About two percent of mortgaged homes in this country are underwater. That number is nowhere near where it was during the Great Recession, and it is not a description of your house. The stress in today's market is concentrated, not spread evenly. If you are standing in one of those pockets, the national average does not help you.

In this episode, Agent Kee walks through short sales from the homeowner's side of the table.

She explains what a short sale is in plain terms, how it differs from foreclosure, a loan modification, and a deed in lieu, and why understanding those differences can protect your financial future.

You'll also learn how California's nonjudicial foreclosure process works—from the first missed payment through the Notice of Default, the reinstatement period, the Notice of Trustee Sale, and the foreclosure auction—and why seven months of runway is often much shorter than it sounds when lender approval alone can take 60 to 90 days.

The episode also addresses five of the biggest misconceptions about short sales:

• Do you have to be behind on your mortgage to qualify?

• Will you still owe the difference after the sale?

• Can you afford to sell if you have no money for closing costs?

• Why do lenders approve short sales?

• Is a short sale as damaging as a foreclosure?

Agent Kee also discusses what actually causes short sales to fail, why timing is one of the most important factors in a successful outcome, and how to recognize foreclosure rescue scams that often target homeowners immediately after a Notice of Default is recorded.

Agent Kee is a licensed California real estate broker and real estate economist. She is not an attorney or CPA, and nothing discussed in this episode should be considered legal or tax advice. Always consult qualified professionals regarding your specific situation.

Selling Sacramento airs live every Wednesday from 1:00–2:00 PM on 97.5 FM KDEE, The Soul of Sacramento™.

Learn more or schedule a confidential consultation at AgentKee.com.

Whether you're buying your first newly built home or your next one, understanding the construction process before you sign a contract can save you time, money, and frustration.

In this episode of the Selling Sacramento Podcast, Keisha "Agent Kee" Mathews breaks down what buyers need to know about purchasing new construction in California. You'll learn what to expect from construction timelines, builder contracts, deposits, design center upgrades, inspections, financing, warranties, and why having your own representation matters throughout the process.

If you're considering a new home in communities throughout Sacramento, Elk Grove, Folsom, Roseville, Rancho Cordova, Natomas, or elsewhere in California, this episode will help you approach the process with confidence.

Topics include:

• Understanding construction timelines
• Builder deposits and upgrade costs
• Builder contracts and negotiations
• Inspections throughout construction
• Financing and rate locks
• Builder warranties
• Choosing upgrades wisely
• Why your own REALTOR® matters

Read the companion article:
Navigating New Home Construction

For questions about buying new construction in the Sacramento region, visit:
AgentKee.com

Why America's Skilled Labor Crisis Is Slowing Home Construction

America's housing shortage isn't simply a shortage of homes. It's also a shortage of the skilled workforce needed to build them.

In this episode of Selling Sacramento, I explore one of the least discussed drivers of today's housing affordability crisis: the construction labor shortage that has been building since the Great Recession. While much of the national conversation focuses on housing supply, homes cannot be built without the electricians, framers, plumbers, roofers, concrete finishers, HVAC technicians, and other skilled tradespeople who bring them to life.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What happened to the construction workforce after the 2008 housing crash.

• Why many skilled tradespeople never returned.

• How labor shortages continue to affect the pace and cost of home construction.

• Why increasing housing supply requires more than land, financing, and government policy.

• What this means for California, Sacramento, and the future of housing affordability.

If we're serious about solving America's housing shortage, we also have to solve the workforce shortage behind it.

🎙️ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6ZMmoNkKYa9bQ4ZmCq0Z5x?si=pzCY-VGpS1er9Kj6ZzZeqA

Every real estate market eventually changes. Interest rates move, inventory shifts, buyer demand changes, and the strategies that worked yesterday don't always work today.

In this episode of Selling Sacramento: Market Clarity with Agent Kee, I explore the four types of real estate professionals every market shift reveals: The Strategist, The Drifter, The Alarmist, and The Builder.

This conversation is designed for REALTORS®, but buyers and sellers will also gain valuable insight into why representation matters more than ever in today's market. You'll learn how changing market conditions expose business habits, why preparation consistently outperforms reaction, and what questions consumers should ask before choosing a real estate professional.

Whether you're navigating your first market cycle or your fifth, this episode will help you better understand how market shifts create opportunities for those who are prepared.

In this episode you'll learn:

• Why market shifts reveal habits instead of creating them

• The difference between reacting to the market and preparing for it

• The four responses professionals have during changing markets

• Why consumers should understand how agents adapt

• Questions every buyer and seller should ask before hiring an agent

If this episode brought you value, please follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with someone who could benefit from a little more market clarity.

* Originally aired 7/8/2026 at 1P PST on Selling Sacramento on 97.5 FM KDEE, The Soul of Sacramento.

The day you hire a real estate agent, something happens that nobody explains to you. You go quiet, and someone else begins speaking for you in rooms you'll never enter. Every conversation, every negotiation, and every recommendation is now being made on your behalf.

On this episode of Selling Sacramento, Agent Kee explores the decision that matters more than the house, the price, or the paperwork: who represents you.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why your agent becomes your voice the moment you sign—and how that voice can influence your transaction in ways you'll never see.

• The story of a real transaction where the buyers were unknowingly put at risk by their own representation.

• The five representation styles—from the commission-driven agent to the bulldozer to the true professional—and what each one can cost the client.

• The seven questions every buyer and seller should ask before hiring an agent, including the one almost no one thinks to ask.

• Why great negotiations are built on relationships, not just money.

• What fiduciary duty really means and why it should matter to every buyer and seller.

Whether you're buying or selling in Sacramento, El Dorado Hills, or Placer County—or simply want to better understand what exceptional representation looks like—this episode will change the way you choose a real estate professional.

Selling Sacramento airs live every Wednesday from 1:00 to 2:00 PM on 97.5 FM KDEE, The Soul of Sacramento, and is hosted by Keisha "Agent Kee" Mathews, Broker/Owner of Mathews & Co. Realty Group.

Schedule a consultation at AgentKee.com.

Chapter Timestamps

00:00 – The Most Important Decision You'll Make Before Buying or Selling a Home
04:16 – Your Agent Is Your Voice
07:33 – The Transaction the Buyers Never Saw
15:00 – The Five Representation Styles
40:00 – How to Interview an Agent Before You Hire Them

Misinformation can be expensive, especially when it comes to buying a home. In this episode of Selling Sacramento: Market Clarity with Agent Kee, we separate fact from fiction and tackle three common myths that continue to confuse buyers and homeowners.

🎙 Episode Chapters

2:24 – 15:17 | The VA Loan Myth
Many veterans and active-duty service members have heard that VA offers are harder to win or that sellers don't want them. We discuss what today's market really looks like and why VA financing remains one of the strongest benefits available to eligible buyers.

16:17 – 33:40 | The Condo Myth
A lower list price doesn't always mean a lower monthly payment. Learn how HOA dues affect buying power, why lenders focus on monthly obligations rather than purchase price, and the questions every condo buyer should ask before writing an offer.

34:36 – 51:30 | The Renovation Myth
Many homeowners believe remodeling projects automatically increase a home's value. We discuss the difference between cost and value, which improvements buyers appreciate most, and why some projects provide a better return than others.

Whether you're buying your first home, planning your next move, or simply trying to make informed decisions, this episode will help you cut through the noise and approach real estate with greater clarity and confidence.

Have the conversation.

Selling Sacramento: Market Clarity with Agent Kee
Wednesdays • 1:00–2:00 PM PST
97.5 FM KDEE • The Soul of Sacramento

There are two types of buyers in Sacramento right now, and there are two types of sellers. The buyer your home attracts is determined almost entirely by the choices you make before the sign ever goes in the yard.

On this episode of Selling Sacramento: Market Clarity with Agent Kee, I walk you through both buyer types, both seller types, the timeframes you can realistically expect, the four buckets of preparation that separate a 10-day contract from a 90-day stale listing, and the five most expensive mistakes I see costing sellers tens of thousands of dollars in this market.

What you will hear in this episode:

The difference between the intentional buyer, also known as the FOMO buyer, and the forensic buyer who is hunting your days on market like a medical chart.

The four buckets every prepared seller works through before going live: condition, presentation, photography and marketing, and pricing.

The "days on market tax" and what it actually costs sellers in this market.

What to do when life is happening and you cannot afford to wait 90 days to prepare a home for sale.

How to know whether you are ready to list, or whether you need a few more weeks to get there.

This episode is for anyone thinking about selling in the next 30, 60, or 90 days, anyone already listed and wondering why their phone is not ringing, and anyone supporting a family member or client through a sale during a life transition.

To work with me directly, the fastest path is calendly.com/mcrghomes/chat-with-kee or agentkee.com. Consultations are free, private, and scheduled around your life.

Selling Sacramento: Market Clarity with Agent Kee airs live every Wednesday from 1 to 2 PM on 97.5 FM KDEE, the Soul of Sacramento™.

There is one number every Sacramento seller should know before they list their home. It has nothing to do with their list price. It is ten — the first ten days the home is on the market.

In this episode of Selling Sacramento, broker and real estate economist Agent Kee breaks down what actually happens inside that window. Why your listing has its largest audience the day it goes live, and why that audience shrinks every day after. The five mechanics that make the first ten days the most powerful period in your entire home sale. The economiccost of a missed launch in Sacramento, measured against real SAR March 2026 numbers. And the pre-launch checklist every seller should have ready before MLS goes live.

Plus: where this rule bends — because it does not apply the same way to luxury, distressed, or unique properties. And themindset shift that separates sellers who close strong from the ones who chase the market down with price reductions.

If you are thinking about listing your home this year — or you know someone who is — this is the conversation to have before the listing goes active. Not three weeks in. Before.

FEATURED DATA SOURCES

Sacramento Association of REALTORS, March2026 Housing Statistics (sacrealtor.org)

Zillow Research — Days on Market and PricingStudies

ShowingTime / NAR — First Five Days ShowingAnalysis

Ryan Lundquist, Sacramento Appraisal Blog — local market commentary and pricing observations.

WORK WITH AGENT KEE

Schedule a pre-listing strategy consultation:agentkee.com (Sellers tab — Should I Hire Agent Kee?)

COMMUNITY

Sister-Nomics OWN Session: Saturday, May 30 atNew York Life — building wealth through ownership. Hosted by the Sacramento Chapter, National Coalition of 100 Black Women.

REGISTER BELOW:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/short-sales-distressed-bank-owned-properties-tickets-1989933044303?aff=odcleoeventsincollection

ABOUT SELLING SACRAMENTO

Selling Sacramento: Market Clarity with Agent Kee airs live Wednesdays1–2 PM on 97.5 FM KDEE from the California Black Chamber of Commerce. Newepisodes drop on Spotify and Apple Podcasts after each live show. Hosted byKeisha “Kee” Mathews — Broker, Developer, Advocate, and Real Estate Economist.Mathews & Co. Realty Group, DRE #01439130.

What happens when a church with 40 years of community roots partners with a real estate association on a mission to close the Black homeownership gap in Sacramento? You get a conversation like this one.

In this episode of Selling Sacramento on KDEE 97.5 FM, host Keisha "Kee" Mathews — Director and Chair of Education for the Sacramento Realtist Association and Co-Chair of Legacy of Faith Community Development Corporation — welcomes Pastor Lamont Harris, Executive Pastor of Saint Paul Church of Sacramento.

Pastor Harris has dedicated nearly four decades of his life to Saint Paul Church, serving under and alongside the late Rev. Ephraim Williams — the beloved community leader whose legacy lives on in the Dr. Ephraim Williams Family Life Center, the very venue that would host the 2026 Community Housing Fair just days after this episode aired.

In this conversation, Kee and Pastor Harris discuss:

• The evolution of Saint Paul Church — from St. Paul Baptist Church to Saint Paul Church of Sacramento and what that transformation represents for the community

• Saint Paul Village and the Family Life Center — the programs, the people, and the vision for the neighborhood

• The founding of Legacy of Faith Community Development Corporation — what a faith-based CDC can do that other organizations simply cannot

• Why Saint Paul opened its doors to the 2026 Community Housing Fair and what it means when the Church says yes to the community

• The future of the CDC and what this partnership model could mean for faith institutions across Sacramento and beyond

Kee also previews the 2026 SRA Community Housing Fair featuring The Blueprint Masterclass — presented by Columbia Bank and hosted by the Sacramento Realtist Association and Legacy of Faith CDC — sharing everything attendees can expect including four free expert-led sessions, a vendor marketplace, food trucks, live music from KDEE's own DJ Sam, and prize drawings including a 65-inch Big Screen TV.

In Sacramento County today, Black homeownership stands at 30% compared to 59% for white residents. That gap did not happen by accident — and closing it requires exactly the kind of partnership, conviction, and community-centered leadership that Pastor Lamont Harris embodies.

This episode is for anyone who believes that the door to homeownership should be open to everyone. And that the Church has a role to play in making sure it is.

EPISODE DETAILS:

• Show: Selling Sacramento

• Station: KDEE 97.5 FM — The Voice of Black Sacramento

• Air Date: Wednesday, May 13, 2026 | 1:00–2:00 PM

• Host: Keisha "Kee" Mathews

• Guest: Pastor Lamont Harris, Executive Pastor | Saint Paul Church of Sacramento

• Topics: Faith-based community development, Black homeownership, Sacramento Realtist Association, Legacy of Faith CDC, Saint Paul Village, Community Housing Fair

#SellingsSacramento #KDEE975 #DemocracyInHousing #BlackHomeownership #SacramentoRealtist #NAREB #LegacyOfFaithCDC #SaintPaulSacramento #CommunityHousingFair #BlueprintMasterclass #SacramentoRealEstate #GenerationalWealth #FaithAndCommunity #OwnItSacramento

In this episode of Selling Sacramento, host Keisha "Kee" Mathews is joined by three powerhouses who are doing the real work of moving Sacramento's community toward homeownership, financial stability, and generational wealth.

Against the backdrop of the Supreme Court's recent decision to gut Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, Kee makes the case that economic power is the community's most powerful response — and that homeownership is democracy in action.

Guests include Pedar Bruce, VP and Community Impact Lending Officer at Columbia Bank; Serina Lowden, President of the Sacramento Realtist Association; and Zoritha Thompson, Housing Fair Committee Co-Chair and Sacramento real estate powerhouse.

Together they discuss what Community Impact Lending really means, the history and mission of NAREB and the Realtist movement, the real barriers standing between Sacramento families and homeownership — and exactly what the Community Housing Fair featuring The Blueprint Masterclass is doing about it.

What you will hear in this episode:

• Why the Voting Rights Act decision makes homeownership more urgent than ever
• What makes a Realtist different from a Realtor
• What programs and resources are available RIGHT NOW for first-time buyers
• How to get a free credit action plan from Blue Water Credit
• What to expect at the Community Housing Fair on May 16th

The Community Housing Fair feat. The Blueprint MasterclassPresented by Columbia BankSaturday, May 16, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 3:00 PMDr. Ephraim Williams Family Life Center | Saint Paul Church of Sacramento3996 14th Ave, Sacramento, CA 95820 | Free & Open to All

Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/free-community-housing-fair-the-blueprint-masterclass-tickets-1988219336557Or visit saintpaulsac.org and click on Events

The door wasn't closed. It's open and waiting for you.