Real Estate Expert Debunks 2026 Housing Reset, Reveals True Market Forces

While political headlines focus on tariffs, real estate expert Courtney Poulos argues that interest rates and pandemic-era pricing dynamics are the true forces shaping today's housing market. As founder and CEO of ACME Real Estate in Los Angeles, Poulos challenges the industry narrative of "2026: The Great Housing Reset," noting that Trump's tariffs have added significant costs to new homes while his housing reforms remain undefined. She emphasizes that the real constraint isn't tariffs but rather the trillions of dollars printed during COVID without consideration for housing price impacts, creating what she calls "The Real Lock" where sellers who bought with cheap money during the pandemic are unwilling to accept losses at current higher interest rates.

Poulos identifies the core market stagnation as a mismatch between sellers' COVID-era purchase prices with sub-3% mortgages and buyers' inability to afford those same prices at 6-7% rates. She advocates for creative financing solutions like rate buy-downs and realistic rate adjustments, pointing to recent rates in the fives on seven-year jumbo ARMs as encouraging signs. Despite the challenges, Poulos reports cautious optimism with buyers returning to the market, sellers becoming more realistic about pricing, and properties still receiving competitive offers, though with more reasonable premiums over asking prices. She hosts "The Clean Close" podcast covering real estate trends and believes the market is adjusting to reality rather than experiencing a dramatic reset.

The bottom line, according to Poulos, is that markets are functioning as participants stop waiting for perfect conditions and work with current realities. She emphasizes the importance of maintaining access to homeownership as a wealth-building tool for those not already wealthy, expressing hope that the American dream remains achievable. Her perspective from the front lines of the Los Angeles market, where ACME Real Estate achieved $155M in sales volume in 2024, provides valuable insight beyond political narratives, focusing instead on the fundamental economic factors actually influencing buyer and seller behavior in today's complex housing landscape.