Jonathan Parrella Realtor

02/16/2026

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12/24/2025

12/15/2025

⚠️🚨⚠️Message from Chief Taunton⚠️🚨⚠️

As we prepare for this weekend’s anticipated snowfall, I’m asking all residents to please help us by keeping fire hydrants clear of snow and ice. A hydrant buried or blocked can delay our response during a fire or medical emergency—those extra seconds truly matter when lives and property are at risk.

🪏When shoveling or snow blowing, please take a moment to clear a path around the hydrant on your property and in your neighborhood.
❄️Remember to shovel smart: pace yourself, take frequent breaks, push snow rather than lift when possible, and stay hydrated.
❄️If using a snow blower, keep hands and feet away from moving parts, never clear jams with your hands, and be mindful of where snow is being discharged so it doesn’t pile back onto hydrants or roadways.

Your cooperation helps ensure that our firefighters can access water quickly and safely when responding to emergencies.

Thank you for looking out for one another and for supporting the Garden City Fire Department in keeping our community safe this winter. ❄️🚒

10/01/2025

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🚒🔥 Reminder, Garden City! Our annual Fire Prevention Day & Open House is this Sunday at 12:30 PM at Fire Headquarters. A fun and educational day for residents of all ages—young and old! Come learn fire safety, meet your firefighters, and enjoy hands-on activities. See you there! 👩‍🚒👨‍🚒

08/14/2025

🚨 BLOOD DRIVE: HONORING HEROES & SAVING LIVES 🚨

The Garden City Fire Department is proud to host the Bobby Menges & Chris Carney Memorial Blood Drive on Thursday, August 14th from 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM at Fire Headquarters.

🩸 Why donate? Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. Just one donation can save up to three lives. Whether it's a child battling cancer, a trauma victim, or someone undergoing surgery — your donation matters.

We honor Bobby Menges and Chris Carney — two incredible individuals who gave so much to their communities — by giving back in the most powerful way: through the gift of life.

📍 Location: Garden City Fire Department, Fire HQ
📅 Date: Thursday, August 14
🕐 Time: 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Roll up a sleeve, bring a friend, and help us make a difference. Walk-ins welcome or schedule an appointment in advance.

08/14/2025

Mortgage rates drop to lowest level in nine months

Mortgage rates dip while inflation sticks around

08/08/2025

Quiet Week

It was a very light week for economic reports with few market moving events. As a result, mortgage rates ended the week with little change.

Two significant economic reports released by the Institute of Supply Management were a bit weaker than expected. The ISM national services sector index fell to 50.1, and the national manufacturing index dropped to 48.0. Readings above 50 indicate an expansion in the sectors and below 50 a contraction. Service firms continue to outperform manufacturers, but higher tariffs on foreign goods may help domestic manufacturing companies narrow the gap over time.

The Department of Labor releases the total number of new claims for unemployment insurance each week. The latest reading was 226,000, up from 218,000 last week and slightly above the consensus forecast. Bigger picture, this was far below the inflated figures seen during the early months of the pandemic, and in line with the levels which were typical during 2019. Weekly jobless claims are important because they are one of the timeliest indicators of labor market trends. While other recent economic reports suggest that companies may be scaling back on hiring new employees, this report indicates that they remain reluctant to lay off workers.

The U.S. trade deficit surged to a record high of around $140 billion in March, as companies and consumers rushed to purchase ahead of potentially higher prices due to increased tariffs. With the easing of trade tensions, however, more typical levels have returned over the last few months. In June, the deficit was down to just $60 billion, which was below the consensus forecast.

Week Ahead

Looking ahead, investors will continue to look for additional information about tariffs and monitor comments from Fed officials for hints about monetary policy later in the year. For economic reports, the Consumer Price Index (CPI), a widely followed monthly inflation indicator that looks at the price changes for a broad range of goods and services, will come out on Tuesday. The Producer Price Index (PPI), another monthly inflation indicator, will be released on Thursday. Retail Sales and Import Prices will be released on Friday. Since consumer spending accounts for over two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, the retail sales data is a key measure of the health of the economy.

07/25/2025

Consumers Conflicted about Tariffs' Effect on Housing


This year's news has often featured stories about the effect of tariffs and immigration on the U.S. economy. Some consumers are especially concerned about the effect on home prices and availability. A survey carried out earlier this year by Ipsos found:

Over 50% of respondents (both homeowners and renters) think less immigration could make homes more expensive, as deportation of construction workers will result in fewer new homes.

Almost 40% think it could make homes more affordable, stating that reduced immigration numbers would also reduce housing demand.

68% of respondents were concerned that tariffs could result in continued inflation and high interest rates, while 43% are concerned that tariffs could have a negative effect on property values.

Only 35% thought that tariffs could make homes more affordable. Their opinion: "Tariffs will help boost the U.S. economy so more people can afford homes."1



Builders Continue to Reduce Sticker Prices


Many consumers who were planning to buy a new home have postponed their plans, concerned about the overall state of the economy. This has caused homebuilders to take action, cutting prices at the highest rate in three years.

38% of builders said they reduced their prices this month, which is the highest percentage reported since the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) began tracking the metric in 2022. Just 29% were cutting prices in April. The average price reduction was 5% in July, where it has been every month since November.

While builder confidence in July rose 1 point on the NAHB Index, the overall index is still below 50, which is considered negative territory. The index has been below 50 for a total of 15 months.

The one-point boost is a result of the recently passed H.R. 1 budget act, which provided some tax relief for households, home builders and small businesses.

If you're working with prospects who may be interested in buying a new property, you may want to check out NAR's article Helping Buyers with New Construction.2



More June Buyers Walk Away from Purchases


A Redfin report published July 21st told a depressing tale: more than 57,000 pending home sales fell through last month. June's 14.9% cancellation rate was the highest for the month of June since 2017.

A Phoenix agent commented: "Sellers are willing to make deals because in today's buyer's market, they don't want to lose out on a sale once they have a buyer under contract." These sellers realize that the seller's market created by the COVID pandemic has evolved into tougher times.

However, agents are seeing more picky buyers balking at the results of an inspection or walking away after finding a better property.

Sun Belt metro areas saw some of the highest lost sales. Jacksonville, Florida topped the list at 21.4%, followed by Las Vegas, Nevada at 19.7% and Atlanta, Georgia at 19.6%.3



Write Sellers An Offer They Can't Refuse


If the previous article made you nervous, you may want to look at ways to improve the finer points of an offer. One way to do that is to concentrate on composing a comprehensive offer letter.

After you're finished drafting an offer (or asking AI to draft it for you), carefully read through it to make sure that the following details are included.

Introduce yourself as the buyer's agent before introducing the buyer or buyers by name. Follow this with a description of their enthusiasm for the home. Sellers are often emotionally invested in their home and prefer buyers who share these feelings.
Provide a clear offer price, with a CMA that supports the offer.
Describe contingency requests in detail. If possible, describe your buyer's willingness to work with the seller; this helps eliminate any adversarial feelings.
Propose a closing date that best serves both parties. If flexibility is an option, describe this as the buyer's willingness to ensure a smooth transaction. If the buyer cannot be flexible, simply state why.
Include details of mandatory steps such as a title search, completion of an appraisal, and the buyer's home inspection plans. If the buyer needs to sell a home before closing, be sure to mention this.
Send your buyer to me for pre-approval, so you can provide details to the seller. This strengthens your offer considerably.

06/30/2025

As the 4th of July Weekend approaches, please keep in mind some safety tips. Don't let your gathering become a statistic.

Guy Colonna from NFPA® gives some helpful and easy tips for inspecting your gas grill for any gas leaks at home. When you are ready to use your gas grill for...