Why You Should Take National Real Estate News With A Grain Of Salt

By Market Updates, Real Estate, The Secret Sauce February 10, 2019

Throughout the year, various government agencies, organizations, economists and real estate think tanks release statistics and analyze the data to tell us how the housing market is doing. And often these stories become front page news or the lead story on the evening news, with additional snippets all over the internet.

Even though it’s been said you can’t believe everything you read, the truth of the matter is that most people do just that. If they read it, hear it or see it and if it seems like a reputable source, people will believe it.

I can’t tell you how many times a client has come into the office with a gloomy face after hearing about or reading some discouraging housing-related news. “I was brushing my teeth and heard that sales dropped 5% last month.” Or…”I saw a headline on Yahoo saying the market was stagnant.”

But we always remind people that when it comes to residential real estate, markets are Hyper-Local, which means that what happens in Nebraska, Florida or Iowa often has very little bearing on what’s happening in Benicia, Vacaville or Pleasant Hill.

By 2014, the recession was over and the real estate market was hotter than a firecracker here in the Bay Area. Prices were appreciating at a breakneck pace. Yet in Detroit and Cleveland, the recession still had a stranglehold on the housing market and homes were sitting on the market for months and months.

So the government’s housing reports back then, which combined data from housing markets nationwide, told a far different story than what we were experiencing here in the Bay Area.

Which is why it’s important to take much of what you read in the national press when it comes to housing with a grain of salt. And why it’s much more important to get your real estate news from local sources (such as this Blog!).

Even here in California or the Greater Bay Area for that matter real estate activity can vary from locality to locality. The market can be sizzling in the Silicon Valley but tepid in the Central Valley. Or it can be slowing in Marin or the Tri-Valley but brisk in Vallejo or Fairfield.

Simply put: the more hyper-local the data the more accurate the story.

About the Author
Rod and Jamie Herman

Most real estate agents don’t start their work careers in real estate. They come from some other industry, so there’s usually a lot of trial and error before they settle into a routine. But our path was a little different.


Prior to starting at Coldwell Banker in 1995, we worked in various other segments of the housing industry…in new homes, title and escrow and Rod even as a long-time weekly real estate columnist. So when we launched our practice, we were able to integrate that experience into our real estate practice from day one.


It was as title & escrow professionals that the light finally went on. We routinely saw countless instances where a little foresight by the real estate agent would have saved the client a lot of unnecessary stress and anxiety. So many last-minute crises could have easily been avoided with proper care a few weeks earlier.



So we knew there had to be a place in this industry for someone who could anticipate potential problems ahead of time to keep those little pebbles in the road from turning into huge deal-threatening boulders.


As you can probably tell by our name, we’re husband and wife but we also work together as a real estate team. That means there’s always an extra set of eyes, ears, and hands to ensure that your real estate needs are handled properly and on time. Not to mention an extra dose of attention and compassion.


We’ve always taken a Golden Rule approach to our business by treating our clients with the same level of care that we’d expect if the roles were reversed. And that’s a huge reason why we’ve been fortunate enough over the years to receive so many referrals from happy past clients.


You’ll never hear us tell you we’re too busy to help or make you feel rushed or hurried to make a decision. Your real estate needs will always receive the attention they deserve. That’s a promise.


And while we’re always happy to make suggestions and provide advice, we never lose sight of the fact that you’re always the decision maker. Whether you agree with our recommendations or not, we’ll always represent and defend your decisions faithfully, honestly and professionally. That you can count on.


A real estate transaction is definitely a complicated endeavor but it doesn’t have to be an exercise in futility nor a 30-day financial and emotional roller-coaster ride. Let us guide you. We’ll introduce you to a style of real estate that most real estate clients never get to enjoy.