Friday Pulse · July 3, 2026
Happy almost-4th. Quick read before the long weekend.
Rate Read
30-year fixed conventional is at 6.60% today. Up about 7 basis points from last week’s 6.53%, but with a partial recovery this morning after June’s jobs report came in softer than expected.
What this means for you: A buyer pre-approved on a $700K purchase has about $5K less in purchasing power than last week. Today’s small dip is a real window to lock before the holiday. Rates may move again once markets reopen next week. Anyone sitting on the fence is worth a call today. More importantly, your buyers who wanted to “wait a little longer” just realized that rates are almost exactly the same as they were 30 days ago. 😲
One Thing to Know This Weekend
Bend is running at 542 active listings, 3.5 months of inventory, and a $795K SFR median (Beacon Report, June 2026). It is a two-speed market: priced-right homes go pending in about 3 weeks near full ask; homes priced above comp are sitting and cutting. For listing appointments this weekend, make the case for correct pricing out of the gate. The first two weeks of listing traffic are the whole ballgame right now.
What Buyers Are Asking Me
“Is the 4th of July weekend actually a good time to be out looking?”
Honestly, yes. Holiday weekends thin out the casual browsers but not the serious buyers. Motivated sellers notice when someone steps up on a long weekend. Fewer competing offers. If a buyer is ready, this is not the weekend to pause.
Loan Tip from Uncle Kip
Earlier this week I held a virtual class on seller concessions as part of my CE Summer Camp for Realtors. If you missed it, here’s a peek at one of the strategies we covered:
A $10,000 price cut lowers a monthly payment by about $55. A $10,000 seller-paid rate buydown can lower it by $200 or more in the first year. For a buyer stretched on affordability, the buydown wins almost every time.
Here’s the play: instead of countering low, ask the seller to hold the price and put the concession toward a 2-1 buydown. The seller gets their net proceeds. The buyer gets a meaningfully lower payment in the years they need it most. The deal gets done.
Five more classes left this summer. Earn CE credits from your backyard, all free, all on Zoom at 10:30 AM PST. Next up:
- Jul 22: Get Found in AI Search
- Jul 29: Optimizing Your Google Business Profile
- Aug 5: Claude AI Crash Course
- Aug 19: IG Reels for Real Estate
- Aug 26: Top 5 IG Reels & ‘B’ Roll
Register once, join any or all (free) →
Kip’s Bend Picks — Holiday Weekend Edition
Two this week since it’s the 4th of July!
Friday night (July 3): Bend Elks at Vince Genna Stadium. The Friday night game comes with a solid fireworks show right on the field. If you’ve got a relocation buyer in town for the weekend, take them to a game after showings.
Saturday (July 4): Insider scoop 👀 After the pet parade, head over to the Tetherow 4th of July Bash (12–5pm). Most people don’t know about this one. They do a giant slip n’ slide running down the driving range, bounce houses, kids games, BBQ on-site. Not overcrowded at all. Pass this one along to your clients with kids. We’ll be there!
On Call This Weekend
I’m available this weekend, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Text or call 202-329-9187 to get pre-approved.
On Instagram → @mortgageswithkip
Real talk on buying, owning, and building wealth in Bend.
Have a happy and safe Fourth of July!
- Kip