- Real Estate Roundup
- Posts
- Cash Cool-Off
Cash Cool-Off
Cash buying hits a 5-year low
#126
WELCOME
The buyer’s market is back. The flowers may not yet be in bloom, but it’s already shaping up to be a buyer’s spring—in markets you wouldn’t expect to make the major metros list. Not surprisingly, Sunbelt States top the charts in terms of availability and affordability, but Austin, New York, Nashville, and Denver are also showing signs of swinging from sellers to buyers.
With buyers back in the driver’s seat, 2026 is beginning to look a lot like 2024.
If you’re a fan of Glennda’s Guru, don’t miss this 30-minute Q&A-driven workshop by the real estate powerhouse Glennda Baker herself. In it, she compares market pace in Atlanta vs LA, New York, and Texas, plus how pacing impacts the sales strategies that actually work in your market. She also covers co-listing (when to share and when to skip), how to negotiate your commission with on-the-fence clients, and what every agent should include in their case studies. If you’re ready for a deeper take on the agent strategies successful players are using right now, tap to watch and listen.
TRACK THE MARKET: Cash cools to a 5-year low
All-cash home purchases ended 2025 at a national five-year low, dropping significantly from a recent spike in 2023, and slowing the most in West Coast states. Cash buying peaked at almost 35% in 2023, in part because 7%+ mortgage rates made taking out a loan too expensive for buyers who had the ability to pay cash. Now, with rates hovering around 6%, buyers are back to holding their cash and opting for financing—especially Seattle, Oakland, and Sacramento.
By the numbers:
In December 2025, 29% of U.S. homebuyers paid all cash, down from 30.3% a year earlier and the lowest December share since 2020.
Around 14.4% of mortgaged buyers used low down payment FHA loans to save cash, down from 15.1% a year ago and the lowest December share in four years.
Over 78.6% of buyers who used financing opted for conventional loans, slightly up from 78.2% last year and the highest December share since 2021.
DIVE IN
The Friday Five
📖 Buyer back-outs. The markets where buyers aren’t going through with the deal.
👀 “The Rock” relocates. See inside Dwayne Johnson’s picturesque equestrian estate, just sold for $6.1M.
👀 Luxury in Lagos. Join Josh Flagg for a quick tour of the Lagos marina that just might turn him into a boat person.
💡Just say “no.” The secret to boosting your real estate income without taking on more work is one simple word.
💡Love losing. Ryan Serhant’s refreshing take on looking for the losses—and finding sales success.
WHAT’S NEW FROM ESTATE MEDIA
Celebrities cash out
In celebrity ultra-luxe real estate news, some of the biggest names on screen and in business are cashing out on their massive mansions. Billionaire Bill Koch just sold his Cape Cod home for $20M. Johnny Carson’s former Bel-Air mansion—complete with 6 bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, and immaculate landscaping—is on the market for nearly $40M. And the musician Blackbear is now selling his nearly new-build, a stylish and moody Encino mansion that just underwent a massive renovation by celebrity designer Kishani Perera.
See inside the dreamy and the dated in the latest House of Celebs with host Scott.
FEATURED LUXURY LISTING
TIPS & TAKEAWAYS
Testing the rent-to-own theory
Rent-to-own properties have been making headlines lately—but are they as profitable as backers like Jay-Z and Will Smith seem to think? According to The Playbook, it depends. Before you start looking for properties you can reposition, read the “rent-to-own” reality check from real investors who tried the strategy here.
HANGS & HAPPENINGS
REMAX R4 Conference | Las Vegas, NV | February 22 - 25, 2026
This year’s flagship event for business growth and international networking features a standout roster of speakers, led by #1 New York Times bestselling author James Clear.
The Gathering by HousingWire | Austin, TX | April 27 - 30, 2026
This event for mortgage professionals, brokerage leaders, and investors connects you with some of the most powerful and prominent executives in the housing industry. Hear from experts on housing policy, real estate solutions, affordability opportunities, investments, and more.
Inman Luxury Connect | San Diego, CA | July 27 - 28, 2026
The industry’s premier event for elite agents and brokers in the luxury space hosts immersive discussions, interactive workshops, top-tier networking events, and a roster of speakers including James Harris, Jason Oppenheim, and Jade Mills.
Before we go…
ESTATE RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
📣WANT TO REACH 100K+ REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS RIGHT IN THEIR INBOX?
Promote your brand with Real Estate Roundup and get noticed by the leading professionals in the real estate industry. Our subscribers include high-income decision-makers, investors, and key players in the real estate sector. For more information, please email [email protected].