<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:g-custom="http://base.google.com/cns/1.0" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" version="2.0">
  <channel>
    <title>Alexa’s Journal | Pocono Real Estate &amp; Local Insights</title>
    <link>https://www.alexa.realtor</link>
    <description>Real estate market insights, buyer and seller guidance, investing, relocation, veterans, and life in the Pocono Mountains from Pennsylvania Realtor Alexa Sanchez.</description>
    <atom:link href="https://www.alexa.realtor/feed/rss2" type="application/rss+xml" rel="self" />
    <image>
      <title>Alexa’s Journal | Pocono Real Estate &amp; Local Insights</title>
      <url>https://irp.cdn-website.com/4bb1cac3/dms3rep/multi/Doug-logo-light-blue.png</url>
      <link>https://www.alexa.realtor</link>
    </image>
    <item>
      <title>Pocono Home Prices Are Up. So Why Are Sellers Walking Away With Less?</title>
      <link>https://www.alexa.realtor/pocono-home-prices-are-up-so-why-are-sellers-walking-away-with-less</link>
      <description />
      <content:encoded>&lt;div data-rss-type="text"&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h1&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
          The Pocono Ledger | October 18, 2026
         &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h1&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h3&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h3&gt;&#xD;
&lt;/div&gt;&#xD;
&lt;div&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/4bb1cac3/dms3rep/multi/Watercolor+Pocono+Real+Estate+Sunset.png" alt=""/&gt;&#xD;
&lt;/div&gt;&#xD;
&lt;div data-rss-type="text"&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Monroe County housing news, local developments, and a little real estate common sense.  If you've been watching home prices in the Poconos, September's numbers might make you smile.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
           The median home sale price in Monroe County reached
          &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
          $339,500
         &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          , up 1.3% from last year.  Not bad, right?
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Well, before you start calculating how much your house has appreciated, there's another number I want you to see.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
          Sellers received just 93.4% of their original asking price.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          That's the lowest monthly figure in the past two years of the market report.  Here's what that looks like in dollars.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          A home originally listed at $350,000 would sell for approximately $326,900 if it followed that percentage.  That's a $23,100 difference.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Now, that doesn't mean every homeowner is losing $23,000. But it tells us something important about today's market.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
          Buyers aren't necessarily paying what sellers think their homes are worth.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          And that gap is getting wider.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h2&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
          The Pocono Housing Market in Five Numbers
         &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h2&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Here's what happened in Monroe County during September 2026:
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Market indicatorSeptember 2026Median home sale price$339,500Homes available for sale905Homes that went under contract200Average time to find a buyer58 daysOriginal asking price received93.4%
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Compared with September 2025, available homes increased 3.1%, while pending sales dropped 14.2%.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Completed sales fell nearly 21%.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          In plain English, more homes are competing for fewer buyers.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          And that's something sellers need to take seriously.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h2&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
          Sellers: Your Competition Just Got Bigger
         &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h2&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Remember when a house could hit the market on Friday and have multiple offers by Sunday?
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Those days aren't necessarily the norm anymore.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Buyers have more properties to choose from, and they're taking more time to compare them.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          They're looking at the kitchen, the roof, the property taxes, the condition, and, of course, the price.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          They're also looking at the house down the street.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          That means your property isn't competing against what your neighbor sold for last spring.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
          It's competing against what buyers can purchase today.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          And here's where some sellers get themselves into trouble.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          They start with an ambitious asking price, thinking they can always reduce it later.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Technically, they can.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          But every week a home sits without serious interest can make the next buyer wonder what's wrong with it.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Sometimes the problem isn't the house.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          It's simply the price.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h2&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
          A Higher Asking Price Doesn't Always Mean More Money
         &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h2&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          This is probably the most important takeaway from September's report.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Sellers received 93.4% of their original asking price, down from 95.7% in August.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          That percentage includes price reductions made after the property was listed.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          And it doesn't include seller concessions, such as contributions toward a buyer's closing costs.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          So the difference between what a seller originally hoped to receive and what they ultimately take home can be even greater.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Here's something I encourage every homeowner to remember:
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
          The goal isn't to have the highest asking price in the neighborhood. It's to walk away with the best possible outcome.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          That means understanding your competition, pricing strategically, and knowing your estimated proceeds before accepting an offer.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Your home's value is important.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          But your equity is what you're trying to protect.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h2&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
          Should You Lower the Price or Offer a Buyer an Incentive?
         &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h2&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Not every slow-moving listing needs an immediate price reduction.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Sometimes a seller credit toward closing costs or a mortgage-rate buydown can make a property more attractive.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
           With the average 30-year mortgage rate at
          &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
          7.40% as of October 15
         &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          , monthly payments remain a concern for many buyers.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          For example, reducing a $350,000 purchase price by $10,000 saves a buyer putting 20% down roughly $55 per month in principal and interest.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Depending on the buyer's financing, a $10,000 seller credit might provide a different benefit.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          But here's the catch.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Not every buyer can use the same concessions, and lenders have rules about how those credits are applied.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          The right strategy depends on the buyer, the financing, and what the seller nets at closing.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          It's worth comparing the options before automatically cutting the price.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h2&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
          Around the Poconos: What's Happening in Bartonsville?
         &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h2&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          If you own property near Interstate 80, here's a local development worth watching.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          PennDOT is planning improvements along approximately five miles of I-80 through Hamilton, Pocono, and Stroud townships, including the Bartonsville interchange with Route 33.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
           A public plans display is scheduled for
          &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
          Tuesday, October 20
         &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          , at Northampton Community College's Pocono Campus in Tannersville.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Why should homeowners care?
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Because future construction can raise questions about traffic, access, noise, and how convenient a location may be during the project.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Does that automatically mean nearby home values will change?
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          No.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          But if you're considering selling in the next year or two, understanding the plans now could help you answer questions from prospective buyers later.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          And I'd rather have actual information from PennDOT than rely on whatever the neighborhood Facebook group is saying.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h2&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          A Quick Word for Buyers and Investors
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h2&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Buyers may have more negotiating room than they did last year, particularly with properties that have been sitting on the market.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          But a well-priced, well-maintained home can still attract serious interest.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          If you're financing a purchase, compare lender quotes and consider whether a seller concession might help more than a small price reduction.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          For investors looking at Pocono short-term rentals, remember that projected income isn't guaranteed income.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Check township regulations, actual rental history, operating expenses, and property taxes before making an offer.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          A pretty cabin and an impressive rental projection don't automatically make a good investment.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h2&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
          Alexa's Take: The Market Isn't Crashing. It's Getting Pickier.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h2&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Here's what September's numbers tell me.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Home prices are still higher than they were a year ago.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          That's good news for homeowners.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          But fewer buyers are signing contracts, more properties are available, and sellers are accepting less of their original asking prices.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          That doesn't mean you missed your opportunity to sell.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          It means the strategy matters.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          If you're thinking about listing your home, don't start with the number you hope someone will pay.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Start with what comparable homes are actually selling for, what buyers can choose from today, and how much you need to walk away with.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
          Because selling a home isn't about winning the asking-price contest. It's about getting to the closing table with the best possible outcome.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          And that's what I'll be watching as we head further into the fall market.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Until next week,
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
          Alexa Sanchez, REALTOR®
         &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h3&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Wondering What Your Pocono Home Is Worth Today?
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h3&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Whether you're thinking about selling this fall, next spring, or you're simply curious, let's look at what your property could realistically command in today's market.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
           ﻿
          &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
          Text or DM me VALUE
         &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
           for a private, one-on-one home value review based on your property's location, condition, and current competition.
          &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          No automated guesswork. Just a local conversation about your home's value.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h3&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Sources &amp;amp; Market Notes
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h3&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Pocono Mountains Association of REALTORS®, September 2026 Monthly Indicators, data current October 9, 2026; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, October 15, 2026; PennDOT Interstate 80 Bartonsville Project.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Market figures reflect the cited reporting periods. The 93.4% figure compares sale prices with original asking prices across reported transactions; it is not a prediction for any individual home. Mortgage payment examples exclude taxes, insurance, and other applicable costs.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
&lt;/div&gt;</content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Mon, 02 Nov 2026 04:01:11 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://www.alexa.realtor/pocono-home-prices-are-up-so-why-are-sellers-walking-away-with-less</guid>
      <g-custom:tags type="string" />
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>A $400,000 Offer Isn't Always a $400,000 Deal</title>
      <link>https://www.alexa.realtor/seller-credit-or-price-cut-what-pocono-sellers-need-to-know</link>
      <description />
      <content:encoded>&lt;div data-rss-type="text"&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h3&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
          The Pocono Ledger | November 2, 2026
         &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h3&gt;&#xD;
&lt;/div&gt;&#xD;
&lt;div&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/4bb1cac3/dms3rep/multi/Autumn+Lakeside+Seller+Credit+or+Price+Cut.png" alt="The Pocono Ledger real estate graphic: seller credit or price cut beside calculator, house, and for-sale sign"/&gt;&#xD;
&lt;/div&gt;&#xD;
&lt;div data-rss-type="text"&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Imagine getting a $400,000 offer on your Pocono home. You're ready to celebrate until you notice the buyer wants $10,000 toward closing costs.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Well, that's a plot twist.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
           Seller credits aren't necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes they're exactly what gets a deal across the finish line. But before you start handing out money, there's something you should know:
          &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
          the buyer's mortgage gets a vote, too.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Under Fannie Mae's conventional loan guidelines, seller contributions for investment properties are generally capped at 2%. On a $400,000 property, that's $8,000, assuming the appraisal supports the price.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          So that $10,000 request? The extra $2,000 exceeds the limit and can create a financing problem.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          For primary residences and second homes, the limits are different, ranging from 3% to 9%, depending on the loan-to-value ratio.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          That's why I don't recommend agreeing to a seller credit without understanding the buyer's financing first.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          And this conversation is particularly relevant in Monroe County right now.  According to the Pocono Mountains Association of Realtors, September's median sales price was $339,500, up 1.3% from a year earlier. But sellers received an average of just 93.4% of their original asking prices.  Translation? Home prices haven't fallen off a cliff, but buyers aren't necessarily paying what sellers hoped they'd get.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          There's another detail those sales figures don't show: seller concessions.  A home can close at $400,000 while the seller contributes $8,000 toward the buyer's costs. The recorded sale price still says $400,000. The seller's bank account tells a slightly different story.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Meanwhile, Freddie Mac reported that the average 30-year mortgage rate dipped to 7.24% on October 29. That's welcome news, but hardly a return to bargain-basement borrowing.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Buyers are still watching their monthly payments, and sellers are looking for ways to keep deals together. That's where credits can be useful.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
           But here's where I draw the line:
          &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
          Don't negotiate based on how good the offer looks. Negotiate based on what you'll actually keep.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          A $392,000 offer without concessions might be worth comparing with a $400,000 offer that includes an $8,000 credit. Once you factor in closing expenses, financing, and appraisal risk, the better offer isn't always the one with the bigger number.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
          The Pocono market isn't falling apart. It's simply asking sellers to be a little more strategic.  And frankly, that's not a bad thing.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Before you celebrate the number on the contract, make sure you've done the math on the number you'll take home.
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
           Thinking about selling in Monroe County? Let's look at what your property could realistically sell for and what you'd actually walk away with. Text or DM
          &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
          VALUE
         &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          .
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
           ﻿
          &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
          Alexa Sanchez, REALTOR® | Smart Way America Realty
         &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
      
          PA License #RS326383
          &#xD;
      &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
      
          (570) 688-8147 |
         &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;a href="mailto:Alexa@alexasanchez.net" target="_blank"&gt;&#xD;
      
          Alexa@alexasanchez.net
         &#xD;
    &lt;/a&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
          Sources: PMAR September 2026 Monthly Indicators; Freddie Mac October 29, 2026; Fannie Mae Selling Guide B3-4.1-02.
          &#xD;
      &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
&lt;/div&gt;</content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Mon, 02 Nov 2026 04:00:52 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://www.alexa.realtor/seller-credit-or-price-cut-what-pocono-sellers-need-to-know</guid>
      <g-custom:tags type="string" />
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Pocono Real Estate Market Update: Why Price Range Matters | September 2026</title>
      <link>https://www.alexa.realtor/pocono-real-estate-market-update-why-price-range-matters-september-2026</link>
      <description>The Pocono real estate market isn't behaving like one market. September 2026 numbers reveal about mortgage rates, inventory, price ranges, and negotiating leverage.</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;div data-rss-type="text"&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h3&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           The Poconos Don’t Have One Housing Market Right Now
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h3&gt;&#xD;
&lt;/div&gt;&#xD;
&lt;div&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/4bb1cac3/dms3rep/multi/Sept+6+Blog.png" alt="The Pocono homes market ad over a lake at sunset, with rustic signs and property stats on either side"/&gt;&#xD;
&lt;/div&gt;&#xD;
&lt;div data-rss-type="text"&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           The Poconos Don’t Have One Housing Market Right Now
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            Mortgage rates reached
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           6.71%
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            this week, but that is not the most important number in Monroe County.
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           The bigger story is this:
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           Homes under $250,000 have roughly 1.4 months of supply. Homes above $600,000 have about 7.1 months.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           That means buyers and sellers can be in the same county and experience completely different markets.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           The numbers at a glance
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;ul&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;li&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
        
            6.71%
           &#xD;
      &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
          
             30-year fixed mortgage rate
            &#xD;
        &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/li&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;li&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
        
            1,949
           &#xD;
      &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
          
             active listings
            &#xD;
        &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/li&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;li&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
        
            $375,000
           &#xD;
      &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
          
             median list price
            &#xD;
        &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/li&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;li&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
        
            $335,000
           &#xD;
      &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
          
             median sold price
            &#xD;
        &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/li&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;li&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
        
            51 days
           &#xD;
      &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
          
             median days on market
            &#xD;
        &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/li&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;li&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
        
            ~98%
           &#xD;
      &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
          
             sale-to-list ratio
            &#xD;
        &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/li&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/ul&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Countywide, Monroe looks fairly balanced.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           But averages are hiding the real story.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Price point changes everything
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            Below
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           $250K
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           , inventory is still relatively tight.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            Above
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           $600K
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           , buyers have far more choices.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           That changes negotiation, pricing, presentation, and how forgiving buyers are.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           A seller in a higher price range has less room for an ambitious price, deferred maintenance, poor photos, or bad showing access.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           A buyer in a tighter lower price range may still face competition on the best homes.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           So the question is not:
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           “Is the Pocono market hot or cold?”
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           The better question is:
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           “What is happening in this price range?”
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            Geography matters too.  This week’s research shows median list prices ranging from about
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           $299,000 in Tobyhanna
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            to about
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           $499,900 in Pocono Pines
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           .
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            Stroudsburg was around
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           31 days on market
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            , compared with about
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           44 days in Effort
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            .
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           That is why broad statements about “the Pocono market” are rarely enough.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           A property’s town, price point, condition, use, and buyer pool all matter.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           What 6.71% actually changes
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Higher rates do not mean buyers disappeared.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           They mean buyers are more payment-sensitive.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            At 6.71%, a
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           $300,000 mortgage is about $1,937 per month in principal and interest
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            , before taxes, insurance, HOA fees, and other costs.
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           So buyers are not just asking, “Can I afford this price?”
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           They are asking:
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           “What does this house cost me every month?”
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           That is why seller credits, rate buydowns, and correct pricing matter more now.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            My read
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           The buyers did not disappear. Their tolerance did.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Buyers will still move on a house that makes sense.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           They are much less likely to stretch for one that is overpriced, needs work, carries high taxes, and has better competition sitting nearby.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           That is why one seller can get activity immediately while another sits for 60 days in the same county.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           What buyers should do.  Underwrite the full payment, not just the list price.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Look for leverage in longer days on market, price reductions, deferred maintenance, and higher-inventory price ranges.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           Do not negotiate because someone said buyers have leverage. Negotiate because the property gives you leverage.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           What sellers should do.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Price against the homes your buyer can choose today, not last year’s neighbor sale.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Pay attention to the first two weeks. If buyers are not responding, look at price, condition, presentation, access, and competition.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Bottom line
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            The headline is
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           6.71% mortgage rates
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           .
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           The real story is the split underneath the average.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           There is no single Pocono housing market right now.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           There are different markets by price point, town, property type, and monthly payment.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           So instead of asking:
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           “How’s the Pocono market?”
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Ask:
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           “How’s the market for this house?”
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            ﻿
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
&lt;/div&gt;</content:encoded>
      <enclosure url="https://irp.cdn-website.com/4bb1cac3/dms3rep/multi/Sept+6+Blog.png" length="3355337" type="image/png" />
      <pubDate>Sun, 06 Sep 2026 22:36:09 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://www.alexa.realtor/pocono-real-estate-market-update-why-price-range-matters-september-2026</guid>
      <g-custom:tags type="string">Monroe County PA real estate market,Monroe County home prices,Pocono homes for sale,Pocono mortgage rates,Monroe County home prices,Pocono housing market 2026,Pocono Mountains real estate,Pocono Mountains real estate,Pocono mortgage rates,Pocono homes for sale,Pocono housing market 2026</g-custom:tags>
      <media:content medium="image" url="https://irp.cdn-website.com/4bb1cac3/dms3rep/multi/Sept+6+Blog.png">
        <media:description>thumbnail</media:description>
      </media:content>
      <media:content medium="image" url="https://irp.cdn-website.com/4bb1cac3/dms3rep/multi/Sept+6+Blog.png">
        <media:description>main image</media:description>
      </media:content>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>More Inventory Isn’t a Discount. Monroe County Buyers Are Just Getting Pickier.</title>
      <link>https://www.alexa.realtor/more-inventory-isnt-a-discount-monroe-county-buyers-are-just-getting-pickier</link>
      <description>Monroe County has more listings than a year ago, but higher prices and faster sales. What rising inventory really means for Pocono buyers and sellers this week.</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;div data-rss-type="text"&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h3&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           Weekly Market Check | Week of August 30, 2026
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h3&gt;&#xD;
&lt;/div&gt;&#xD;
&lt;div&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/4bb1cac3/dms3rep/multi/Pocono+Ledger+Aug+30.png" alt="The Pocono Ledger ad with houses, price stats, and wooden signposts promoting more inventory and discount."/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/4bb1cac3/dms3rep/multi/Pocono+Ledger+Aug+30.png"/&gt;&#xD;
&lt;/div&gt;&#xD;
&lt;div data-rss-type="text"&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           Weekly Market Check | Week of August 30, 2026
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           There are more homes for sale in Monroe County.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            That does
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           not
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            mean homes suddenly got cheaper.
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           And it definitely doesn’t mean buyers have stopped buying.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           What has changed is that buyers have more choices, and when people have choices, they get picky.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Monroe County has roughly 4% more active listings than we had a year ago. At the same time, the median sold price is up more than 13% year over year, and well-positioned homes are still moving.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           That tells us something important:
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           This isn’t a weak market. It’s a selective one.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            In June, the median list price in Monroe County was about
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           $375,000
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            . The median sold price was
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           $335,000
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           .
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           That roughly $40,000 difference deserves attention, especially if you're thinking about selling.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           It doesn't mean buyers are automatically getting $40,000 discounts.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           It means there's a difference between what sellers are asking and what the market is ultimately willing to pay.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           And with mortgage rates still hanging around the mid-6% range, buyers are paying very close attention to value.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h2&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h2&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h2&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           This Week’s Numbers
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h2&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           30-year fixed mortgage:
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           6.66%
           &#xD;
      &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
      
           Up slightly from last week and roughly 6.56% a year ago.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           VA mortgage:
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            Approximately 6.18%, with an average APR around 6.34%.
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           Monroe County median list price:
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           $375,000
           &#xD;
      &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
      
           Up 5.69% year over year.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           Median sold price:
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           $335,000
           &#xD;
      &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
      
           Up 13.29% year over year.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           Active listings:
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           1,949
           &#xD;
      &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
      
           About 4% more than last year.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           Median days on market:
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           51 days
           &#xD;
      &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
      
           About 12% faster than last year.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           Sale-to-list ratio:
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            Approximately 98%.
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           And remember, Monroe County is not one market.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            Tobyhanna is sitting around
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           $299,000
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           .
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            East Stroudsburg is around
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           $399,450
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           .
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            Stroudsburg is around
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           $488,250
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           .
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            Pocono Pines is around
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           $499,900
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           .
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Same county. Very different buyers, price points, property types and expectations.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h2&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h2&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h2&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           What Changed This Week?
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h2&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Mortgage rates didn't give buyers much relief.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Freddie Mac's weekly average moved slightly higher to 6.66%.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            That matters because buyers aren't just shopping by purchase price anymore. They're shopping by
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           monthly payment
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           .
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           A buyer who loves your house still has to make the payment work.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           We're also seeing some softness nationally.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Pending home sales fell 2.3% from June to July and were down 2.2% compared with last year. About 20% of U.S. listings had a price reduction in July.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           But here's the part I don't want Pocono homeowners to miss:
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           A price reduction is not automatically evidence of a bad housing market.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Sometimes it's evidence that the original price was wrong.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           There's a difference.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h2&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h2&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h2&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Stroudsburg vs. Effort: Price Isn't Everything
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h2&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Here's an interesting example.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            Stroudsburg had a June median list price around
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           $488,250
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            , yet homes were moving in roughly
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           31 days
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           .
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            Effort had a lower price point, but homes were taking around
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           44 days
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           .
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           So much for the idea that cheaper automatically means easier to sell.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Buyers are also paying for convenience, location, access to services, commuter routes and the way a property fits their actual life.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           That's why I keep telling sellers:
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           Your competition isn't the house your neighbor sold two summers ago.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            Your competition is what a buyer can choose from
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           today
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           .
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h2&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h2&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h2&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           What I’m Watching
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h2&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           There's an interesting opportunity developing in the Poconos, especially for buyers willing to look past an imperfect listing.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           I'm watching homes that may be priced incorrectly or have some complexity attached to them, but still have good bones and long-term usefulness.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Maybe the listing has been sitting.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Maybe the seller started too high.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Maybe there's an HOA issue that needs to be understood.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Maybe the property needs some updating.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Maybe everyone keeps looking at it strictly as an Airbnb when it actually makes more sense as a year-round home or second home.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Those properties can be worth a second look.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           What makes me much more cautious is a property whose entire value proposition depends on aggressive short-term-rental projections.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           If the numbers only work when every summer weekend is booked at top-dollar rates, I don't consider that conservative underwriting.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            The opportunity isn't necessarily finding the
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           cheapest house in the Poconos
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           .
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           It's finding a property the market may be misunderstanding, then doing enough homework to know whether you're right.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h2&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h2&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h2&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           If You’re Buying
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h2&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Get fully underwritten if possible, not simply prequalified.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Then use the additional inventory intelligently.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           I'm paying particular attention to homes that have been sitting beyond the typical market time, properties with price reductions, and homes with objections that might be solvable rather than fatal.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           A septic concern, HOA restriction, dated kitchen or misunderstood property use can scare away buyers quickly. Sometimes that's justified. Sometimes that's where the negotiation begins.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           For veterans, compare VA and conventional financing based on the entire transaction, including cash to close, rate, fees and monthly payment. Don't assume one automatically wins every time.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            And if you're buying a second home or short-term rental, run the numbers using realistic occupancy, realistic nightly rates and
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           all
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            of the expenses.
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           A screenshot showing what somebody charged on Fourth of July weekend is not an investment analysis.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h2&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h2&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h2&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           If You’re Selling
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h2&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           The biggest mistake I see sellers making right now is pricing from the rearview mirror.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           What did your neighbor get?
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           What did Zillow say last year?
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           What did someone pay during the craziness of 2021 or 2022?
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Interesting information.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           But today's buyer doesn't care what your house would have sold for four years ago.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            They care about what else they can buy
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           right now
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           .
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Before automatically cutting your price, there may also be other tools worth considering: closing-cost assistance, a mortgage-rate buydown, handling obvious inspection items before listing, or improving how the property is positioned.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           And please stop marketing every property up here as some version of:
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           “Your Pocono getaway awaits!”
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Who is the house actually for?
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           A commuter?
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           A first-time buyer?
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           A veteran family?
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           A second-home owner?
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Someone downsizing?
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           An investor?
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           A buyer looking for year-round living?
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            Sell the
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           use case
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           , not just the scenery.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h2&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h2&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h2&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            ﻿
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
      
           The Bottom Line
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h2&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Monroe County didn't suddenly become a buyer's bargain bin because inventory increased 4%.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Prices are still higher.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Good homes are still selling.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            But buyers have enough choices now to say
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           no
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           .
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           That's the shift.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           For sellers, pricing and positioning matter more.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           For buyers, patience and proper underwriting can uncover opportunities that weren't there when every decent listing had a line out the door.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           The Poconos aren't cheap. The market is selective.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           And right now, understanding that difference matters.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;strong&gt;&#xD;
      
           Sources:
          &#xD;
    &lt;/strong&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
        
            Monroe County market figures via ForeverHomesAndLand June market report; mortgage rates via Freddie Mac and Mortgage News Daily; VA rate data via VALoans; national sales data via the National Association of REALTORS®; price reduction and inventory data via Realtor.com; settlement ruling via Reuters.
           &#xD;
      &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Mortgage payment examples, when provided, reflect principal and interest only unless otherwise stated. Property taxes, homeowners insurance, HOA dues and other costs may apply. Market statistics are provided for educational purposes and may vary by municipality, property type and source. This information is educational only and is not financial, lending, legal or investment advice.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
&lt;/div&gt;</content:encoded>
      <pubDate>Sun, 30 Aug 2026 23:04:12 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://www.alexa.realtor/more-inventory-isnt-a-discount-monroe-county-buyers-are-just-getting-pickier</guid>
      <g-custom:tags type="string" />
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Monroe County Real Estate: The August Auction Window &amp; Where Buyers Actually Have Leverage (Week of Aug 9, 2026)</title>
      <link>https://www.alexa.realtor/my-post</link>
      <description>Explore Monroe County's real estate trends as of Aug 9, 2026. Contact us to leverage your buying power today!</description>
      <content:encoded>&lt;div data-rss-type="text"&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h3&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Monroe County Real Estate: The August Auction Window &amp;amp; Where Buyers Actually Have Leverage (Week of Aug 9, 2026)
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h3&gt;&#xD;
&lt;/div&gt;&#xD;
&lt;div&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;img src="https://irt-cdn.multiscreensite.com/md/dmtmpl/dms3rep/multi/blog_post_image.png" alt="Palm trees silhouetted against a warm, cloudy sunset sky"/&gt;&#xD;
&lt;/div&gt;&#xD;
&lt;div data-rss-type="text"&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           THE FED HELD. YOUR MORTGAGE RATE WENT UP ANYWAY.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           The Pocono Ledger · Week of August 2, 2026
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           New to the Pocono Mountains? Start with our complete guide to living here. (Pillar link)
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           On July 29 the Federal Reserve left its benchmark rate unchanged — and the 30-year fixed mortgage still climbed to 6.66%, an 11-month high. That is not a contradiction; it is the whole lesson of the week. Your mortgage tracks the bond market, not the Fed's overnight rate, and this week the bond market sold off hard. Meanwhile Monroe County keeps appreciating (median $348,854, up 14.9% year over year), but the gap between 'priced right, gone in two weeks' and 'sitting for two months' is widening. The move this week is direction-aware, not wait-and-see.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           THE WEEK'S NUMBERS
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Rates. 30-year fixed 6.66% (up from 6.58% last week; 6.72% a year ago). 15-year fixed 6.04%. VA 30-year ~6.23% — some lenders quoting high 5s; Veterans United posted 5.99% on 7/31. The Fed held at 3.50%–3.75% on July 29 in a hawkish 9–3 vote, with three regional presidents dissenting because they wanted a hike. Next decision: September 15–16.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Monroe County. Median sale price $348,854, up 14.9% year over year — roughly four times Pennsylvania's statewide pace of +5.6%. Days on market split by source: well-priced homes clear in about 38 days, while the overpriced tail sits closer to 57. Price reductions fell to 22% of listings (down from 31% a year earlier), with a 98.1% list-to-sale ratio.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           (Accuracy note: the county median and YoY are still Redfin's May 2026 print — the June county figure isn't published yet. Treat appreciation as a rearview number.)
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           WHAT CHANGED THIS WEEK
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Two things. First, the rate floor moved up. After weeks in the mid-6s, the 30-year jumped to 6.66% on the back of the Fed's hawkish hold and a Treasury sell-off that pushed the 30-year Treasury yield to its highest level since 2007. The Dow closed 1,100 points lower, and Chair Warsh hinted the September move could be up, not down. Second, the final approval hearing for the Tuccori buyer-commission settlement was pushed to November 2, 2026, from July 28. Nothing changes about how buyer agreements get written today; the litigation cloud just stays open a few more months.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           NEIGHBORHOOD / TOWNSHIP SPOTLIGHT — COOLBAUGH TOWNSHIP (TOBYHANNA)
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Coolbaugh Township — anchored by Tobyhanna and the large A Pocono Country Place community — is where two of this week's storylines collide. It carries a heavy share of the county's $400K+ inventory, exactly the price band where higher rates thin the buyer pool fastest. It's also where the distress pipeline shows up first: the July 30 county sheriff sale (run monthly through Bid4Assets) included a Tobyhanna estate property foreclosed against a deceased owner's unknown heirs. That overlap — real equity, a real deadline, no agent yet — is the archetype worth watching here. For sellers in this township: price to the 38-day lane, because the 57-day tail is concentrated right where you are.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           OPERATOR OBSERVATION
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Here's what I'm telling buyers this week: the VA advantage is widening, not shrinking. A veteran at ~6.23% with zero down and no PMI holds roughly $15K–$20K more borrowing power than a conventional buyer at 6.66% for the same monthly payment. When rates climb, that gap gets bigger. And to sellers — appreciation is real but it's a rearview mirror. Those +14.9% comps came from this spring. Pricing to them is how a good house becomes a 57-day listing. Price to what buyers can afford this week, at these rates, and you're back in the 38-day lane.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           WHAT BUYERS SHOULD DO
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Lock, don't float — with a possible September hike and Treasuries spiking, the risk is to the upside. Veterans: run the VA numbers first; at ~6.23% with zero down your buying power in the $250K–$600K band is materially stronger than a conventional buyer's. Get the buydown math — in a 6.6% market, a seller-paid 2-1 buydown on a home that's been sitting can beat waiting for a cut that may not come.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           WHAT SELLERS SHOULD DO
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Price to the 38-day lane, not the 57-day one. Use the appreciation, don't assume it — +14.9% is a spring comp, not a license to overreach. Move before September; every uptick shaves approval amounts off your buyer pool, especially above $400K where Monroe County has the most inventory.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           SOURCES
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Freddie Mac PMMS (7/30/26); CNBC/Optimal Blue &amp;amp; Veterans United (7/31/26); Federal Reserve/FOMC (7/29/26); Redfin (May 2026 + live); mwestates Q1 2026 report; HousingWire (Tuccori); ATTOM Midyear Foreclosure Report (7/16/26). Alexa Sanchez, Licensed PA Realtor #RS326383, Smart Way America Realty. Educational only; rates not guaranteed.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
&lt;/div&gt;</content:encoded>
      <enclosure url="https://irp.cdn-website.com/4bb1cac3/dms3rep/multi/GettyImages-1262993235-1920w.jpg" length="373568" type="image/jpeg" />
      <pubDate>Sun, 30 Aug 2026 22:54:35 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://www.alexa.realtor/my-post</guid>
      <g-custom:tags type="string" />
      <media:content medium="image" url="https://irp.cdn-website.com/4bb1cac3/dms3rep/multi/GettyImages-1262993235-1920w.jpg">
        <media:description>thumbnail</media:description>
      </media:content>
      <media:content medium="image" url="https://irp.cdn-website.com/4bb1cac3/dms3rep/multi/GettyImages-1262993235-1920w.jpg">
        <media:description>main image</media:description>
      </media:content>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Pocono Mountains Real Estate Report — Week of Aug 2, 2026: The Fed Held, Rates Rose Anyway</title>
      <link>https://www.alexa.realtor/pocono-mountains-real-estate-report-week-of-aug-2-2026-the-fed-held-rates-rose-anyway</link>
      <description />
      <content:encoded>&lt;div data-rss-type="text"&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h3&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           This is a subtitle for your new post
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h3&gt;&#xD;
&lt;/div&gt;&#xD;
&lt;div&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;img src="https://irt-cdn.multiscreensite.com/md/dmtmpl/dms3rep/multi/blog_post_image.png" alt="Palm trees silhouetted against a warm sunset sky on a tropical beach"/&gt;&#xD;
&lt;/div&gt;&#xD;
&lt;div data-rss-type="text"&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           THE FED HELD. YOUR MORTGAGE RATE WENT UP ANYWAY.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           The Pocono Ledger · Week of August 2, 2026
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           New to the Pocono Mountains? Start with our complete guide to living here. (Pillar link)
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           On July 29 the Federal Reserve left its benchmark rate unchanged — and the 30-year fixed mortgage still climbed to 6.66%, an 11-month high. That is not a contradiction; it is the whole lesson of the week. Your mortgage tracks the bond market, not the Fed's overnight rate, and this week the bond market sold off hard. Meanwhile Monroe County keeps appreciating (median $348,854, up 14.9% year over year), but the gap between 'priced right, gone in two weeks' and 'sitting for two months' is widening. The move this week is direction-aware, not wait-and-see.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           THE WEEK'S NUMBERS
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Rates. 30-year fixed 6.66% (up from 6.58% last week; 6.72% a year ago). 15-year fixed 6.04%. VA 30-year ~6.23% — some lenders quoting high 5s; Veterans United posted 5.99% on 7/31. The Fed held at 3.50%–3.75% on July 29 in a hawkish 9–3 vote, with three regional presidents dissenting because they wanted a hike. Next decision: September 15–16.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Monroe County. Median sale price $348,854, up 14.9% year over year — roughly four times Pennsylvania's statewide pace of +5.6%. Days on market split by source: well-priced homes clear in about 38 days, while the overpriced tail sits closer to 57. Price reductions fell to 22% of listings (down from 31% a year earlier), with a 98.1% list-to-sale ratio.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           (Accuracy note: the county median and YoY are still Redfin's May 2026 print — the June county figure isn't published yet. Treat appreciation as a rearview number.)
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           WHAT CHANGED THIS WEEK
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Two things. First, the rate floor moved up. After weeks in the mid-6s, the 30-year jumped to 6.66% on the back of the Fed's hawkish hold and a Treasury sell-off that pushed the 30-year Treasury yield to its highest level since 2007. The Dow closed 1,100 points lower, and Chair Warsh hinted the September move could be up, not down. Second, the final approval hearing for the Tuccori buyer-commission settlement was pushed to November 2, 2026, from July 28. Nothing changes about how buyer agreements get written today; the litigation cloud just stays open a few more months.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           NEIGHBORHOOD / TOWNSHIP SPOTLIGHT — COOLBAUGH TOWNSHIP (TOBYHANNA)
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Coolbaugh Township — anchored by Tobyhanna and the large A Pocono Country Place community — is where two of this week's storylines collide. It carries a heavy share of the county's $400K+ inventory, exactly the price band where higher rates thin the buyer pool fastest. It's also where the distress pipeline shows up first: the July 30 county sheriff sale (run monthly through Bid4Assets) included a Tobyhanna estate property foreclosed against a deceased owner's unknown heirs. That overlap — real equity, a real deadline, no agent yet — is the archetype worth watching here. For sellers in this township: price to the 38-day lane, because the 57-day tail is concentrated right where you are.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           OPERATOR OBSERVATION
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Here's what I'm telling buyers this week: the VA advantage is widening, not shrinking. A veteran at ~6.23% with zero down and no PMI holds roughly $15K–$20K more borrowing power than a conventional buyer at 6.66% for the same monthly payment. When rates climb, that gap gets bigger. And to sellers — appreciation is real but it's a rearview mirror. Those +14.9% comps came from this spring. Pricing to them is how a good house becomes a 57-day listing. Price to what buyers can afford this week, at these rates, and you're back in the 38-day lane.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           WHAT BUYERS SHOULD DO
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Lock, don't float — with a possible September hike and Treasuries spiking, the risk is to the upside. Veterans: run the VA numbers first; at ~6.23% with zero down your buying power in the $250K–$600K band is materially stronger than a conventional buyer's. Get the buydown math — in a 6.6% market, a seller-paid 2-1 buydown on a home that's been sitting can beat waiting for a cut that may not come.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           WHAT SELLERS SHOULD DO
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Price to the 38-day lane, not the 57-day one. Use the appreciation, don't assume it — +14.9% is a spring comp, not a license to overreach. Move before September; every uptick shaves approval amounts off your buyer pool, especially above $400K where Monroe County has the most inventory.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;br/&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           SOURCES
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           Freddie Mac PMMS (7/30/26); CNBC/Optimal Blue &amp;amp; Veterans United (7/31/26); Federal Reserve/FOMC (7/29/26); Redfin (May 2026 + live); mwestates Q1 2026 report; HousingWire (Tuccori); ATTOM Midyear Foreclosure Report (7/16/26). Alexa Sanchez, Licensed PA Realtor #RS326383, Smart Way America Realty. Educational only; rates not guaranteed.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
&lt;/div&gt;</content:encoded>
      <enclosure url="https://irp.cdn-website.com/4bb1cac3/dms3rep/multi/pexels-photo-238377-1920w.jpeg" length="520830" type="image/jpeg" />
      <pubDate>Sun, 30 Aug 2026 22:54:34 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://www.alexa.realtor/pocono-mountains-real-estate-report-week-of-aug-2-2026-the-fed-held-rates-rose-anyway</guid>
      <g-custom:tags type="string" />
      <media:content medium="image" url="https://irp.cdn-website.com/4bb1cac3/dms3rep/multi/pexels-photo-238377-1920w.jpeg">
        <media:description>thumbnail</media:description>
      </media:content>
      <media:content medium="image" url="https://irp.cdn-website.com/4bb1cac3/dms3rep/multi/pexels-photo-238377-1920w.jpeg">
        <media:description>main image</media:description>
      </media:content>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Living in the Pocono Mountains &amp; Lehigh Valley: The Complete 2026 Guide</title>
      <link>https://www.alexa.realtor/living-in-the-pocono-mountains-lehigh-valley-the-complete-2026-guide</link>
      <description />
      <content:encoded>&lt;div data-rss-type="text"&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;h3&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           You're Not Just Buying a House. You're Buying a Life.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/h3&gt;&#xD;
&lt;/div&gt;&#xD;
&lt;div&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;img src="https://irp.cdn-website.com/4bb1cac3/dms3rep/multi/woman+with+laptop.png" alt="Person working on a laptop at a sunlit outdoor cafe with mountain and lake views"/&gt;&#xD;
&lt;/div&gt;&#xD;
&lt;div data-rss-type="text"&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           People don't search "Pocono Mountains Pennsylvania" because they want a listing. They search it because they're standing at a decision point, city life feels like too much, or too expensive, or too far from what actually matters and they want to know if this region is the answer.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           I get that question every week. Not "what's on the market," but "is this actually a good place to live?"
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;p&gt;&#xD;
    &lt;span&gt;&#xD;
      
           So let's answer it straight. No fluff, no brochure talk. Here's what you actually need to know about living in the Pocono Mountains and Lehigh Valley from someone who works here, lives here, and has been guiding families through this exact decision for over a decade.
          &#xD;
    &lt;/span&gt;&#xD;
  &lt;/p&gt;&#xD;
&lt;/div&gt;</content:encoded>
      <enclosure url="https://irp.cdn-website.com/md/pexels/dms3rep/multi/pexels-photo-101808.jpeg" length="167371" type="image/jpeg" />
      <pubDate>Wed, 15 Jul 2026 00:51:50 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://www.alexa.realtor/living-in-the-pocono-mountains-lehigh-valley-the-complete-2026-guide</guid>
      <g-custom:tags type="string" />
      <media:content medium="image" url="https://irp.cdn-website.com/4bb1cac3/dms3rep/multi/woman+with+laptop.png">
        <media:description>thumbnail</media:description>
      </media:content>
      <media:content medium="image" url="https://irp.cdn-website.com/md/pexels/dms3rep/multi/pexels-photo-101808.jpeg">
        <media:description>main image</media:description>
      </media:content>
    </item>
  </channel>
</rss>
