Friday Pulse · July 31, 2026
Happy Friday Y'all! Here's your 4-minute real estate cheat sheet for the weekend. 😊
Open House Script
“Where are you traveling from to be here today?” or “Where did you travel from to be here today?”
Why does this opening line work? Their answer gives you so much context: It’s a nosy neighbor, someone who’s made a commute to be here, etc. It’s not just a question. It’s an opportunity to build yourself a set of chess moves to get you towards a predetermined outcome. Let them walk around the house, but before they do…tell them, “Make sure you check out the x,y,z while you’re upstairs.”
Ok, now when they come back down, here’s your next question: “What did you like about the house?” (Be in control of the conversation) They will then likely tell you the truth and tell you all the things they DIDN’T LIKE about the house, because that’s what people do.
Now here comes the most important part: Ask them “Who’s Your Real Estate Agent?” Don’t ask if they have a realtor. Don’t ask a Yes or No question right there. Ask them, “Who’s Your Real Estate Agent?” 😊
Kip’s Bend Pick
Deschutes County Fair & Rodeo: A local favorite - Located just north in Redmond at the fairgrounds, running through Sunday with carnival rides, rodeo action, and live entertainment. July 29th-Aug 2nd
The family and I especially love the Animal Barns. 😊
PRO TIP: If you have an elderly person who needs a break, designate them to save your seats in the Rodeo. They get to rest from the heat and you get prime viewing. Thanks Grandma & Grandpa!
Answer: Because he wanted to get a long little doggy.
Rate Read
30-year fixed is at 6.77% this week, basically flat day to day but the highest we've seen in about a year. The Fed held steady at its meeting Wednesday and signaled it's more worried about inflation than about cutting, so the market stopped betting on rates dropping any time soon.
What this means for you: The climb since early July adds roughly $50 to $65 a month for a buyer near the top of their range, and trims $10K to $12K off what the same payment buys. Anyone who got pre-approved in the last 4 months and then went quiet is worth a quick nudge before you show them another home. Their ceiling moved, and it's better to hear that now, before you show them 10 homes this weekend.
Market Analysis
Bend's at 530 active listings and 3.5 months of supply, still balanced on paper, but with rates at a one-year high the buyer pool is thinner at every price point. June's single-family median landed at $728K. Make your listing appointments a pricing-discipline talk: priced right, homes are still going pending in about three weeks; priced high, the cut three weeks later lands in front of a smaller, more rate-sensitive crowd. The first two weeks of traffic are the whole ballgame.
Why is this important? If you haven’t studied up yet on Seller Concessions or Temporary Buydowns – give me a call. This can bring a deal back from the dead.
Summer CE with Kip — What's Left
Three free CE classes left this summer, all live on Zoom at 10:30 AM PST. Register once for any or all:
- Aug 5 — Claude AI Crash Course: the AI tool that saves agents hours a week.
- Aug 19 — IG Reels for Real Estate: hooks and scripts that book appointments.
- Aug 26 — Top 5 IG Reels & B-Roll: your best five reels, and how to shoot scroll-stopping B-roll.
Free, CE credit included.
On Call This Weekend
I'm around Saturday and Sunday. Text or call 202-329-9187 to get someone pre-approved. And if you've got a deal that fell apart on financing, send it my way, it might be salvageable.
On Instagram → @mortgageswithkip
Real talk on buying, owning, and building wealth in Bend. REEL of the WEEK: “Ask for this, Not This”
As promised, all you need in under 4 minutes. 😊
Best of Luck this Weekend!
— Kip