The Real Estate Show

Radio Show Notes 10/22/25 Wednesday:

Read a summary of the show below or

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Main Data Highlights and Key Points from Today’s Show

• Average 30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.23% (Bankrate), marking the fourth straight week of stability and slight decline.
• Top Offers: Currently 0.78% below national average—translating to $2,030 in annual savings on a $340,000 loan.
• Refinance Rate: 6.55%, down 3 basis points week-over-week.
• ARM Activity: Adjustable-Rate Mortgage applications rose 16%, representing 11% of all new applications.
• Purchase Applications: Down 5% week-over-week, but still up 20% year-over-year.
• Refinance Demand: Up 81% from the same week last year—signaling renewed borrower confidence.
• Investor Share of Purchases: Reached 33% of all single-family home sales—the highest in 5 years.
• Investor-Owned Homes: 20% of the nation’s 86 million single-family homes, with smaller investors owning 90% of them.
• Top Investor States: Texas, California, and Florida lead the nation in investor-owned homes.
• Key Takeaway: Clarity and a written plan allow buyers and investors to act decisively, while uncertainty keeps others sidelined.

Radio Show Notes-25.10.22 Wednesday – Breaking Down the Midweek Market Report: Investors Surge, Rates Settle, and Homeowners Win

Breaking Down the Midweek Market Report: Investors Surge, Rates Settle, and Homeowners Win

By Eric Willner, Investor, Coach, and Host of The Real Estate Show, America’s longest running daily radio show about real estate.

Welcome to The Real Estate Show – South Florida’s #1 Real Estate Radio Show and America’s longest running daily radio show about real estate. My name is Eric Willner, known as the Voice of Real Estate and founder of America’s longest running daily radio show about real estate and also creator of The Automatic Landlord System for Owning Cash Flowing Real Estate “Profitably and Hassle-Free”. This show is a virtual real estate seminar in every episode.

This is the “Wednesday Midweek Mortgage & Market Report” Edition of The Real Estate Show. And it’s where we continue to talk about why NOW is the right time to buy real estate, and why, as I laid out on Monday, Clarity and a Plan is How You Overcome Fear in Real Estate.

Everyone is IN Real Estate! Everyone either OWNS IT or is ON IT.

Either you are IN Real Estate because you OWN it. You searched it, negotiated it, closed on it and have the pride of ownership, tax benefits, and long-term appreciation, along with all the other benefits real estate has.
Or, you are ON Real Estate, and either through direct rent payments, or indirectly, through working for an employer who pays the rent of your workplace, you pay those IN Real Estate!

The Bottom Line: For a homeowner who pays off their mortgage, financial freedom means living on a dramatically reduced budget, making their retirement goals much more attainable. For a renter, financial freedom requires successfully investing a much larger nest egg to generate enough cash flow to cover a perpetual, ever-increasing rent payment.

Clarity and a Plan is How You Overcome Fear in Real Estate

Let’s dig in to what I mean by that. Real estate can seem intimidating. First-time homebuyers and even seasoned investors often freeze because they don’t really know the steps, don’t have a written plan, and don’t see the clarity—but that is exactly where fear takes root. When you lack clarity, you imagine worst-case scenarios: What if rates go up? What if I pick the wrong property? What if a market crash comes? What if I end up owning something that drains me instead of profits me?

But when you clarify your goals, map out your plan, and understand the steps from “search and buy” through “own and profit”, you remove the mystery. You transform fear into action. You transform confusion into confidence. And that is what we preach here on The Real Estate Show.

Clarity means you know:

• What your budget is.
• What kind of property you are targeting (owner-occupied, rental, fix-and-flip, long-term hold).
• What your exit strategy will be (hold long term, sell in 5 years, refinance and cash-out).
• What your risk tolerance is.
• What your role is: active landlord, passive investor, partner, etc.

A Plan means you have written steps for each phase:

• Financing (know your credit, down payment, cash reserves).
• Property search (select markets, analyze comps, evaluate income potential).
• Closing and ownership (inspection plan, property management, cost budgeting).
• Cash flow and exit (rent roll, maintenance, appreciation, taxes, future resale).

When you combine clarity + plan, you beat the common trap: “I’ll wait until everything is perfect.” Because nothing is perfect. But when you are equipped with clarity and a plan, you act with confidence—and that puts you in the driver’s seat.

Now, let’s ask three current, newsworthy, market-related and thought-provoking real estate investing questions, all tied to today’s theme of Clarity and a Plan is How You Overcome Fear in Real Estate.

1. Did you know that mortgage rates have held steady and even edged slightly lower recently—so if you’re waiting for a dramatic rate drop, you may be losing time and opportunity?
2. Did you know that inventory is beginning to shift in certain markets, giving buyers more negotiating power—but only if they are ready and have their plan in place?
3. Did you know that institutional investors are increasing their share of single-family home purchases—which means less competition for you in some segments—but also signals bigger players are seeing opportunity too, so you must be clear and act timely?

Each of those questions ties directly into the concept of clarity and planning: Are you aware of the current conditions? Do you have a plan to act when opportunities present themselves? Or will fear and indecision cause you to miss out?

Today’s show is about: Clarity and a Plan is How You Overcome Fear in Real Estate – and how very important knowing how that works is to a plan that leads to success in real estate.

Before we get into the meat of the show, let me remind you of this week’s special FREE Workshops:

1. 1st and 3rd Tuesdays 8 pm – Path To Home Ownership Introduction – Online by Invitation. Text Path to 561-861-2366.
   Do finances challenge you? Most people say YES!! So HERE is The Financial Edge. It’s the education and knowledge that moves the needle. We are your Financial Team. Let’s talk about it… Join us every Wednesday Night at 8 pm Eastern by texting Edge to 561-861-2366.

We believe in a 3-pronged approach:

• I believe everyone should buy a house – Be a Homeowner.
• I believe everyone should have that house in Financial Order with a WRITTEN Financial/Life Plan.
• I believe everyone should own a business that pays them AND gives them Tax Benefits – The Financial Edge. We can be Your Financial Team. Let’s talk about it.
1. Every Wednesday night 8:30 pm – Financial Edge Academy “101 Overview” – Online by Invitation. Text Edge to 561-861-2366.

Here are the top trending topics for today’s update:

From the recent article on national mortgage rates: “The average rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages dipped to 6.23 % this week…”. According to Bankrate, this marks four weeks in a row of stable rates with small declines. On a $340,000 30-year loan, that translates to about $2,030 in annual savings compared to the national average.

The article also notes: “While mortgage rates have been stable, conflicting economic signals have complicated the longer-term outlook. Hiring has slowed even as inflation holds above the Federal Reserve’s official target of 2 percent.”

And: “Whether you need a mortgage now or plan to get one in the next year or two, it’s crucial to compare offers.”

So those are the big talking points: stable but higher rates relative to a few years back, economic signals mixed, and the imperative to act with clarity if you’re purchasing or refinancing.

Let’s dive into the first article for a 15-minute summary and analysis (in my voice) explaining why it relates to the theme and why this is the reason to own a home now.

Headline: “Refinance demand is 81% higher than it was a year ago, thanks to falling mortgage rates”

Key Points:
• The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances (≤ $806,500) decreased last week to 6.37% from 6.42%.
• ARM applications increased 16% over the week, pushing the ARM share to 11%.
• Applications for a mortgage to purchase a home dropped 5% for the week.

Okay—let’s break that down:

So the rate drop: from 6.42% to 6.37%—a modest move, but it signals movement. If you’re looking to refinance, that matters. But note: purchase applications dropped 5% for the week—so while rates are down slightly, behavior is still cautious.

The increase in ARM (adjustable-rate mortgage) applications by 16% to 11% share signals that people are looking for alternate routes—they’re probing, shopping, seeking something different to make the numbers work.

Now why does this tie into Clarity and a Plan and reinforce the case for owning a home now? Because when rates dip—even slightly—you don’t want to be frozen. If you have clarity (you know your goals) and a plan (you know your financing strategy and purchase timeline), you can act. You won’t be caught waiting for some magic rate or perfect moment. Because often, that perfect moment passes you by.

And you want to own now because the window is open, not always huge, but open. You see the refinance demand spiking—it shows owners are taking advantage. If you’re competing for properties, the lower rate environment helps enable your ownership plan.

From an investor perspective, owning a home—or rental property—secures the fixed cost of housing, versus being on the lease-side paying someone else’s mortgage. When you own, you’re no longer at the mercy of rising rent or someone else’s decision. You have control.

And with clarity and planning you understand that today’s rate is part of the plan. You get pre-qualified, you lock in your property search, you get your team in place, you know your numbers. That way the rate drop becomes the accelerating force for your plan, not just a number you watch and worry about.

So bottom line: this article shows the environment is shifting. You don’t need a massive drop to move; you just need to be ready. And being ready—having clarity and a plan—is what separates those who act from those who second-guess forever.

And that is exactly the reason to own a home now: you exercise the option while the environment supports it and you shift from being “on real estate” (paying rent) to “in real estate” (owning, building equity, capturing tax benefits, appreciation).

You can still check it and more out at AutomaticLandlord.com.

Next Article:

Headline: “Investors are making up the highest share of homebuyers in 5 years”

Key Points:
• Real estate investors, both individual and institutional, bought one-third of all single-family residential properties sold in the second quarter of 2025.
• That is an increase from 27% in the first quarter, and the highest percentage in the last five years, according to a report from CJ?Patrick?Co., using numbers from BatchData.
• Institutional investors are selling more homes than they buy and have been for six consecutive quarters.

Now in my voice: Real estate investors, both individual and institutional, bought one-third of all single-family residential properties sold in the second quarter of 2025. That is an increase from 27% in the first quarter, and the highest percentage in the last five years, according to a report from CJ Patrick Co., using numbers from BatchData. Investors accounted for 25.7% of residential home sales in 2024.

While the share of sales is higher, the raw numbers are lower. Investors in the second quarter of this year bought 16,000 fewer homes than a year ago, but overall home sales were much weaker this year than last year. That accounts for the gain in the investor share. Investors continue to own about 20% of the 86 million single-family homes in the country.

“While investors purchased more homes than they sold in the second quarter, they did sell over 104,000 homes, with 45% of those sales going to traditional homebuyers,” said Ivo Draginov, co-founder and chief innovation officer at BatchData. “So in addition to the important role investors continue to play providing necessary liquidity to a weak home sales market, they’re also bringing much-needed inventory – both rental properties, and homes for owner-occupants – to the market.”

While large institutional investors continue to get most of the headlines in the single-family rental space, small investors account for more than 90% of the market. These are individuals owning 10 properties or less. The largest investors, those with 1,000 or more properties, make up just 2% of all investor-owned homes.

Unlike individuals, institutional investors are now selling more homes than they buy and have been for six consecutive quarters. The nation’s largest landlords, such as Invitation?Homes, Progress?Residential, American?Homes?4?Rent and FirstKey?Homes all sold more homes in the third quarter of this year than they purchased, according to an analysis from Parcl?Labs.

“They’re not exiting the space, just diverting capital into build-to-rent communities. But this shift means less competition for small investors and traditional homebuyers, while also adding more rental supply, which is needed in today’s market where younger adults often opt to rent since they can’t afford to buy a home,” said Rick Sharga, founder and CEO of CJ Patrick Co.

Looking regionally, Texas, California and Florida have the highest number of investor-owned homes. This is largely because they are also the most populous states. The states with the highest percentage of investor-owned homes are Hawaii, Alaska, Montana and Maine. These are also heavy tourism states.

Investors have always focused on lower-priced homes because those can offer the best profits in resale years later. In the second quarter of this year, investors paid an average of $455,481 per home — well below the national average price of $512,800, according to the CJ Patrick report. It was, however, the highest average investor price in the past six quarters, since home prices overall continue to climb. Investor homes are typically either smaller or in less expensive housing markets. Large investors bought even cheaper homes than the overall pool, with their average purchase price at $279,889. Their average sale price was $334,787. Institutional investors are concentrated most in the Midwest and South, where prices are below the national average.

Why this relates to today’s theme and why this is the reason to own a home now: Because seeing investors actively participating in the market sends a strong signal. These are smart players. They’re not paralyzed by fear—they have clarity and a plan. They’re buying properties, deploying capital, knowing their returns, owning for cash flow or appreciation. You may say, “Eric, that seems intimidating—us regular people versus big investors.” But here’s the key: the same rules apply for you. You can get clear about what you’re doing, you can make your plan, and you can act—because there’s room for homebuyers, not just investors.

When you own a home, you flip the scenario: you are the owner, not the rent-payer. And when investors are buying, it often means landlords are locking in properties, which can lead to more rental supply (which can moderate rent growth) and therefore better positioning for you as a homeowner or a small investor to step in.

So, the takeaway: Don’t wait for “no competition” or “perfect timing”. Instead, get your clarity, build your plan, and move while you can. Because ownership brings long-term advantages: tax benefits, appreciation, forced savings (via mortgage amortization), and long-term stability.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

Stay tuned, folks — we’ll be right back on The Real Estate Show with your Midweek Mortgage & Market Report.
[Text the word “EDGE” to 561-861-2366 to join our Wednesday Financial Edge Academy and give your real estate plan the power it deserves.]
We’ll dive deeper on strategies and more in just a moment.

(Second half of the show)

Welcome back to The Real Estate Show! If you’re just tuning in, we’re talking Wednesday Midweek Mortgage & Market Report, and focusing on how Clarity and a Plan is how you overcome fear in real estate.

Let’s continue to explore how the market conditions, the mortgage trends, and the investor activity tie into your journey toward owning and investing in real estate.

One of the big themes we talk about: If you’re waiting for everything to line up perfectly, you could be missing the boat. The market rarely gives you perfection—you give yourself the clarity and build your plan so you can step in when conditions are favorable.

For example, the mortgage rate environment we referenced: rates are hovering in the mid-6% range for 30-year fixed mortgages. According to the data from Freddie Mac and TradingEconomics, the average 30-year fixed rate has been around 6.27% as of October 16, 2025. Rates eased slightly from prior weeks. That means a qualified buyer today could lock in at or near that level, and if rates continue to drop—or if inflation moderates—that structure could pay off.

Also, as other analysis points out, there is hope for further rate declines, but it's not guaranteed. So you don’t want to wait for maybe 5% or 4% because you may watch while home prices rise, competition increases, rates might go up, etc. The plan is: get pre-qualified, have a target price range, have your property criteria set, and be ready to act.

Another piece: inventory and local market dynamics. We’re seeing that in many markets the red-hot frenzy of 2020-21 has cooled, negotiability is improving, the buyer has more options—but you must be ready. Clarity and plan here means you have your financing lined up, you’ve done your homework on neighborhoods, you know your exit strategy, you’re ready to move quickly. Because if you’re not ready, other buyers or investors will leap in.

And speaking of investors, yes—those investor stats I mentioned earlier show that investors are still active. That means two things: first, there is demand for housing (which helps hold up values and rental demand). Second, you want to move from “just dreaming about owning real estate” to making decisions, because the competition may not be gone, but if you’re prepared you’ll be ahead of the ones who wait.

Let me share a practical step-by-step for you to build your clarity + plan framework:

1. Define your goal – Are you buying your own home? Are you buying a rental property? Are you building a portfolio? What is your timeframe, cash-on-cash return target, or cash flow objective?
2. Check your financing – Get pre-qualified. Understand your credit, your debt-to-income, your down payment, your closing cost budget. Know what you can comfortably afford and what you want your payment (or property income) to be.
3. Target markets & property types – In your plan, pick the geography, property class, and niche you are comfortable with (e.g., single-family home in South Florida, condo for rental, multi-family unit, out-of-state rental).
4. Run your numbers – For purchase: purchase price, closing costs, loan amount, payment, property taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, capital expenditures. For rental: rent amount, vacancy factor, operating expenses, management costs, reserves. You should be comfortable with the worst-case scenario, and see if your plan handles it.
5. Execute your acquisition plan – Have your team (agent, lender, property manager, inspector) lined up. Have your offer criteria ready. Have your decision-matrix: if property meets X, Y, Z metrics you buy; if not, you move on.
6. Ownership & growth plan – After acquisition, have your property management system, accounting system, review cycle. For rental, track cash flow, tax implications, long-term hold strategy or exit in 5-10 years. For owner-occupied, track equity growth, refinance options, tax benefits.
7. Review, adjust, repeat – Markets evolve. Your plan doesn’t end at closing. Every year you revisit your goals, your asset performance, your financing and market conditions. Then you plan your next purchase or upgrade accordingly.

This clear structure transforms fear into action. Because indecision comes from lack of structure or waiting for perfection. You overcome that with clarity and plan.

Now let’s tie in the remaining piece: why you should own a home now. We’ve established the numbers are favorable: relatively stable mid-6% mortgage rates, some easing; rising investor activity showing confidence in the housing asset class; and inventory shifting to give you more potential leverage.

Owning a home right now means you lock in a mortgage payment (for 30 years) and you benefit from equity growth, tax deductions (if applicable), and forced savings via amortization. You’re no longer paying rent which is someone else’s mortgage payment. You’re paying your own mortgage. You’re building wealth.

Compared to renting: Rent may seem flexible today, but long-term rent is subject to market increases. You don’t have tax deductions (in many cases) and you are at the mercy of the landlord. Owning gives you control. And purchasing while your plan is ready means you overcome the fear of “what if I waited and rates drop further” by recognizing that having clarity + plan outweighs the uncertain timing.

Think of it like this: In life, “just wait” is usually the enemy of “just do”. You don’t want to wait for perfection. You want to posture yourself, have your plan, move when conditions permit—and today they do.

Before we wrap up, a reminder: If you’re ready to dig deeper, text EDGE to 561-861-2366 right now and join the Wednesday Financial Edge Academy — get the education, the team, the support for your plan.

Conclusion

Thank you so much for listening to today’s Wednesday Midweek Mortgage & Market Report edition of The Real Estate Show. I’m Eric Willner, your host—the Voice of Real Estate. Remember: this show is a literal seminar in every episode. You’re not just listening—you’re learning, gearing up, acting.

Don’t just tune in—use the show to get started in real estate investing or homeownership. Whether you’re buying your first home, adding a rental property, or scaling your portfolio, clarity and a plan are your keys.

Tune in again tomorrow for our “ATM Edition – About The Money,” where we’ll talk financing strategies, cash flow, investment structures, and how to position money for real estate success.

And please—share this show with others who should own real estate, who need that clarity and a plan to overcome fear and move into action. Because everyone is IN real estate—either owning it or paying someone who does. Make the choice to own.

See you tomorrow. Stay focused. Stay in action. And let’s build real estate success together.