As of today, September 16, 2026, mortgage rates have crossed 7% here in Lamorinda, and it happened fast. The Federal Reserve raised interest rates for the first time since 2023, a quarter-point increase that pushes the federal funds rate to a range of 3.75 to 4 percent. Mortgage lenders responded within hours. The 30-year fixed rate has climbed to around 7%, the threshold we have talked about for years as the real psychological line for buyers in Lafayette, Moraga, and Orinda.

Our team is heading into a season of listings we are genuinely excited about. We are not yet sure the broader market will bring the same level of inventory this fall, but what we have coming speaks for itself. These are A+ locations, the kind of dream streets that rarely open up at all, let alone several at once. In a moment when rates are pushing buyers to be more selective, that scarcity works in our favor. The homes worth waiting for are exactly the ones we are preparing to bring forward.

Here is the piece we keep coming back to. Even with rates where they landed today, this fall still looks like a reasonable window to buy in Lamorinda. Fed officials also signaled today that another increase later this year is on the table, which suggests today's move may not be the last word on where borrowing costs settle. And there is a longer view worth considering too. Our proximity to the companies driving the AI economy sets Lamorinda apart from markets elsewhere in the country, and we believe that dynamic will only intensify next year as generational wealth and AI industry wealth continue to converge in our $3 million-and-up segment. Waiting on the sidelines carries its own kind of risk, whether that risk shows up in rates or in competition, so buying before either wave fully arrives may prove to be the smarter timing story. In short, rates are higher this fall, but so is the case for not waiting.