Friday Pulse · August 7, 2026
Happy Friday Y’all! Here’s your 4-minute Real Estate cheat sheet for the weekend. 😊
Loan Tip from Uncle Kip
Every agent has a graveyard of buyers who tapped out between March and June. Most of them have no idea the market shifted underneath them: more inventory, longer days on market, sellers actually negotiating.
This week, do yourself a favor and COPY THIS SCRIPT and text every one of those buyers today:
PART 1
“Hi [First Name], it’s [Agent Name]. You crossed my mind this week because the market has changed a lot since we were looking together.
There are meaningfully more homes available now, they’re staying on the market longer, and sellers are negotiating in ways they simply weren’t this spring. Credits, repairs, even help with your interest rate are all on the table again.
No pressure at all, but if the spring market is what pushed you to pause, this is a very different environment. Want me to send you a few homes that fit what you were looking for, so you can see the difference yourself?”
PART 2(after they text back)
- Acknowledge why they stepped back first. “You were right to be frustrated in April, it was brutal.” Validation before pitch.
- Name the three shifts: more homes to choose from, more time to decide, and sellers offering concessions instead of demanding waived contingencies.
- Reset the money conversation early: “Rates have settled, and a lot has changed on the financing side too. My lender can re-run your numbers in a day so we know exactly where you stand now.” Pre-approvals from spring are stale, and that’s the lender handoff.
- Soft next step only: “Want me to set you up with a fresh search? Zero commitment, just so you can watch the market with current eyes.”
PRO TIP: Pull 10 names from your dead-lead folder and send Part 1 today. Every reply is a stale pre-approval that needs refreshing, which could make for a very strong 4th quarter for you.
Open House Tip
Balloons, Balloons and MORE Balloons. This is a simple one this week, but packs a punch. Tying Balloons to the OPEN HOUSE sign in front of the home really does help drive traffic. It helps people who may not necessarily see the sign notice it well in advance and draws their attention. A low cost add-on for a high ROI.
Kip’s Bend Pick
THIS WEEKEND - Sunriver ART FAIR – August 7th-9th @ The Village in Sunriver. Ranked as one of the best smalltown art fairs in the country, the Sunriver Art Fair features 90 booths of fine arts and craft, set amidst the boutiques, cafes and children’s attractions at the Village at Sunriver.
sunriverwomensclub.org/sraf-home
UPCOMING - HOT PIPES MOTORCYCLE SHOW, August 15th @ Volcanic Theatre Pub. Hot Pipes Motorcycle Show is a family friendly celebration of custom bikes, music, and art held in Bend, Oregon.
Rate Read
The 30-year fixed conventional held at 6.77% this week, flat from last Friday, but that flat line is sitting at a one-year high. Rates have gone quiet waiting on the monthly jobs report, the release that tends to move rates the most. A soft number pulls them down a notch; a strong one keeps them pinned at the highs.
What this means for you: If you’ve got a buyer sitting right at the top of their pre-approval, it’s worth a quick check-in before they head out to tour. Seller credit might make a tight situation very comfortable.
Market Analysis
Bend’s at a $728K single-family median with 530 homes on the market, about 3.5 months of supply, still roughly balanced. With rates at a one-year high, the buyer pool is thinner and more payment-sensitive than it was in spring. Priced-right homes are still going pending in about three weeks; the ambitious prices are the ones sitting.
Why this matters: Taking a listing this weekend? Price at the comp on day one. A cut three weeks in lands in front of a smaller, more rate-sensitive crowd.
Kip’s CE Summer Camp: This Summer’s Free Classes
A couple of free CE classes left this summer, all live on Zoom at 10:30 AM PST. Register once for any or all:
- Aug 19: IG Reels for Real Estate
- Aug 26: Top 5 IG Reels & ‘B’ Roll
On Call This Weekend
I’m around Saturday and Sunday. Text or call 202-329-9187 to get someone pre-approved. Send me anyone you’re not sure about and I’ll run the numbers, no commitment.
On Instagram → @mortgageswithkip
Real talk on buying, owning, and building wealth in Bend.
Best of Luck this Weekend!
— Kip