For buyers asking where opportunity lies on the Monterey Peninsula right now, the answer is Carmel Valley, where homes are selling for an average of 88.4% of list price with 11.4 months of supply, the clearest buyer’s market in the region (MLSListings Inc., YTD through September 30, 2026).
Leverage only works with strategy behind it. I study each home’s days on market, price history and true closed comparables to gauge a seller’s motivation, then build offers that may secure more than a lower price: seller credits toward a rate buydown, pre-closing repairs, or flexible timing.
We are also seeing more contingent offers on the Peninsula than we have in recent years. Buyers are once again asking for inspection, appraisal and loan contingencies, and sellers are accepting them, a meaningful shift from the days when waiving every protection was the only way to compete. Seller credits have become one of the most effective tools in today’s market. With the 30-year fixed mortgage averaging above 7%, a credit applied toward buying down your interest rate can lower your monthly payment for the life of the loan, often delivering more long-term value than an equal reduction in price. For sellers, the credit can be easier to accept because it protects the recorded sale price. The right balance depends on your financing, and lenders set limits on how large a credit can be, so I coordinate with your lender before we submit to make sure every term we negotiate can actually be used at closing.
Blake Russell is a Monterey Peninsula Realtor with Sotheby’s International Realty, recognized among the RealTrends Top 1.5% of agents nationwide. A 2008 Olympic marathoner, Blake brings the same discipline and preparation to representing buyers and sellers in Carmel, Pebble Beach, Pacific Grove and Carmel Valley. DRE #02188622.
