The 2026 summer real estate market is here. This week on Real Estate Today, we break down the latest housing trends, including what&#x27;s driving price changes, inventory shifts and buyer demand this summer, along with what these shifts mean for anyone looking to buy or sell a home.<br>Discover where opportunities are emerging, which real estate strategies are actually working, how to save money on your mortgage and the practical moves you can make right now to achieve your homeownership goals.<br>Guests include Cara Ameer, real estate professional with Coldwell Banker, and Scott Haymore, senior vice president and head of mortgage capital markets at TD Bank.

The Summer 2026 Real Estate Market

Real Estate Today

# Full Transcript

**Podcast:** Real Estate Today

## Transcript

Welcome to Real Estate Today. Hi there, I'm Melissa Tracy and today we're cutting through the headlines to find out what's actually going on in the housing market. You've probably heard it all, mortgage rates are still high, affordability is stretched, and homes are sitting longer than they used to. But what does that really mean for buyers, sellers, or anyone trying to make a move this season? Let's take a vibe check.

In this episode, we're bringing in Coldwell banker, real estate pro, Cara Amir, and mortgage expert, Scott Hamor with TD Bank. They're going to separate signal from noise. We'll break down what's driving today's market shifts, where opportunities are quietly emerging, and what strategies actually work. And yes, even how to save on your mortgage. This is your summer realty check. Less hype, more clarity, and practical moves.

You can make right now. So let's get into it. First, let's bring in Cara Amir, a real estate broker with Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty, licensed in both Florida and California. Cara has her finger on the pulse of housing markets from coast to coast.

And she's here to break down the coast. And she's here to break down the coast. And she's here to break down the latest housing market trends and share what's heating up and what may be starting to cool off in this summer's housing market. Cara, welcome to the show. Thanks so much for having me. So let's focus on the homebuyers first. What are the biggest challenges that they're seeing right now? Affordability, affordability, affordability. And obviously, interest rates are having a huge impact on that.

You know, buyers, even though they may make great money, they may have gotten a raise. You know, just getting enough money for a down payment that makes impact so their mortgage payment isn't so high is certainly a challenge. You know, when you put in the property taxes and now, you know, rising insurance costs, it's really eating in a lot to their, you know, monthly budget and they don't want to be house poor. So that is certainly something that we are continuing to see.

How can we help buyers best move through a market with affordability challenges? Are those catching a lot of buyers off guard and those total costs of ownership? Totally. I mean, I've found with buyers that I've been working with, you know, they're very well qualified. They go to their lender, they start crunching numbers and they're like, wow, they had no idea, especially when they see how much the taxes and the insurance are taking up of that monthly payment. So it certainly is a sticker shock moment for them.

Now in Florida, you know, we've heard a lot about the insurance crisis. And what type of numbers are you seeing? The days of, you know, getting a policy that's maybe, you know, $2,000 is sort of long gone. So it's not unusual, you know, to see things, you know, minimally in the four, five, six, seven, $8,000 range. Cert...

The Summer 2026 Real Estate Market

Transcript

Built for investment professionals

Every day you wait, your competitors are finding
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The Summer 2026 Real Estate Market

Transcript

Built for investment professionals

Every day you wait, your competitors are findingedge in conversations you're not hearing.

Every day you wait, your competitors are finding
edge in conversations you're not hearing.