Ken Sisson Real Estate

09/29/2026

Is the Los Angeles Housing Market Up or Down? The Answer is Yes

My One Sentence Read of the Day (September 29th, 2026)

Los Angeles residential real estate is moving deeper into a selective market: buyers are gaining negotiating leverage, sellers need increasingly precise pricing, financing is becoming more expensive again, and insurance is becoming almost as important to transaction strategy as the mortgage itself.

Deeper Dive ~

Mortgage rates are back above 7%, which is the biggest immediate market story for buyers and sellers. National 30-year fixed rates are around 7.3% today, with Bankrate cited at roughly 7.33%. That materially affects purchasing power, especially in Los Angeles price ranges. At the same time, U.S. single-family home prices were still up 2.6% year over year in July, despite softer demand and more inventory.

Los Angeles is showing a market that is slower and much more price-sensitive — but not collapsing. Realtor.com’s September data shows a Los Angeles median listing price around $1.125 million, a median sold price around $1.029 million, nearly 11,950 active listings, and roughly 60 median days on market. Redfin’s August data puts the median sale price at about $1.055 million, down 1.4% year over year, while closed sales were up about 3.3%.

California homeowners insurance remains a major transaction issue. California’s FAIR Plan is scheduled to increase rates by an average of 29.1% beginning October 15, though individual policy changes will vary significantly based on risk. FAIR Plan enrollment has grown dramatically in recent years.
Real-estate implication: insurance needs to become an earlier part of buyer due diligence, particularly in hillside markets. Waiting until the end of escrow to investigate insurability is increasingly risky.

Reach out to me and I will explain or translate exactly what each day’s news means for you and your individual goals

Ken Sisson
Associate Broker | REALTOR®
DRE 01292247
Christie’s International Real Estate
https://kensisson.com
(310)308-8672

09/28/2026

I’m pretty certain that most people I know don’t actually know what I do for people as their real estate agent.

Some of you here on the Instagrams know me because I’ve represented you as your REALTOR® — and in that case, you know!
Some of you know me from something completely unrelated to real estate. Others may remember me from my years in residential mortgage origination and finance.

But my experience tells me that almost everyone has some preconceived notion of what a real estate agent does — and, more importantly, what working with one is supposed to be like.

That’s the part I’d like to challenge.
What I do today goes well beyond opening doors, putting a property in the MLS, writing an offer or putting a sign in a yard. The value is in the judgment, strategy, financial perspective, negotiation, problem-solving and experience that get applied throughout the entire process.

And that experience didn’t begin when I became a full-time REALTOR®.

It comes from decades around residential real estate and mortgage finance, from analyzing deals and understanding financing, to pricing, positioning, negotiating and helping people make decisions involving what is often one of the largest financial assets they own.

Real estate agents are not created equally.

The scope and depth of someone’s experience matters. How they think matters. How they communicate matters. How they approach a problem matters. And when something unexpected happens in a transaction — which it often does — experience matters a lot.

If you’ve worked with me before, I hope you already know what I mean.

If you haven’t, take a look at what my clients have said about their experiences. The second image includes a QR code that will take you directly to my Google reviews. You can also access here - https://maps.app.goo.gl/XYoYMafsoM1K6By29?g_st=ic
And if you have a real estate need — buying, selling, investing, evaluating a property, financing questions, or simply trying to figure out what your best next move might be — you should experience the value of what I do for people these days.

No pressure. No canned sales pitch. Just experienced, straightforward guidance.

Ken Sisson DRE 01292247

09/11/2026

Wishing a sweet, peaceful and prosperous New Year to all who celebrate. May the year ahead bring good health, happiness and many beautiful moments shared at home with those you love.

Shanah Tovah!

09/07/2026

Christie’s Auction House Events in NYC September 2026

09/03/2026

Have an amazing and relaxing Labor Day weekend. You deserve it!

Ken Sisson
Associate Broker
DRE broker license 01292247
Christie’s International Real Estate Southern California
https://kensisson.com
(310)308-8672

08/24/2026

Dreaming of a new view? I know just the place. 🌎

With Christie’s International Real Estate, “local” expertise comes with a truly global perspective — connecting exceptional homes, remarkable destinations, and buyers and sellers around the world.

Whether your next move is across Los Angeles, across the country, or across an ocean, your real estate goals don’t have to stop at the city limits.

We are local. We are connected. We are international.

Dreaming of a new view? Let’s find it.

Ken Sisson
Associate Broker
DRE Broker License 01292247
Christie’s International Real Estate Southern California

08/23/2026

What Nobody Teaches Homebuyers ~

Buying a home is exciting.

It can also be confusing, stressful, occasionally ridiculous and—if nobody has explained what’s coming next—a little bit like getting on a rollercoaster without seeing the track first. 🎢

Most buyers know the obvious part:

Find the house.
Write the offer.
Get the keys.

But there’s a whole lot that happens in between.

Counteroffers. Earnest money. Inspections. Appraisal. Insurance. Underwriting. The final walk-through. Signing. Funding. Recording.

And each stage seems to come with its own version of:

“Wait… what happens now?”

That’s why I created What Homebuyers Are Never Taught: The Rollercoaster — a 10-part look at what actually happens during a home purchase, with a little humor because, frankly, some of this is funny once you’re safely on the other side of it.

A few things buyers quickly learn:

🏠 All homes have problems. Some big. Some small. The skill is figuring out which ones actually matter.

📊 The appraisal is an opinion of value. The market determines value; the appraiser determines whether the value is supported for the lender.

🔥 Welcome to California insurance. Start looking into coverage early. This is no longer something to leave until the end.

📄 Underwriting will probably ask for something twice. Maybe three times. Send it anyway.

🛏️ And please, don’t finance the new bedroom furniture at 0% yet.

Then eventually…

The documents are signed.

The lender funds.

The deed records.

The phone rings.

“Congratulations. You’ve recorded.”

And suddenly most of the preceding three weeks seem considerably less dramatic.

🔑 Welcome home.

Buying in Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Valley Village, Toluca Lake or the surrounding East San Fernando Valley?

The goal isn’t just to find you a house.

It’s to help you understand what you’re buying, what matters, what doesn’t, what comes next—and when it makes sense to move forward or walk away.

Save this carousel if buying a home is somewhere on your radar. And if you’d rather understand the track before you get on the ride, feel free to reach out.

Read my article about this topic on my website -

https://www.kensisson.com/pages/what-homebuyers-are-never-taught

Ken Sisson
Associate Broker | REALTOR®
DRE Broker License 01292247
Christie’s International Real Estate Southern California
(310)308-8672

08/14/2026

Newly listed lease listing in Santa Monica!

I know it’s said ALL THE TIME, but THIS truly won’t last long at all ~

Live mere steps from Montana Avenue in this spacious 1,50...

08/11/2026

It’s photo-shoot day at my upcoming lease listing in Santa Monica and it’s a beautiful sun-shiney day!

05/17/2026

🏡✨ UNDER $900K IN GLENDALE?! ✨🏡

This adorable 2-bedroom, 1-bath home is the kind of opportunity buyers dream about finding… but somehow it’s been flying under the radar. 👀

Priced at just $860,000, this charming Glendale property offers the privacy and feel of a single-family home at a price point that’s hard to find these days — making it an incredible condo or townhome alternative without shared walls or HOA headaches.

Cute, inviting, and full of potential, this is the type of home that feels special the moment you walk in. Perfect for first-time buyers, downsizers, or anyone looking to get into one of Los Angeles County’s most desirable communities without breaking the million-dollar mark.

📍 Glendale, CA
🛏 2 Bedrooms
🛁 1 Bathroom
💰 $860,000

DM me for details or to schedule a private showing before everyone else catches on. 🔑