T R U S T: What Does It Feel Like?
In the real estate industry, we ranked and judged by production: by GCI (gross commission income) by volume, by numbers on a leaderboard. When I first started, there was no time to reflect. There was only time to earn. So, I chased it.
I chased production
I chased transactions
I chased the scoreboard
I chased the award plaques (bigger the better)
Mentality of: NEXT .. NEXT .. NEXT!
Thousands of transactions later: through life experience, maturity, setbacks, growth - I began to understand the deeper questions: what, why, where, when, & how of life. Every person in my circle, personally & professionally is based on trust. That’s when I made a decision. I overhauled my entire business. That’s when S U N N Y YI 2.0 came to life.
T R U S T!
But, what does it actually mean?
Trust is not a slogan
It’s not branding
It’s definitely not a closing gift or a bottle of wine.
Trust is a feeling. So, what does trust feel like?
No surprises
Peace of mind
No “what if”
No anxiety
No sleepless nights
No fear
No apprehension
It’s certainty
It’s a warm protected blanket
It’s calm
It feels like knowing every decision being made is based on one thing only: what is in the absolute best interest of my client and their financial futures.
Not my commission. Not my ego. Not my image. The client’s protection. Period.
We’ve all experienced Michelin three star restaurants and some of the best establishments in the world. It’s not just the product that separate them. It’s the experience. It’s how you felt after the experience. Every detail intentional. Every movement precise. No chaos. No scrambling. No uncertainty. You don’t leave wondering if yo made the right choice.
That is what I want S U N N Y YI to represent.
Not the loudest operation. Not the flashiest. Not the one chasing headlines. Not chasing #1. (By the way: that’s a fictional illusion)
The most trusted: Pre .. During .. Post ..
Every decision and recommendations filtered through one question: does this protect my client?
This is who I am.
Building trust: felt before, during, and long after the transaction is complete.
To strive to be the best in the world as the trusted brand in my industry. That’s the beautiful garden I have committed to create and promise myself.
S U N N Y YI.COM
“The Statistic That’s Quietly Distorting Today’s Housing Market”.
Why 95% - 98% list to sales ratio can be fiction
Inventory Is Slowly Rising: Especially In Secondary Market
Still below true balanced market levels.
Many homeowners are locked into 2–3% mortgages: they’re not selling unless necessary.
We are in a slow moving, selective market.Coachella Valley: surpassed pre pandemic active inventory.
Days on Market Is Extending
Homes are sitting longer.
Buyers are cautious.
Multiple offers are no longer automatic (except for entry-level pricing done correctly).
Position strategy matters more than marketing noise.
Price Reductions Are Increasing
This is the statistic most agents and homeowners miss.
On paper:
Sold price vs. final list price still looks healthy.
In reality:
Many homes have 2 - 4 plus price reductions before selling.
True value discovery is happening during listing life cycle. Not the final list to closing price.
Entry-Level Homes Are Stronger Than Luxury
$600K - $1M range: quicker movement. (Example pending zip)
$2M plus: slower, longer hold times.
Why 95% - 98% + List to Sales Ratio Can be Fiction
It only measures final list price. Most MLS system calculate: sales price divided by final list price. NOT original list price.
So, if a home:
List at: $1,000,000
Reduces to: $900,000
Reduces to: $875,000
Sells at: $860,000
The MLS reports: $860,000 divided by $875,000 = 98.29% list to sales ratio.
In reality: list to sales ratio calculation should be: $860,000 divided by $1M = 86% list to sales ratio.
Underlying Concerns In This Market
Interest Rate Lock - In Effect (Golden handcuffs)
Millions of owners including Porter Ranch: at 2.125% – 3.25%. (During re-fi boom)
They will not move unless:
Divorce
Death
Relocation
Financial pressure
This limits inventory but also limits buyer mobility.
Consumer Debt & Savings Erosion
Credit card balances high (highest ever recorded)
Pandemic savings depleted
Auto delinquencies rising
This doesn’t drastically affect housing, but it reduces confidence.
Psychological Shift
The biggest change is NOT economic.
It’s emotional.
Buyers no longer fear missing out.
They fear overpaying.
That’s a massive behavioral shift from 2020 - 2022.
Today: percentage of owners who purchased in later 2022: witnessing negative downpayment pending city & zip codes here in Los angeles.
New Construction Competition
Builders are:
Buying down rates
Offering design center / landscape incentives
Covering closing costs
Resale sellers can’t compete on financing terms: only on pricing.
What does all this mean:
Personal opinion: We’re in a slow recalibration.
Inventory is rising, buyers are cautious, and market positioning strategy matters more than ever.
Homes that are priced correctly move. Homes priced aspirationally sit.
Guess Where This Could Go After Experiencing (5) cycles
Three possible paths over next 12–18 months:
Rates decline modestly: inventory rises, neutral market
Rates stay high: stagnation continues (most will not be able to sustain)
Economic slowdown: more motivated sellers, softening additional 5–8% - ish in certain areas/zip codes or more. In secondary market: Coachella Valley, Lake Tahoe, Big Bear, Mammoth etc: I am witnessing more aggressive price adjustments in order to liquidate. Especially at the entry level: rate sensitive.
Not 2008 - 2009
More like 1994 - 1996 slow grind
During a meeting a newer agent asked:
What’s the major difference between 2008 -2009 vs 2023 - 2025?
2008: Market Crashed! Certainty 100%
2026: It’s a slow bleed! Uncertainty (never experienced)
I’m here when it matters …..
S U N N Y YI.COM
Coachella Valley inventory Rising
February 26, 2026 @ 1:35PM
Active inventory update:
Palm Springs: 769
Cathedral City: 219
Rancho Mirage: 443
Palm Desert: 836
Indian Wells: 135
La Quinta: 513
Total for sale: 2915 total units for sale
Inventory Growth Over time
July 2021: 625
October 2021: 730
January 2023: 1828
May 2024: 2156
January 27, 2025: 2690 (inventory exceeding pre pandemic invenotry)
March 2025: 2853
April 2025: 2999
May 2025: 3135
November 2025: 2581