The Spokane Home Guy Group

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WHO ARE WE? HELLO! The Spokane Home Guy Group was established in 2007 with the vision of becoming Spokane’s Real Estate Team of Choice. We are a high-service, high-results-oriented group of individuals dedicated to helping you buy, sell, or invest in Real Estate in the most hassle-free method possible.

The post June Spokane Real Estate Market Update: Navigating Prices, Inventory, and Rates appeared first on The Spokane Home Guy Group.

Spokane Home Prices SKYROCKETED in 6 Months… But Are We Secretly Entering a BUYER’S MARKET?! | May 2026 Market Update

Hokuloa Beebe — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 22:44:48 +0000

Welcome to the May Spokane Real Estate & Mortgage Update! Coming to you straight from The Burrito House! (Highly recommend the Pork Chili Verde and the giant “lo-carb” chicken burrito).

If you’ve been following the Spokane real estate market this year, you know it’s been a wild ride. But while on the surface it looks like prices are just going up and up, there is a silent catalyst shifting the market right beneath our feet.

Are we entering a buyer’s market? Here is the complete breakdown for May.

The Price Paradox: Up, Up, and Away?

Let’s look at the raw numbers. The median sale price in Spokane for May hit $435,000. While that’s 1% less than the $440,000 median we saw last year, it’s a massive jump from where we started this year.

Just six months ago, we kicked off the year with a median sale price of under $400,000. Fast forward to today, and prices have shot up over $35,000. But before sellers get too comfortable, you need to look at what’s happening behind the scenes.

The “Silent Catalyst”: Inventory is Accumulating

Everyone loves to obsess over interest rates and home prices, but inventory is the real catalyst that is going to swing this market. Here is the data you need to pay attention to:

Closed Sales: Down 18% year-over-year.
Pending Sales (Leading Indicator): Up 16% year-over-year.
Active Inventory: Up almost 15% year-over-year.
Absorption Rate: Down 28% year-over-year.

What does this mean in plain English? Homes that are coming onto the market are sitting without offers. Only about 1 in 5 homes are being absorbed during this reporting period, meaning inventory is just accumulating.

While the $250k–$350k “first-time homebuyer” range is still moving fast, the $400,000+ market is starting to stall.

Sellers: You Can No Longer “Experiment”

If you are a seller, the days of throwing a massive number at the wall to see what sticks are over. You are facing more competition than you have in years. You have to be dialed in on price and condition. If you overprice your home by $50,000, it will sit on the market, and it will end up taking you longer to sell than if you had just priced it accurately from day one. Listen to your realtor!

Buyers: You Finally Have Power!

If you are looking to buy, congratulations! You finally have an opportunity to let time do some of the heavy lifting. Buyers are entering the market aggressively and are actually able to negotiate again. We are seeing buyers wait out sellers and successfully negotiate price drops of $2,500 to $5,000. If you like a house and your initial offer isn’t accepted, there’s a good chance that if you wait a few weeks, that seller might just come back to you.

The Mortgage Rate Mystery: Watch the Oil!

Wondering when interest rates will drop? Keep your eyes on oil prices. Interest rates tend to follow oil. Right now, oil is sitting above $90 a barrel. However, if geopolitical tensions ease and oil drops back down to $70 a barrel, we could see mortgage rates drop very quickly.

If you are waiting on the Fed to reduce rates… don’t hold your breath. There is a 94% chance they are going to keep rates exactly the same right now. Start the process now so you are ready to strike if those rates dip!

Sneak Peek for Next Month

We have a massive House Buying Hack coming your way in July. It’s an incredible strategy that makes buying a home much more affordable in the exact neighborhoods you want to live in. You won’t want to miss it!

Need to make a move in the Spokane market?

To Buy/Sell/Invest in Real Estate: Call 509-990-SOLD
For Mortgage & Lending: Call 509-747-1300

See you next month!

BURRITO HOUSE

Located in East Central Spokane, Burrito House is a family-run, independently woman-owned restaurant offering quality burritos, tacos, and enchiladas! Make sure to keep your eyes peeled when you go, as they’re in a little nook by Chief Garry Park (we almost missed them on our way in!)

We stopped in for their Chile Verde Burrito and their Lo-Carb grilled chicken burrito – both were delicious and HUGE! Of course, we had to try their horchata, which was quite similar to Salvadoran horchata and is a must-try, and ended the meal with a plate of churros! (You can never go wrong with churros, especially when it’s grandpa’s recipe.)

The restaurant had these adorable sombrero light fixtures, a funny mural of their mascot, outdoor seating, and great music. All around, we had a great time, and you’ll find us visiting BH in the near future.

WATCH NEXT:

HOW TO BUY A HOUSE IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS: • How to Buy a House within the Next YEAR!

HOW TO CHOOSE A MORTGAGE LENDER: • How to Choose a Mortgage Lender

APRIL 2026 SPOKANE MARKET UPDATE: • April 2026 Spokane Market Update

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The post Spokane Home Prices SKYROCKETED in 6 Months… But Are We Secretly Entering a BUYER’S MARKET?! | May 2026 Market Update appeared first on The Spokane Home Guy Group.

🚨 The Cost of Waiting: Why Spokane Homebuyers Are Losing THOUSANDS! | April 2026 Market Update

Hokuloa Beebe — Thu, 14 May 2026 22:57:50 +0000

Welcome back to our monthly deep dive into the Spokane real estate and mortgage markets! For our April update, we visited Tamale Box in Spokane (highly recommend the chicken chili rojo and horchata!). While the food was a fantastic first, we sat down to talk about something we are very familiar with: the current state of housing and interest rates.

Here are the biggest takeaways for buyers and sellers this spring.

The Cost of Waiting: Home Prices are Climbing. We say it all the time: trying to perfectly “time” the market by waiting for interest rates or home prices to drop will often cost you more in the long run. The data proves it. To start the year on January 1st, the median sale price in Spokane was $388,000. By the end of April, that median price had climbed to $415,000 — and this is with interest rates remaining relatively unchanged.

We are officially in the Spring market, which historically brings housing appreciation and more market activity. Closed sales are up 5% year-over-year, and new pendings are up nearly 12%. Despite the noise in the news, real estate activity in Spokane has not slowed down.

Mortgage Rates & Global Impacts If you’re keeping an eye on interest rates, you’ve likely noticed they are hovering around 6% to 6.5%. One of the biggest external factors impacting rates right now is the conflict in the Middle East and its effect on oil prices. Despite a slight initial spike, mortgage rates have remained incredibly resilient. The good news? When oil prices eventually stabilize and come back down, we expect interest rates to follow suit, potentially dropping lower than they were prior to the conflict.

Navigating Inventory: A Market of Strategy. For buyers, there is a silver lining: active inventory is up 16% year-over-year. Currently, Spokane has about 3.5 to 4 months of housing supply.

However, buying right now requires strategy. Depending on the property, you might have room to negotiate on price or closing costs if a home has been sitting on the market for a while. But for “hot” homes priced right, expect multiple-offer situations where you will need to act fast.

Advice for Sellers: The 14-Day Window. For sellers, the market boils down to two things: Price and Condition. You can’t easily change your home’s location or layout, so if your house has been on the market for 7 to 14 days and you aren’t getting showings—or you’re getting showings but no offers—it’s time to re-evaluate your asking price or the condition of the home.

The “Golden Handcuffs” of 3% Interest Rates. Many homeowners feel trapped by the low 3% or 4% interest rates they secured a few years ago, hesitant to trade them for a 6.5% rate today. But ultimately, real estate decisions shouldn’t just be driven by rates; they are driven by life events. Whether you are getting married, having children, or downsizing, your lifestyle needs should dictate your move.

Upgrading your life—whether moving from a rental to your first home, or from a starter home to your forever home—will always come with a higher monthly payment. Just like upgrading from a $10,000 car to an $80,000 car, lifestyle changes require a budget adjustment.

Let’s Talk Strategy! Whether you are looking to buy, sell, or need help navigating your financing options, we are here to help you build a winning strategy.

Buying or Selling? Call The Spokane Home Guy at 509-990-SOLD.
Need Financing? Call our Mortgage Experts at 509-747-1300.

See you next month for our May update!

TAMALE BOX

Tamale Box is located in the very walkable Kendall Yards just off the Monroe St Bridge! You’ll find Tamale box nestled between My Fresh Basket (A grocery store stocked with fresh meats and produce from local farmers and ranchers) and New Love Coffee (They have great coffee and goodies from Bean & Pie!). Tamale Box was born in La Peñita, Mexico, in the late seventies, then developed in California, before finally making home in Spokane! After 5 seasons of farmers’ markets, they opened their brick and mortar in Kendall Yard (and another location in Liberty Lake!).

Hoku, our resident foodie & camera woman, brought us here and chose the 2 black bean tamale meal (comes with mom’s bean recipe and rice) with a horchata. Rich’s first tamale ever was the chicken chili rojo tamale with horchata, and Mike followed suit with the chicken chili rojo tamale. 10/10 across the board and TB was a hit! (Hoku hasn’t given us a bad recommendation yet.) Their tamales are flavorful and soft (especially when topped with the red and/or green salsa), the beans are addictive, and the rice just complements the whole plate. Wash everything down with their horchata (rice milk & cinnamon), and you’re golden. Perfect spot for a quick meal that’s delicious and filling.

Let us know if you’ve been before and what your favorite tamale flavor is! Haven’t been yet? We HIGHLY recommend you make a pit stop: https://www.tamaleboxspokane.com/

WATCH NEXT:

HOW TO BUY A HOUSE IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS: • • How to Buy a House within the Next YEAR!

HOW TO CHOOSE A MORTGAGE LENDER: • • How to Choose a Mortgage Lender

MARCH 2026 SPOKANE MARKET UPDATE: • March 2026 Spokane Market Update

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER: http://eepurl.com/gYy0nb

ALL OUR SOCIAL ACCOUNTS:

ALL OF OUR LINKS: https://linktr.ee/spokanehomeguy

WHAT IS YOUR HOME WORTH? https://search.spokanehomeguy.com/seller

WHO ARE WE? HELLO! The Spokane Home Guy Group was established in 2007 with the vision of becoming Spokane’s Real Estate Team of Choice. We are a high service, high results oriented group of individuals dedicated to helping you buy, sell or invest in Real Estate in the most hassle-free method possible.

The post 🚨 The Cost of Waiting: Why Spokane Homebuyers Are Losing THOUSANDS! | April 2026 Market Update appeared first on The Spokane Home Guy Group.

The Scary Truth About Oil Prices and Your Future Mortgage | March 2026 Market Update

Hokuloa Beebe — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 19:01:19 +0000

Welcome back to our monthly real estate and mortgage update! This month, we sat down at one of our favorite meeting spots, Hatch, Beaker + Burr, which is right off of Main Ave, to break down exactly what’s happening in the Spokane market.

Right now, there’s a lot of noise out there. Between global conflicts, shifting interest rates, and inflation, you might be feeling a little uneasy about buying or selling. But when we actually look at the data, the local market is still telling a very stable story.

Here is everything you need to know about the Spokane housing market and mortgage landscape this month.

Spokane Market Trends: More Stable Than It Feels

If you had to describe the market right now, it might feel unstable, but the data shows it’s actually quite steady. We aren’t seeing a massive amount of price movement. Instead, we’re seeing a trend where the highest prices are starting to level out (plateau), while the lowest prices are getting higher.

The key take away: Price movement is compressing. We expect to see this plateau hold steady, or eventually break to the upside with an actual increase in appreciation.

Sales Activity is Heating Up: Seasonality is definitely becoming a factor as we move deeper into the year.

Closed Sales: We started the year with 406 closed sales in January. By March, we hit 554. While we are off by about 6% year-over-year, the trend is moving in a great direction.
Pending Offers: January saw 580 new pending offers. By the end of March, that number jumped to 835—which is a 15% increase year-over-year from March 2025!

Mortgage Rates & The “Risk-Off” Trade

A major topic of conversation right now is how global events, particularly the conflicts in the Middle East, are impacting our wallets. Oil prices spiked roughly 33% over the last month. Normally, an increase in oil prices pushes interest rates up. We started March with rates firmly in the 5% range, and now we are back into the low 6s.

To be honest, rates could be much higher right now. So, what’s keeping them from skyrocketing? The “Risk-Off” Trade.

When investors feel uneasy about riskier assets like oil, gold, or the stock market, they move their money into “safety assets” like bonds (including 10-year treasuries and mortgage-backed securities).

Demand for bonds increases.
The price of the bond goes up.
The yield (rate) goes down.

This safety trade is actively balancing out the inflation of oil prices, keeping mortgage rates from spiking too aggressively.

Note: Due to these factors, the Federal Reserve Bank lowering interest rates is likely off the table until at least the end of 2026.

Good News for First-Time Homebuyers

We are seeing a lot of first-time homebuyers entering the market right now. If you are a first-time buyer looking to use the Washington State Housing Finance Commission down payment assistance programs, we have great news: those rates have remained completely unchanged for the last month. You can get the exact same deal today that you would have gotten at the beginning of the year.

Inventory: Are We Heading for a Crash?

If you’re worried about a housing crash, let’s look at the historical and current fundamentals of real estate.

Local Inventory is Up: We are currently up 20% year-over-year in local inventory (new listings and active listings without an offer). Right now, supply is slightly outpacing buyer demand, which is what is keeping our home prices so stable.

The National Housing Shortage: Whenever people talk about a market crash, they point to 2008. Fundamentally, 2008 was an oversupply issue—we built more homes than the country needed. Today, the opposite is true. Across the country, we are under-supplied by roughly 3.5 to 4 million homes just to keep pace with demand. While new housing starts are decent, we are nowhere near where we need to be to fill that deficit. This ongoing supply shortage is exactly what will keep housing prices stable or increasing over the long term.

Real Estate is a Safe Haven: If you look at the last 100+ years of real estate, there have only been seven years with double-digit declines. During Desert Storm in the early ’90s, real estate was flat. In 2001, it was up 6%. Outside of the 2008/2009 anomaly, real estate remains an incredibly reliable, stable asset class during times of uncertainty.

Let’s Connect!

Whether you are looking to buy, sell, or refinance, we are here to help you navigate this market with confidence.

For Real Estate inquiries:

Website: SpokaneHomeGuy.com
Phone: 509-990-SOLD (7653)

For Mortgage inquiries:

Website: ChimneyRockMortgage.com
Phone: 509-747-1300

See you next month for another market update!

HATCH BEAKER + BURR

Located in the Saranac Commons, Hatch Beaker + Burr serves great coffee and tea. The Saranac Commons, also known as The Commons, is a large, open, beautifully-designed space shared by six vendors. You can pop in for coffee at Hatch Beaker + Burr, a delicious plant-based meal at Boots Bakery, Pizza in the back at Peace Pie, a brew at Black Label Brewing Company, or for some lovely plants at Amphora Floral. The Commons is a great spot to meet up for lunch with a friend or to work from. They have an abundance of seating, and it’s all around a great vibe!

We tried out their iced matcha with lavender + honey, a hazelnut latte, and an iced latte. As our camera woman says, “10/10” .

If you’re ever on Main Ave, make sure to walk into The Commons! https://hatchbeakerburr.squarespace.com

WATCH NEXT:

HOW TO BUY A HOUSE IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS: • • How to Buy a House within the Next YEAR!

HOW TO CHOOSE A MORTGAGE LENDER: • • How to Choose a Mortgage Lender

FEBRUARY 2026 SPOKANE MARKET UPDATE: • • Stop Waiting for a Housing Crash (Watch Th…

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ALL OUR SOCIAL ACCOUNTS:

ALL OF OUR LINKS: https://linktr.ee/spokanehomeguy

WHAT IS YOUR HOME WORTH? https://search.spokanehomeguy.com/seller

The post The Scary Truth About Oil Prices and Your Future Mortgage | March 2026 Market Update appeared first on The Spokane Home Guy Group.

Part 4: From Blight to Bright — The Final Duplex Reveal

og_shg — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 14:30:37 +0000

When the dust (and mud) settles

Over time, the mud made way to gravel, grass, fences and the whole project begn to take the final form. The driveways were poured, finishing touches were being applied inside and outside, and the challenges of the past were merely that… in the past. What had begun as a small idea during Covid-19 had hit another major milestone, we’d built some of our own inventory. Looking back now writing this, I’m realizing we haven’t taken as much time as we should to appreciate the progress we’ve made (and continue to make). Rich and I generally keep our heads to the ground, finish one successful project and move to the next, often saving the bulk of our attention for the challenges of projects that don’t go so well, or are more difficult to execute. Not enough energy is spent on gratitude and appreciation of the journey we’ve travelled. Perhaps more on that in another series!

We were excited to get landscaping and final touches in. We’d been dealing with mud so long that even we began to worry it would never end. After months of boots caked in blue clay, seeing the first roll of green sod hit the ground felt like a victory lap. We took a little time to put some nice finishing touches on the buildings. With clay soil, water is always an issue. We installed full gutter systems with tight-lines terminating into the newly created drainage ditches. Our earthworks subcontractor had skillfully molded the once muddy mess into a beautiful road, complete with drainage ditches, culverts, and gravel. We had topsoil delivered and installed sod, patios and fencing. Second street is standing tall.

The Transformation

When complete we had three great properties. Two identical duplexes and a single family home. The single family home had been marketed on the MLS through the late stages of completion and was under contract. The buyer had picked some finishes and we were moving smoothly to the closing table. Rich had begun marketing his duplex on Zillow and had begun getting interest. My wife Crystal and I were on a planned vacation, and planned to start marketing ours when we returned.

We received great feedback on the properties overall. Most were impressed with the higher end finishes (quartz counter tops throughout, LVP flooring, stainless appliances, etc.). Some even commented that they were the “Nice apartments that Rockford needed.” The two car garages were also a big hit.

Within a month, all four units were rented and have remained rented consistently to this day.

Addressing the impact

There were skeptics from day one, heck, even we question ourselves sometimes. Real Estate investing is simple, but not always easy. Day one we started getting neighbors complaining about the burned home (that had been there for quite some time, we were just a fresh set of ears to listen to the complaints). Some didn’t like the prospects of duplexes being built, or that someone was “ruining the small town feel of Rockford.” There was even concern how the big new buildings would look for the neighbors.

While change is hard, replacing a high-risk liability with five new households is the kind of ‘change’ that keeps small towns like Rockford sustainable and vibrant.

We created some great quality housing, we improved property values, we removed an old burned building, and added some sewer and water infrastructure.

Thinking Small

At the end of the day, we questioned ourselves for not building a third duplex. The venture was profitable. We created two great rental properties and sold the spec home for a profit. We were able to create over $200,000 in equity in each duplex as they appraised similar to (but slightly below) the newer duplexes in the Spokane Valley, with similar rents. In reflection a third property might have been a better use of our efforts, but in the end, we have no regrets.

We love our properties over there and enjoy being part of the Rockford community. We’re happy with the outcome. If you have a ‘burn pile’ property in your neighborhood or you’re looking for an investment team that isn’t afraid to get their hands dirty (literally), we’re ready for the next one. Let’s connect.

The post Part 4: From Blight to Bright — The Final Duplex Reveal appeared first on The Spokane Home Guy Group.

Stop Waiting for a Housing Crash (Watch This Instead!) | February 2026 Market Update

Hokuloa Beebe — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 20:01:03 +0000

We are back with your monthly real estate and mortgage update! This month, we sat down at one of our absolute favorite pizza spots in town: The Flying Goat, located in the Downriver/Audubon area.

If you haven’t been to this hidden gem of a neighborhood, you’re missing out. And if you make it to The Flying Goat, we highly recommend the Dalton or the Fairview—those pizzas slap (as the kids say these days).

Now, let’s get into what you’re really here for: the local housing and mortgage market.

Real Estate: Getting Back to “Normal.”

Honestly, it has been a really encouraging start to the year. We saw activity pick up right out of the gate. While some recent events have created a bit of hesitation in the decision-making process for some, the overall picture is incredibly stable.

Here are the key takeaways for the Spokane real estate market:

Stable Prices: Prices are holding steady for both buyers and sellers. We aren’t seeing massive spikes or drops.
Median Price Point: We are sitting right at $400,000. That is essentially flat year-over-year (only about a 0.1% difference).
Increased Activity: Our new pending contracts for the month of February were up 18% year-over-year. That is a fantastic sign of a healthy market!
Balanced Inventory: We aren’t seeing inventory flood the market at an excessive rate, nor is it being absorbed too quickly.

We are finally stepping back into what feels like a “normal” real estate market. Things are staying affordable, and we aren’t seeing the wild swings in pricing that we’ve experienced in recent years.

Mortgages: Rates Starting with a “5”?

Just like home prices, interest rates are finally showing some consistency. We are ending February with about five months of fairly stable rates under our belts.

Current Averages: To end the month of February, rates were sitting right around 6.1%. However, recent national averages have just tipped slightly below 6%.
The Spokane Advantage: The average rate in Spokane tends to be about an eighth of a point better than what you’ll find nationally.
The Magic Number: Yes, there are actually some rates starting with a “5” right now! This is exactly what a lot of buyers have been waiting for, and it’s a big reason why we are seeing activity spur back up.

Despite geopolitical events in the Middle East, rates have remained fairly resistant. While rising oil prices could eventually affect long-term rates, things are very stable in the financial markets right now.

Looking Ahead

Moving forward, the things most likely to slow the market down or create pauses will be more political than fundamental. Barring any unforeseen events, we expect the market to stay nice and stable. The next month might feel a little slower as people navigate some uncertainty, but the fundamentals are strong.

Bottom line: There isn’t much we can do about global events, but we can make smart decisions based on the stable information right in front of us. If the timing is right for your life, the market conditions are actually aligning quite well to make a move.

Let’s Build Your Strategy

If you have a major life decision coming up and are thinking about buying or selling, we would love to sit down with you for a strategy session. We can help you navigate this market from both the real estate and the mortgage side.

Real Estate: Reach out to the Spokane Home Guy at 509-990-SOLD
Mortgages: Reach out to Chimney Rock Mortgage at 509-747-1300

The Flying Goat ~ Pizza Galore!

Located in the Audubon Neighborhood, The Flying Goat was created in 2010 to become a neighborhood craft beer bar and casual eatery, where the craft beer list is as carefully chosen as the menu items themselves. As they studied the time-honored history of classic pizza making, they were inspired by the legacy, flavors, and aromas of the Neapolitan Style. Their goal was to honor the craft of artisan pizza making, while creatively infusing local flavors and ingredients – and they sure accomplished that!

The Flying Goat is the sister store to Republic Pi (South Hill) & Uprise Brewing Co. (Kendall Yards)

We chose to have the Dalton & the Fairview Pizzas! The Dalton (pictured on the top left), this pizza contains honey apple bbq sauce, house cheese blend, pulled pork, caramelized onion, topped with coleslaw – that is so delicious and refreshing! It was a bite that perfectly encompassed everything you’d taste while at a family bbq. The Fairview (highlighted on the right), made with heavy cream, house cheese blend, house back bacon, pears, gorgonzola cheese crumbles, finished with white balsamic reduction, is absolutely flavourful. The bacon and pear on the pizza are sliced thin, so they develop the most mouth-watering char, and the white balsamic reduction is the cherry on top. Both of these pizzas are so unique, and a must-try when you come in!

Want to check them out before you swing by? https://www.theflyinggoat.com/

WATCH NEXT:

HOW TO BUY A HOUSE IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS: • • How to Buy a House within the Next YEAR!

HOW TO CHOOSE A MORTGAGE LENDER: • • How to Choose a Mortgage Lender

JANUARY 2026 SPOKANE MARKET UPDATE: • • The Housing Market ‘Silent Reset’ No One S…

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER: http://eepurl.com/gYy0nb

ALL OUR SOCIAL ACCOUNTS:

ALL OF OUR LINKS: https://linktr.ee/spokanehomeguy

WHAT IS YOUR HOME WORTH? https://search.spokanehomeguy.com/seller

WHO ARE WE? HELLO! The Spokane Home Guy Group was established in 2007 with the vision of becoming Spokane’s Real Estate Team of Choice. We are a high service, high results oriented group of individuals dedicated to helping you buy, sell, or invest in Real Estate in the most hassle-free method possible.

The post Stop Waiting for a Housing Crash (Watch This Instead!) | February 2026 Market Update appeared first on The Spokane Home Guy Group.

Part 3: The Pivot, The Plan, and a Whole Lot of Mud

og_shg — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 13:58:17 +0000

In part 2 we talked about all of the prep work we did to get these lots ready. Today, we get into the fun stuff! The pivot to build a couple of duplexes and the muddy reality of installing utilities in the fall & winter months in Rockford Washington.

The “No-Brainer” Pivot

We mentioned in previous posts that we spend a lot of time talking to the city/towns as we put our projects together. There’s a tremendous amount of red tape involved with most of them, and there’s information to be had. This case was no different.

While red tape is less common in small satellite towns and communities like Rockford, it’s still really important to plan properly and understand what you need to do to make the project happen.

We’d initially planned to build three single family homes for resale. We stick to single level, sub-1500 square feet homes with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. We can build these homes and sell them quickly and they provide a nice, affordable option for buyers in that price range. We’d done similar infill projects around town, and had a couple of nice plans we were contemplating.

After a few conversations with the Town we were told that the zoning supported one and two family dwellings. Two family dwellings are more commonly referred to as duplexes. This was very intriguing. Duplex lots are in high demand around Spokane County (everywhere really, as density becomes more common and important). With this high demand comes great expense. Our entry price on the lots was less than a fifth of what it would take to purchase a duplex lot in the Spokane Valley. We quickly decided we needed to move in this direction, for at least two of the lots (more on this later).

We’d long had our eye on a couple of nice duplex floor plans. These plans were appealing because they would comfortably fit on a fifty foot wide lot and comply with ordinary setback requirements in the area (these setbacks later changed in Rockford FYI).

For maximum compatibility and value to tenants, we prefer three bedroom and two bathroom rental units. We find, for our model, that we can get predictable rent, and the home provides a good space for our tenants. These floor plans consisted of three bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms. Perfect! Storage is also important, which is why we chose plans with two car garages. Not because people park their cars in the garage (don’t be silly!), but because people store their stuff in the garage. Storage is a big expense for many tenants, and if you can provide good storage space, your units can (and will be) more appealing to those who need it. You’ll also still be a hero to the occasional outlier who parks in the garage instead of filling it to the brim with boxes.

With our plans in mind, we needed to get to work on the infrastructure.

The Sewer Saga

Sewer and water ran down the street directly north of our lots. The lots are situated on the corner of two streets, and our frontage street did not have any utilities in-ground. We needed five new water and sewer connections (two for each duplex, and one for the single family we were building). While there were probably ways to create utility easements and run sewer connections down an alley or through backyards, we (the Town included) felt it would be better to extend the utilities down the street in front of the new builds.

The sewer and water needed to be extended down the street, a hundred feet give or take. I actually forget the official distance. The sewer required the installation of two manhole wells, and significantly deep trenching. The installation of the sewer went in quite well, uneventful in fact and the title of a “saga” may be a little misleading (ha!).

We did run into some frustrating, and at times comical issues with mud.

The ground in Rockford and much of the surrounding area contains a lot of blue clay. When you mix freshly disturbed topsoil, clay, water, and a barrage of traffic from contractors the resulting mud is relentless.

I’m sure there were more complaints to the town than they passed along. At one point, we had a Telehandler stuck halfway up the wheels. Not a good look.

Shut Down!

This is all very comical in hindsight, and I’m sure was very frustrating in town. No amount of applied rock would have solved this problem, and we had (and have been having) wetter rather than colder winter weather. Moisture upon moisture with no end in sight. Rock would essentially disappear into the muddy bowels of the Earth upon liberal application.

More than once, we had to pull one of our trucks out of the muddy grips using a long tow strap or chain (with the other truck perched safely on the side street).

Alas the infamous “Road Closed” sign appeared stopping any brave souls from venturing down the road.

Hindsight is always 20/20

Looking back, the mud was comical, part of the game I guess. The weather ultimately changed, we graded the road, added ditching and a fresh, new, top course of gravel. All is well, and the mud monster has not returned since.

The biggest lesson? We’d been thinking small. In the final part of this series, we’ll show you the finished units, talk about the tenants who moved in immediately, and discuss why we’d do it all over again, but with one major change.

The post Part 3: The Pivot, The Plan, and a Whole Lot of Mud appeared first on The Spokane Home Guy Group.

Is the Fed Chair Finally Going To Lower Rates? | January 2026 Market Update

Hokuloa Beebe — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 00:25:12 +0000

Welcome to our February 2026 newsletter! This month, we’re coming to you from Pint House Burgers and Brews (at the old “Good Times” spot on the corner of Argonne and Mission) to break down exactly what is happening in the Spokane real estate market.

If you’ve been reading the headlines, you might be waiting for a crash. If you’ve been listening to rumors, you might be waiting for interest rates to plummet.

But if you look at the actual data, something else is happening entirely. We call it the “Silent Reset.”

Here is your January 2026 market recap and a look at what to expect for the rest of the year.

The Numbers: January 2026 Recap

We finished 2025 with a median sale price just over $400,000. As we closed the books on January 2026, here is where we stand:

Median Sale Price: $388,000.
Price Year-Over-Year: Up 2% (though slightly down from Dec ’25).
Inventory: Up 17% compared to January 2025.
New Sales: Flat year-over-year.

While inventory is up—which is great news for buyers—we aren’t seeing the plummeting prices that usually signal a crash. Instead, we are seeing stability.

The “Silent Reset”: Why Affordability is Returning

If you are waiting for prices to drop 20% like they did in 2008, you are likely waiting for a ghost. We simply don’t have the excess supply to drive a crash (most sellers are locked in at sub-3% rates and aren’t selling unless they have to).

However, affordability is improving naturally through a “Silent Reset.”

For the first time in nearly 5 to 10 years, wage growth is outpacing real estate appreciation.

Home prices are staying relatively flat.
Interest rates have stabilized (and are lower than last year).
Wages are going up.

Here is a real-world example: We recently pre-approved a client who just received a raise. Because rates are stable and her income increased, her purchasing power jumped by $25,000. She can now afford the house she actually wants.

This isn’t a dramatic “bubble burst”—it is a natural return to affordability without the chaos of a market collapse.

The Truth About Interest Rates & The New Fed Chair

Interest rates have been hovering around 6.1% to 6.2% on average. Keep in mind, Spokane rates are often slightly better than the national average, especially for FHA, VA, or USDA loans, which are solidly in the 5s.

Compared to January 2025 (when rates were ~7%), the cost of owning a home has dropped significantly. Between the rate drop and principal reductions, the cost to buy is arguably ~19% better for a buyer today than it was a year ago.

What about Kevin Warsh?

There is a lot of buzz about Kevin Warsh, the nominee for the next Fed Governor. Will he slash rates?

The reality is, Warsh is historically a “hawk,” not a “dove.” He has voted to raise rates in the past to combat inflation. While the current administration might hope for aggressive rate cuts, we don’t expect Warsh to drop rates dramatically.

And that might be a good thing. Aggressively lowering rates or pumping money into the economy (like buying mortgage-backed securities) is exactly what caused 9% inflation in the first place. A steady hand now ensures long-term stability, even if it means rates stay flat for the next 3 to 5 years.

Good News for Investors

During the pandemic, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac added “loan-level price adjustments” that made it more expensive to buy investment properties and second homes.

We are now seeing private investors and banks step in to fill that gap. These private lenders don’t have those same price adjustments, meaning rates for investment properties are becoming much more competitive than they were a year ago. If you’ve been on the sidelines, 2026 might be the time to jump back in.

The 2026 Outlook

We believe 2026 is going to be a good year for activity.

Don’t expect massive appreciation.
Don’t expect a crash.
Do expect natural affordability to return.

If you are waiting for a scary news headline to tell you it’s time to buy, you’ll likely miss the boat. The reset is already happening—quietly.

Have questions about your home value or looking to buy in 2026? Reach out to us!

The Spokane Home Guy Group 509-990-SOLD spokanehomeguy.com

Chimney Mortgage 509-747-1300 chimneyrockmortgage.com

Pint House Burgers & Brews

We chose to film this month’s market update at a Spokane Valley Classic! – Pint House Burgers & Brews! If you’re looking for a killer burger or to watch the game (really any game), you’ve come to the right place. Pint House has TV’s across every wall, including the bar. There isn’t a direction you could be seated without a screen visible; they have 26 – 82-inch TVs!

They’re located right on Argonne & Mission

Not only do they have an abundance of TV screens, but they also have an extensive Burger menu! We each snagged a burger, Hoku, our camera woman, got the Impossible burger with a side salad, Rich with a Western Burger & tots, and Mike with the Black & Blue Burger (hold the mushrooms) & tots. If you’re a potato lover, make sure to order 1 LB of your choice of Fries, Sweet Pot Fries, or Tots.

If you’re in the Valley, be sure to give them a try! https://pinthousepub.com/

WATCH NEXT:

HOW TO BUY A HOUSE IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS: • • How to Buy a House within the Next YEAR!

HOW TO CHOOSE A MORTGAGE LENDER: • • How to Choose a Mortgage Lender

DECEMBER 2025 SPOKANE MARKET UPDATE: • • Why Buying a House Just Got 14% CHEAPER …

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