My youngest son turns 25 today… A big milestone in our family because, as I learned as a PEP volunteer teacher (parent educator program) many years ago at Los Perales Elementary, men have fully developed frontal lobes at the age of 25. This is our brain center for decision making and it was always a joke in our family that you weren’t really capable of making a good decision, or at least were not fully culpable for the bad ones, until you were 25.

The above table ranks each county by the percentage of active listings going into contract in June/July 2020 - a standard statistic of market heat - compares it to the same period of last year, and then rates the scale of the year-over-year change.

• Multi-Purpose Sanctuary: Buyers want space to exercise, and not just on a Peloton bike in the bedroom but in a light-filled room. They want a dedicated home office, and probably two, with good lighting and an elegant backdrop for a Zoom call.
• Moving to the Suburbs: Buyers are cutting ties with the cities where they work, looking for space and privacy in the suburbs, the country, and second-home destinations like South Lake Tahoe, Palm Beach, Hawaii, and the Hamptons.
• Second Home, Primary Destination: Many homeowners are adding upgrades more typical of a primary residence, like more storage and expanded kitchen pantries. Those who didn't own a second home before the pandemic are looking to buy one now.
• Outdoor Luxury: Homeowners want those spaces to be welcoming, with pools, cabanas, and outdoor living rooms with features like a fireplace, a television, a bathroom, and a kitchen with a pizza oven.