Peggy Hipolito, Realtor

Peggy Hipolito, Realtor Real estate professional specializing in Hays County, the Hill Country, and surrounding areas of Austin, Texas. Helping you relocate, build, and invest.

While the headlines focus on Baby Boomers dominating the market and first-time buyers struggling, there's a quieter stor...
06/18/2026

While the headlines focus on Baby Boomers dominating the market and first-time buyers struggling, there's a quieter story worth telling about older Millennials.

Buyers ages 36–45 are having a genuine moment in 2026. They bought starter homes in their late 20s or early 30s — right before or early in the price surge. They've built significant equity. And now, as their lives have expanded (kids, remote work, aging parents), they're ready to move up.

These are buyers who understand the process. They've been through it. They know how to read a contract, ask good questions, and negotiate from a position of knowledge. They're not panicking at inspection findings. They're not making emotional offers.

And they're entering the move-up market with more leverage than most: equity from their current home, established credit, stable employment, and a clear picture of what they actually want.

If this is you — your moment is here. The move-up market in 2026 is more favorable than it has been in years. You have more to look at, more room to negotiate, and a competitive advantage most first-time buyers simply don't have.

DM me and let's map out your move.

Here's something the headlines aren't talking about: Baby Boomers have officially taken over the housing market.Accordin...
06/17/2026

Here's something the headlines aren't talking about: Baby Boomers have officially taken over the housing market.

According to NAR's 2026 Generational Trends Report, adults ages 61–79 now make up 42% of all homebuyers and 55% of all home sellers — the highest share of any generation.

And here's what's fueling it: decades of home equity. Many Boomers have owned their homes for 15+ years and accumulated over $128,000 in housing wealth on average. That equity gives them the ability to move on their own terms — downsize, relocate, get closer to family, or cash out and retire.

What this means for other buyers:
When a Boomer sells, they're often selling a well-maintained, established home in a desirable neighborhood. When a Boomer buys, they're often paying cash or close to it — which changes how you compete.

Knowing who's in the market with you isn't just interesting — it's strategy. Save this and share it with someone who's been wondering why the market feels the way it does right now.

Every June, a specific type of buyer enters the market with a hard deadline: the school year.These are families who need...
06/16/2026

Every June, a specific type of buyer enters the market with a hard deadline: the school year.

These are families who need to be settled, unpacked, and enrolled before August. That gives them roughly 6–8 weeks to find a home, go under contract, close, and move. The urgency is real — and so is their motivation.

For sellers: family buyers are not casual browsers. When they schedule a showing in June, they're ready to make decisions. A well-prepared, move-in-ready home in or near a desirable school district is exactly what they're looking for — and they'll often pay a premium to get it.

For family buyers: here's your honest timeline check.

If you need to be in a home before school starts, you should be under contract by late June at the latest. Closing typically takes 30–45 days. That means you have weeks, not months, to find your home.

This is one of the most focused, motivated buyer pools of the year. If you're selling — you want to be on the market right now. If you're buying — you want to be pre-approved and moving fast.

DM me and let's build your June timeline today.

In June 2026, one of the most powerful tools in a buyer's negotiation toolkit isn't a lower price. It's a rate buydown.H...
06/15/2026

In June 2026, one of the most powerful tools in a buyer's negotiation toolkit isn't a lower price. It's a rate buydown.

Here's how it works: instead of asking the seller to drop their price by $15,000, you ask them to buy your mortgage rate down by 1–2 points for the first 1–2 years. That $15,000 translates to roughly $85–90/month in savings from a price reduction. But used as a 2/1 buydown? It can save you $400–500/month in your first year — right when your cash flow is tightest after closing.

Homebuilders have been offering this strategy all year to move inventory. Now it's showing up in existing home sales too, as sellers get more motivated and buyers get more strategic.

The math:
2/1 buydown on a $400,000 mortgage:
Year 1: rate drops 2 points = saves ~$500/month
Year 2: rate drops 1 point = saves ~$250/month
Year 3+: regular rate applies

This strategy works best when you plan to refinance when rates drop further — or when you simply need breathing room in the first two years.

DM me 'BUYDOWN' and I'll walk you through how to structure this into your next offer.

We're halfway through 2026.If you started this year saying 'I want to buy a home this year' or 'I think we're going to s...
06/12/2026

We're halfway through 2026.

If you started this year saying 'I want to buy a home this year' or 'I think we're going to sell this year' — this is your check-in.

Where are you actually at?

If you're a buyer:
Are you pre-approved? Have you toured homes? Do you know your real budget — not just your mortgage approval number, but the number that lets you sleep at night? If the answer to any of these is no, June is the time to fix that. The second half of the year still has strong inventory. But the family-buyer rush ends in August, and the market shifts.

If you're a seller:
Have you had a pricing conversation? Do you know what your home would sell for today — not what it sold for in 2022 or what your neighbor thinks it's worth? The summer window is open. Fall is quieter. If you've been circling this decision, the halfway mark is a good time to make a call.

Sometimes goals need a restart, not an abandonment. If 2026 felt like it got away from you — there's still time.

DM me and let's figure out where you actually stand and what it would take to move forward.

For the last three years, there was a phenomenon quietly strangling housing supply called the 'lock-in effect.'Here's wh...
06/11/2026

For the last three years, there was a phenomenon quietly strangling housing supply called the 'lock-in effect.'

Here's what happened: millions of homeowners refinanced or bought at 2.5–3.5% mortgage rates during 2020 and 2021. When rates jumped to 6–7%, they refused to sell — because selling meant giving up that rate and getting a new mortgage at twice the cost. So they stayed put.

That decision, multiplied by millions of homeowners, is one of the main reasons inventory was so scarce from 2022–2024.

Now, slowly, that's changing.

As rates have eased to 6.3% — and as life happens (divorce, death, retirement, growing families, job relocations) — more of those locked-in homeowners are deciding to move regardless. The lock-in effect is thawing.

Inventory is up 9% this year in part because of this. And as rates continue to ease, more sellers who've been waiting will enter the market.

For buyers: this means more options are coming. Patience has a payoff.
For sellers who have been waiting for 'the right time': rates may not drop dramatically. Life doesn't wait. Your equity is real right now.

DM me and let's talk about your situation honestly.

Everyone knows a great kitchen sells a home. But what 'great' looks like has shifted in 2026 — and sellers who are spend...
06/10/2026

Everyone knows a great kitchen sells a home. But what 'great' looks like has shifted in 2026 — and sellers who are spending money on the wrong upgrades are finding that out the hard way.

Here's what buyers in summer 2026 actually want in a kitchen:

Storage, storage, storage. Walk-in pantries and oversized islands with seating are driving more buyer excitement than granite versus quartz debates ever did. Buyers are practical — they're thinking about where the Costco run goes.

Functional layouts over designer finishes. An open, thoughtful layout that flows to the living room and has room for multiple people to cook beats a stunning but cramped galley kitchen every time.

Updated appliances over updated counters. An integrated dishwasher and a quality range make more impact than a countertop refresh.

Natural light. A kitchen window over the sink. Morning light. These are the details buyers describe when they talk about a kitchen they love.

What doesn't matter as much as agents used to think: the exact color of the cabinet, whether it's quartz or marble, open shelving vs. closed. These are preferences — not dealbreakers.

For sellers: if you're going to invest in a pre-sale kitchen update, spend on hardware, paint, lighting, and cleaning. Leave the counters alone unless they're genuinely damaged.

Save this so you know exactly what to prioritize.

The right timing can make all the difference. Whether you’re thinking about buying, selling, or simply exploring your op...
06/09/2026

The right timing can make all the difference. Whether you’re thinking about buying, selling, or simply exploring your options, a conversation today can help you make more confident decisions tomorrow.

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