Your Real Estate Expert for Berkeley and Beyond
“Marilyn is exceptional. Her knowledge base, enthusiasm for her job, professional ethics, organization, sensitivity to our aesthetic requirements, loyalty and gentle perseverance set her apart.”
-- Bill and Carol Seidel
Marilyn Garcia, PhD
Broker Associate, Realtor®
DRE# 02014153
District Homes
1758 Solano Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94707
Direct:
(510) 390-5406
REAL ESTATE ANSWERS: When does it make sense to refinance your mortgage?
When does it make sense to refinance your mortgage? With forecasters saying that interest rates may trend downward in 2026 and 2027, you might be wondering if it’s time to consider refinancing your home loan. So when does it actually make sense to refinance? If you have a home loan with an interest rate around 3 percent, you will likely want to hold on to it unless you are planning to move, going through a divorce, or facing another life event that requires refinancing. Short of a major economic disruption, it is unlikely that rates will return to that level [...]
NEW LOAN LIMITS
NEW LOAN LIMITS Good news for homebuyers and sellers in 2026: the limit for conforming loans in high-cost areas (including much of the Bay Area) has increased once again, to $1,149,825. Why does this matter? Conforming loans, which meet the guidelines for purchase by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, typically come with lower interest rates and require smaller down payments than jumbo loans. With the new, higher limit, more Berkeley buyers can now qualify for conforming loans, even for homes priced well above the loan limit once you factor in the down payment. This expands financing options and helps reduce [...]
REAL ESTATE ANSWERS: How has the negotiating environment changed as the market has shifted?
How has the negotiating environment changed as the market has shifted? When the real estate market is at its strongest, there is not a vast amount of negotiation between buyers and sellers. Buyers make strong offers in competition, often waiving the inspection contingency, and many sellers choose to accept the best offer, rather than negotiate and risk de-stabilizing the transaction. When the market is more balanced, there are fewer offers on properties, and buyers may not feel that they have to make their best offer at the start. An accepted offer might also have an inspection contingency, so there may [...]
REAL ESTATE ANSWERS: How much difference do higher interest rates make for home sales in our area?
How much difference do higher interest rates make for home sales in our area? Over the spring, the Federal Reserve announced a plan for multiple interest rate hikes this year to try to get inflation under control, and we’ve seen three rate increases already this year. As I write this, interest rates on home loans are approaching 6%, up from about 3% at the start of the year. Interest rates are at their highest level in 10 years, and there may be additional increases to come. Increasing rates make a lot of difference in the purchasing power of individual buyers. [...]
LOW RATES & HIGHER CONFORMING LOAN LIMITS
LOW RATES AND HIGHER CONFORMING LOAN LIMITS Interest rates are low, low, low right now! As I write this, the 30-year fixed rate is lower than it’s been since Freddie Mac began tracking mortgage rates in 1971. While it’s not surprising that rates are low given the economic impacts of the pandemic, it is still an opportunity for both buyers getting new loans and homeowners who can refinance their existing loans. Fixed rate 30-year conforming loans (up to the loan limits discussed below) can in many cases be had for under 3%. Even larger-amount jumbo loans, which were challenging to [...]