory, the quality of their offer, and their timing relative to their personal life and financial situation. National headlines set the mood. Your zip code sets the deal.

Follow me for more on what the big picture means for your specific market.

Inflation just hit a three-year high and your clients are going to see that headline and feel nervous. Here is the good news you get to share with them right now.

Yes, the top number came in at 4.2 percent. That sounds alarming on its own. But the real story underneath that headline is significantly calmer than it appears. More than 60 percent of that increase came from one place: energy and gas prices. Strip those out and look at core inflation, the number the Federal Reserve watches most closely, and it rose just 2.9 percent for the year, which actually came in softer than experts were expecting. That is a very different picture from the headline number.

That is exactly why the Fed is widely expected to hold rates steady at next week's meeting. The underlying data does not support an emergency response and the Fed knows the difference between headline noise and structural inflation.

When a client brings you that scary headline, you now get to be the calm and trusted voice who walks them through what is actually happening behind the number. That is exactly the kind of guidance that turns a nervous buyer into a confident one who is ready to make a smart decision rather than freeze in place.

The headline was loud. The underlying data was not. Follow me for more on what the headlines actually mean for housing and mortgage rates.

If you were waiting for mortgage rates to drop, May was a frustrating reminder that rates do not move in a straight line and that trying to time the market perfectly is one of the most difficult strategies any buyer can attempt.

One hotter-than-expected inflation report can push rates higher fast and that is exactly what we saw. But that does not mean your chance has passed. It means you need a plan that works even when rates move against you rather than a strategy that depends entirely on hoping for the right moment to appear.

Here is what I tell every buyer right now. Do not shop based on the lowest rate you saw on a website two weeks ago because that number may simply no longer exist. Shop based on what you can genuinely afford today and build a cushion into your budget in case rates shift before you get under contract. Once you find the right home have a real conversation with your lender about every tool available to improve your situation. Rate locks, seller credits, temporary buydowns, and permanent buydowns can all make a meaningful difference in your monthly payment without requiring rates to fall on their own.

Waiting can be a legitimate strategy when it is grounded in something real. If prices are softening in your specific market or inventory is improving and creating better options then waiting has a logical basis. But waiting simply because you are hoping rates magically drop to a number you saw online is a strategy that has consistently backfired for buyers who have been on the sidelines since 2022 watching prices appreciate around them.

The goal is not to predict the market perfectly. It is to buy when the numbers make sense for your actual life. Follow me for more real-world mortgage advice.

The Iran conflict may be winding down, and for buyers, sellers, and real estate professionals, that is meaningful news worth paying attention to.

Geopolitical uncertainty has been one of the primary drivers pushing mortgage spreads higher and creating the rate volatility that has made planning difficult for anyone in the market.

As that uncertainty begins to ease, it creates a more stable and predictable environment for buyers and sellers to make confident decisions.

Rates will still be influenced by broader economic conditions, including inflation and bond market movement, but removing a major source of unpredictability from the equation changes the landscape in a positive way.

For agents, this is a genuinely good moment to reassure clients who have been hesitant.

The market is steadying.

Strategic moves made now can position buyers and sellers well for the months ahead before broader awareness of this shift drives increased competition and reduces the negotiating leverage that currently exists.

Reach out and let's talk through what this means for your specific situation and how to take advantage of the current window.

Big news this week as Kevin Warsh was just confirmed as the new chair of the Federal Reserve and everyone is asking the same question: what does this mean for mortgage rates?

Here is the honest answer. Warsh has historically voted in favor of reducing the federal funds rate, so having him at the helm is a positive development. But here is the truth most people miss.

The Fed actually controls short-term lending rates between banks. Mortgage rates are driven by the long-term bond market, inflation expectations, and investor sentiment. Those are completely different levers. A new Fed chair does not flip a switch and change your mortgage rate overnight.

Even with new leadership, rate decisions have to go through a 12-member committee. And with inflation currently sitting at 3.8%, the Fed will likely stay patient through Warsh's first few meetings rather than moving aggressively.

Here is the good news. Industry leaders are pointing to one word right now: stability. And stability is exactly what buyers need to confidently plan their next move. When the market is not whipping around from week to week, buyers can make informed decisions without feeling like the rug could be pulled out from under them.

If you want to know where rates are actually headed, watch the bond market. That is where the real story lives.

Follow me for more on what is actually moving the market right now.

I want to share something a little different this week. Less market data, more business strategy.

There is a stat I keep thinking about. NAR surveyed nearly 50,000 agents and found that while 68% have used AI in some form, only 17% say it has made a significant positive impact on their business. That gap says everything.

The agents winning with AI right now are using it for the time-consuming tasks that eat into their day. 68% are writing listing descriptions with it. 59% are creating social media content. 53% are drafting emails and newsletters. That is an hour or more back in your day, every single day, that you can redirect toward clients and conversations that actually move the needle.

But here is where it gets really interesting. PwC just released their Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2026 report and they are calling the next phase agentic AI. These are tools that plan and act with minimal prompting and run continuous processes around the clock. Not just helping you write things but actually doing things on your behalf while you sleep. This second wave is just starting to hit residential real estate and the agents who figure it out now will have a real edge over the ones who discover it two years from now.

The agents winning with AI are not the most tech-savvy people in the room. They are the ones who treat it like a junior assistant and put it to work consistently.

Follow along for more ways to grow your real estate business.

Hey everyone, it's Tricia Reece and I just wanted to send a heartfelt message as Mother's Day is right around the corner.

I have been reflecting on what I learned most from my mom. Unfortunately she passed a few years ago so I no longer have the gift and privilege of spending Mother's Day with her. For those of you who have also lost your mom, you know exactly what that feels like. It is a hole in your heart that does not go away.

But I wanted to reflect on the legacy she left behind because that legacy is very much alive.

My mom had the most beautiful gift of hospitality. She made everyone feel welcome wherever she was. If you needed a place to go, there was always a seat at her table. I loved that about her more than I can say.

She also taught me from a very young age how important it is to serve the community you live in. I have tried to honor that my entire life. It started early because of her and it is something I continue to do today. I have also passed that legacy on to my two beautiful daughters who have grown up learning to serve their community as well. I hope that honors her every single day.

What is something you learned from your mom? I would love to hear about it in the comments.

And to all the moms, stepmoms, and bonus moms out there, wishing you the happiest Mother's Day. You are so loved.
Tricia Reece with the Bright Home Loan team.

The biggest story in real estate right now is not rates, inventory, or prices. It is the ceasefire, and here is why it changes everything for buyers who have been sitting on the sidelines.

When the conflict in the Middle East kicked off in late February, oil prices spiked, Treasury yields jumped, and the spring market essentially froze in place. But the two-week US and Iran ceasefire announced earlier this month has already pulled the 10-year Treasury yield back down and stabilized energy markets. That matters for one significant reason: mortgage rates follow the 10-year Treasury. When that yield comes down, your rate comes down with it.

Freddie Mac's chief economist Sam Khater is already calling this a positive development for homebuyers that could spark a stronger spring market than we saw last year. The buyers who went quiet in March are watching this closely, and a more stable backdrop tends to bring fence-sitters right back into showings fast. Add to that the fact that Bright MLS is reporting a historic rise in inventory, which means more choices and more room to negotiate the moment confidence returns.

If you paused your home search this spring, now is the time to take another look. The window is opening back up and buyers who move with the right strategy right now are going to be very well positioned.

Something changed on March 18th that is going to put real money back in homeowners pockets, and almost nobody in the news is covering it.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced they will now accept actual cash value coverage on roofs instead of requiring full replacement cost insurance. Before this change, lenders required you to carry insurance that would cover the full price of replacing your roof with a brand new one. Insurance companies priced that coverage at a significant premium because a modern roof replacement is expensive. Under the new rule your roof can be insured at what it is actually worth today, and that means your monthly premium can come down in a meaningful way.

Here is the context that makes this change so significant. Homeowners insurance has climbed 46% since 2021 and the average annual premium hit nearly $3,000 by the end of 2025. That increase has squeezed household budgets across the country and pushed homeownership further out of reach for buyers who were right on the edge of qualifying. This rule directly addresses that pressure. And because approximately 70% of all mortgages in the United States are sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, this is not a change that affects a small group of people. It applies to the overwhelming majority of borrowers.
If you currently own a home, call your insurance provider this week and ask specifically about adjusting your roof coverage to actual cash value. If you are a buyer tracking affordability, this is one more piece of good news working in your favor.

Send me a DM and I will walk you through how this applies to your specific situation. And follow along because this is exactly the kind of update I share every single week.

Two things just happened in real estate that are worth paying close attention to right now.

First, Fannie Mae just approved crypto-backed mortgages for the first time ever. A new partnership between Better Home and Finance and Coinbase now allows borrowers to pledge Bitcoin or USDC as collateral for a loan that covers their down payment, and you keep ownership of your crypto the entire time. This is the first time a government-sponsored enterprise has ever backed a product like this, and the significance of that cannot be overstated.

According to a Redfin survey, about 13% of younger buyers have already had to sell their crypto just to fund a down payment. This changes that entirely.

Second, Realtor.com just identified the week of April 12th through April 18th as the single best time to list a home this year. Listings during that window historically get nearly 17% more views and sell about 17% faster than other weeks. Spring is when buyer activity peaks, more people are searching, more people are touring, and there is genuine urgency because families want to be settled before summer.

Whether you are buying, selling, or just watching the market, these two developments matter. Follow me for more data-driven updates on what is actually happening in real estate right now.