🎙️ Mullen Monday Market Minute

Week of July 6, 2026

Good morning, everyone! I'm Brad Mullen, Broker/Owner of Mullen Realty Associates, and welcome to this week's Mullen Monday Market Minute—your weekly update on what's happening in the real estate market and what it means for buyers, sellers, and investors here in Schuylkill, Berks, and the surrounding areas.

🏡 Mortgage Rates Continue to Stabilize

The biggest national story this week is that mortgage rates have eased slightly and continue to hold below where they were a year ago.

The average 30-year fixed mortgage is hovering in the mid-6% range, giving buyers a little more breathing room than we've seen over the past several weeks. Even small changes in rates can improve affordability, and we're beginning to see buyers respond. (HousingWire)

The takeaway is simple: buyers are becoming more comfortable with today's interest rate environment instead of waiting indefinitely for rates to return to 3%—because that's unlikely to happen anytime soon.

📈 Buyer Demand Is Holding Strong

Despite higher borrowing costs, buyers haven't disappeared.

Mortgage purchase applications increased again last week, a good indicator that people are continuing to enter the market. Families still need to relocate, first-time buyers still want to build equity, and many homeowners are realizing they can always refinance later if rates come down. (HousingWire)

We're seeing that same trend here locally. Serious buyers are still writing offers—they're simply being more selective than they were a few years ago.

📊 Local Market Stat of the Week: Inventory

The biggest story in our local market continues to be inventory.

Here in our region, we're sitting at approximately 1.9 months of housing inventory.

So what does that actually mean?

If no new homes came on the market starting today, we'd completely sell through every available listing in less than two months based on our current pace of sales.

A balanced real estate market typically has between five and six months of inventory. That's where buyers and sellers have relatively equal negotiating power. (Housing Affordability Institute)

At just 1.9 months of supply, we're still very much in a seller's market.

That's one of the biggest reasons home values have remained resilient despite higher mortgage rates. There simply aren't enough homes available to satisfy buyer demand.

🏠 What This Means for Sellers

This is still a great time to sell—but strategy matters.

Gone are the days of putting a sign in the yard and expecting ten offers over the weekend. Today's buyers are informed, patient, and comparing every home on the market.

Homes that are priced correctly, professionally photographed, and marketed aggressively continue to sell quickly. Overpriced homes, on the other hand, are sitting longer and requiring price reductions before attracting offers.

Preparation and pricing are everything.

🔑 What This Means for Buyers

Don't let interest rates keep you on the sidelines forever.

While everyone hopes rates will continue to decline, the reality is that you're competing in a market with historically low inventory. If rates drop significantly, we could see even more buyers enter the market, creating additional competition.

Remember—you can refinance your mortgage later.

You can't go back and buy the house that someone else purchased today.

📍 Local Perspective

Here in Schuylkill and Berks Counties, we're continuing to see a healthy, active market.

Homes in desirable neighborhoods and school districts continue to attract strong interest, particularly when they're move-in ready and priced appropriately.

The market isn't slowing down—it's becoming more balanced than the frenzy of 2021 and 2022. Buyers are taking a little more time, but they're still making decisions when the right home comes along.

Closing

Whether you're thinking about buying your first home, moving up, downsizing, investing, or you're simply curious what your home might be worth in today's market, my team and I are always here to help.

I'm Brad Mullen, Broker/Owner of Mullen Realty Associates.

Making Memories... One Move at a Time.

Have a fantastic week, and I'll see you next Monday for another edition of the Mullen Monday Market Minute! 🏡