^{Housing Buzz}

Big news in Real Estate today. Home contract cancellations just dropped to 7.2% in February, which means more buyers are following through on their deals even with all the economic noise out there. Mortgage rates dipping below 6% and pending sales jumping 4.2% are giving people the confidence to stay locked in. In tight markets like New York City and San Jose, buyers know walking away could mean losing out for good.

Meanwhile in Brooklyn, wealthy buyers are completely skipping the traditional listing process. One luxury developer says 60% of their sales happen off-market through a private waiting list, with buyers locking in homes 12 to 18 months before they're even finished. They're picking custom finishes and working directly with the developer in what's becoming a whole new model of quiet luxury.

And over in Washington state, Senate Bill 6026 just passed both the House and Senate with strong support. The bill would require cities with over 30,000 residents to allow housing on commercial and mixed-use land, turning places like abandoned strip malls into homes. Washington needs 1.1 million new units over the next 20 years and this could be a major step forward.

Which one of these stories do you think affects the real estate market the most?

^{-Tristan Ahumada}

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