A Few Things I Thought You’d Find Interesting: Fall Events, 7% Rates & More

Written By Brendan Moran

A smart weekly look at the East Bay

through the lens of local life, housing, and development.

What the market is telling us

The average 30-year fixed mortgage hit 7.03% in Freddie Mac’s latest reading, up from 6.95% the week before.

At the same time, Redfin says pending home sales fell 3.5% week over week to their lowest level in nearly three years, while new listings remain 1.5% higher than a year ago.

That combination matters.

There are fewer buyers willing or able to jump in at these rates, but the people who are still shopping generally have more homes to choose from and more room to negotiate.

My read: affordability is doing a lot of the negotiating right now.

Sellers can absolutely still get a strong result. But pricing for the market you wish you were in is getting expensive.

The local read

Walnut Creek continues to look like one of the more interesting markets in the area.

The latest three-month numbers put the median sale price around $868,000, down 2.2% year over year, with homes taking a median 28 days to sell. At the same time, 36.3% of homes still sold above asking while 32.1% had a price reduction.

That’s basically two markets operating at once.

Pleasant Hill is around $948,000 with an 18-day median. Lafayette is just over $2 million at 15 days, while Moraga and Orinda are both around 14 days.

The takeaway isn’t that one city is “hot” and another isn’t. It’s that buyers are being very selective. Get the house, condition and price right and things can move quickly. Miss the mark and buyers appear perfectly willing to wait.

What I’d actually put on the calendar

Walnut Creek

  • Sunrise Yoga
    Oct. 1, 6 + 8 | 6:30–7:20 AM | Behavioral Fitness
    Early-morning Vinyasa combining flexibility, balance, strength and endurance.

  • Toddler Storytime & Play
    Oct. 1 + 8 | 10:15–10:45 AM | Walnut Creek Library
    Stories, songs and movement for little ones, followed by playtime.

  • Intro to Yoga
    Oct. 1, 6 + 8 | 10:30–11:30 AM | Behavioral Fitness
    Beginner-friendly yoga in a small-group setting.

  • High Pile: Concepts in Tufting
    Oct. 1–4 + Oct. 7–8 | Noon–5 PM | Bedford Gallery
    Bedford’s new exhibition brings together 20 contemporary artists using tufting as fine art, with everything from abstraction and pattern to narrative and cultural storytelling.

  • ESL Conversation Group
    Oct. 1 + 8 | 2–3 PM | Walnut Creek Library
    Casual conversation practice for adults learning English.

  • Saatva Walnut Creek Grand Opening
    Oct. 1 | 5–7 PM | Downtown Walnut Creek
    Saatva celebrates its new Walnut Creek showroom with The Bay Golf Club and Modern Luxury.

  • Trivia & Line Dancing Thursdays
    Oct. 1 + 8 | 6:30–11:30 PM | Bourbon Highway
    Trivia downstairs followed by line dancing upstairs.

  • Disarming Scripture: A Lecture & Conversation Series
    Oct. 1 + 8 | 7 PM | Saint Matthew Lutheran Church
    Author Derek Flood and Pastor Rustin Comer lead an October series on wrestling with difficult passages of Scripture. $20 covers lecture materials.

  • ØL Beer Cafe Comedy Night
    Oct. 1 | 7:30–8:30 PM | ØL Beercafe
    Thursday-night stand-up downtown.

  • Everyday Strength & Mobility
    Oct. 2 + 6 | 9–10 AM + Oct. 7 | 1:30–2:30 PM | Behavioral Fitness
    Functional strength, balance and mobility.

  • Balance & Mobility 55+
    Oct. 2 | 10:30–11:15 AM + Oct. 5 + 7 | 11:30 AM–12:15 PM | Behavioral Fitness
    Low-impact balance, mobility and strength work.

  • Live Country Music, Line Dancing & Karaoke
    Oct. 2 + 3 | 6:30 PM–1 AM | Bourbon Highway
    Live country music downstairs with line dancing, DJ and karaoke.

  • Tai Chi: Exploring Five Traditional Styles
    Oct. 3 | 9:30–10:30 AM | Behavioral Fitness
    An introduction to movements from five traditional Tai Chi styles.

  • The Great Contra Costa Crystal Fair
    Oct. 3 | 10 AM–6 PM + Oct. 4 | 10 AM–4 PM | Civic Park Community Center
    More than 30 vendors with crystals, gems, minerals, jewelry and metaphysical goods. Kids 12 and under are free.

  • Qigong Eight Brocades
    Oct. 3 | 10:45–11:45 AM | Behavioral Fitness
    Introductory Qigong focused on mobility, breathing and relaxation.

  • Neon Scorpion & Tarantula Hikes
    Oct. 3 + 4 | 6–8 PM | Mitchell Canyon
    Lindsay Wildlife naturalists lead an evening search for glowing scorpions and local tarantulas. Both dates were listed as sold out when checked.

  • Blessing of the Animals at St. Paul’s
    Oct. 4 | 9:30 AM | St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
    Pets and even stuffed animals are welcome at this annual St. Francis weekend tradition, followed by a pet-friendly coffee hour.

  • Steak Board Sunday
    Oct. 4 | 4–10 PM | Fleming’s
    Sunday two-course steak board downtown.

  • Cultivating Purpose in the Third Third of Life
    Oct. 4 | 4–5:30 PM | Saint Matthew Lutheran Church
    Author and ethicist Cynthia Moe-Lobeda leads a conversation about purpose, community and meaningful engagement later in life.

  • Morning Vinyasa Flow
    Oct. 5 | 8–8:50 AM | Behavioral Fitness
    Monday-morning Vinyasa.

  • Monday Morning Yoga
    Oct. 5 | 9–10 AM | Behavioral Fitness
    Free Monday mindfulness and movement class.

  • Junior Zookeeper Experience One-Day Camp
    Oct. 5 | 9 AM–3:30 PM | Lindsay Wildlife Experience
    A day of animal encounters and behind-the-scenes learning for ages 6–12.

  • Tai Chi
    Oct. 5 | 10:15–11:15 AM | Walnut Creek Library
    Free adult Tai Chi focused on movement, balance and meditation.

  • Lunch & Learn: Local Agency – Joybound
    Oct. 6 | 11:30 AM–12:30 PM | Saint Matthew Lutheran Church
    Joybound’s Alyssa Stone talks about adoption, volunteering, community programs and the benefits of animal companionship for older adults. Free, with a light lunch.

  • Baby Songs & Play
    Oct. 6 | Noon–12:30 PM | Walnut Creek Library
    Songs, lap bounces and play for babies and caregivers.

  • $3 Servicemen & Industry Tuesday
    Oct. 6 | 6:30–11:30 PM | Bourbon Highway
    Tuesday-night industry and service-member promotion downtown.

  • All-Ages Storytime
    Oct. 7 | 10:15–10:45 AM | Walnut Creek Library
    Stories, songs and movement for kids and caregivers.

  • Wild Wednesday Preschool: Wild World – Africa
    Oct. 7 | 10:30–11:30 AM | Lindsay Wildlife Experience
    Preschool wildlife program for ages 3–5 and a caregiver.

  • LGBTQ+ Manga Club
    Oct. 7 | 4–5 PM | Walnut Creek Library
    Teen manga discussion group featuring LGBTQ+ themes.

  • Read to a Dog
    Oct. 7 | 4:30–5:30 PM | Walnut Creek Library
    Young readers can practice with a therapy dog.

  • Walnut Creek Small Business Resource Informational Session
    Oct. 7 | 5:30–7 PM | Walnut Creek
    Information and resources for local small-business owners.

  • Boots & Bingo
    Oct. 7 | 6:30–11:30 PM | Bourbon Highway
    Bingo followed by music and dancing.

  • Lego Break!
    Oct. 8 | 4:30–5:30 PM | Walnut Creek Library
    Drop-in LEGO building for kids.

  • Drag Bingo
    Oct. 8 | 7–10 PM | Barebottle Brewing
    Thursday-night Drag Bingo downtown.

  • SFJAZZ Presents Nicholas Payton
    Oct. 8 | 7:30 PM | Lesher Center for the Arts
    Grammy-winning trumpeter, keyboardist and composer Nicholas Payton comes to the Lesher.

Pleasant Hill

Lamorinda

Lafayette

  • Storytime Junction
    Oct. 1 + 8 | 10:30–11 AM | Lafayette Library
    Stories, songs and play for babies, toddlers and young children.

  • Steel Magnolias
    Oct. 1 | 11 AM special matinee + 7 PM | Oct. 2 + 3 | 7 PM | Town Hall Theatre
    Final weekend for Town Hall Theatre’s production of the beloved comedy-drama.

  • Insiders
    Oct. 2 | 11 AM–Noon | Lafayette Library
    A social and learning program designed for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

  • Tech Help
    Oct. 3 | 11 AM–1 PM | Lafayette Library
    One-on-one assistance with phones, tablets and computers. Registration required.

  • Día de los Muertos Search-and-Find
    Beginning Oct. 5 | Lafayette Library
    A month-long children’s search activity celebrating Día de los Muertos.

  • Read to a Dog
    Oct. 6 | 3–4 PM + Oct. 7 | 2:15–2:45 PM | Lafayette Library
    Young readers can practice aloud with a therapy dog.

  • Tai Chi
    Oct. 6 | 6–7 PM | Lafayette Library
    Free evening Tai Chi.

  • Sing Me a Storytime
    Oct. 7 | 10:30–11 AM | Lafayette Library
    A music-focused storytime for little ones.

  • Meditation
    Oct. 7 | 6–7 PM | Lafayette Library
    Guided evening meditation.

  • Lafayette Chamber Nonprofit Network
    Oct. 8 | 8:30–10 AM | Creekside Commons
    Networking and resources for local nonprofit organizations.

  • Intermediate 3D Design Workshop with Innov8 Design
    Oct. 8 | 4:30–6 PM | Lafayette Library
    Hands-on 3D design workshop. Registration required.

  • November Ballot Pros & Cons
    Oct. 8 | 6:30–7:45 PM | Lafayette Library
    The League of Women Voters presents a nonpartisan explanation of measures appearing on the November ballot, followed by Q&A. Registration required.

Moraga

Orinda

Concord

  • Concord Taco Trail Challenge
    Ongoing through Oct. 15 | Restaurants around Concord
    Visit participating taquerias, collect stickers and vote for Fan Favorite and Best Salsa.

  • Concord Library Storytime
    Oct. 1 + 8 | 10:30–11:30 AM | Concord Library
    Stories, songs and movement for babies, toddlers and preschoolers.

  • Durst Winery & Estate Day Trip
    Oct. 1 | 10:30 AM–4:30 PM | Departing from Concord
    A guided Lodi wine-country trip including transportation, tasting and lunch.

  • A Night with Narnia
    Oct. 3 | 7 PM | First Presbyterian Church, 1965 Colfax St.
    A free family evening with a theatrical reading, lantern-lit treasure hunt and movie experience inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia. Geared toward ages 8–12, with families and siblings welcome.

  • Autumn at the Adobe
    Oct. 4 | 1–4 PM | Don Salvio Pacheco Adobe
    Wine tasting and a fall gathering benefiting the Concord Historical Society.

  • Drop-In Tech Help
    Oct. 5 | 4–6 PM | Concord Library
    Basic assistance with phones, tablets, computers and other technology.

  • Vinnie’s Open Mic Night
    Oct. 5 | Vinnie’s Bar & Grill
    Monday-night open mic downtown.

  • Concord Farmers Market
    Oct. 6 | 10 AM–2 PM | Todos Santos Plaza
    Year-round Tuesday farmers market downtown.

  • Pen & Ink Society
    Oct. 6 | 4–5 PM | Concord Library
    A relaxed, beginner-friendly writing group with creative prompts and time to write together.

  • Vinnie’s Country Night
    Oct. 6 | 8–11 PM | Vinnie’s Bar & Grill
    Free country line-dancing lessons and country night downtown.

  • Mandarin Bilingual Storytime
    Oct. 7 | 10:30–11:30 AM | Concord Library
    Stories, songs and playful fun presented in Mandarin. All ages and abilities welcome.

  • Sidegate Trivia Night with Geeks Who Drink
    Oct. 7 | 6:30–8:30 PM | Side Gate Brewery & Beer Garden
    Wednesday-night team trivia. Sign-ups start at 6:30 and the quiz begins at 7.

  • Concord Senior Health Expo
    Oct. 8 | 9 AM–Noon | Concord Senior Center
    Free expo with health and community-service providers covering Medicare, transportation, assisted living and more. Open to all ages.

  • Read to a Dog
    Oct. 8 | 4–5 PM | Concord Library
    Kids can build reading confidence during a 15-minute individual session with a gentle Joybound therapy dog.

Martinez

  • Teens: Make a Zine for Halloween
    Ongoing through Oct. 31 | Martinez Library
    Teens can create a Halloween-themed zine, make copies and have one displayed as part of the library’s October collection.

  • Aire Libre Weekend
    Oct. 2 | 5–10 PM + Oct. 3 | 10 AM–10 PM + Oct. 4 | 10 AM–7 PM | Downtown Martinez
    Downtown streets open up for outdoor dining and strolling all weekend.

  • Pumpkin Dunkin’
    Oct. 2 | 5–7 PM | Martinez
    Fall family event with pumpkins and seasonal fun.

  • Martinez First Friday
    Oct. 2 | 6–9 PM | Downtown Martinez
    Shops, restaurants, art and entertainment downtown Friday evening.

  • 17th Annual Bike the Bridges, Bands & Brews
    Oct. 3 | 6 AM–5 PM | Martinez
    Special Olympics Northern California’s cycling fundraiser returns with multiple ride distances, bands and post-ride festivities.

  • Martinez Library Storytime
    Oct. 3 | 10–10:30 AM | Martinez Library
    Stories and songs for young children, followed by Stay & Play.

  • Downtown Martinez Farmers’ Market
    Oct. 4 | 9 AM–1 PM | Downtown Martinez
    Sunday farmers market with produce and local vendors.

  • Martinez Outdoor Painters
    Begins Oct. 4 | 9 AM–Noon | Studio 55 / locations around Martinez
    A six-week plein-air painting course visiting outdoor locations around Martinez.

  • Tarot Social Meetup
    Oct. 6 | 6–7 PM | Martinez Library
    A casual gathering for adults interested in tarot. Registration required.

  • Downtown Martinez Car Show
    Oct. 8 | 6–8 PM | Downtown Martinez
    Classic and specialty cars downtown Thursday evening.

Meetings that matter

  • Walnut Creek

City Council | Oct. 6 | 6 PM

The Council’s regular first-Tuesday meeting falls on Oct. 6. The City posts the agenda the Friday before the meeting, so the full agenda was not yet available when I pulled this together.

  • Lafayette

Planning Commission + Transportation & Circulation Commission | Oct. 5 | 7 PM

Both commissions are scheduled Monday evening. If you follow development or traffic issues in Lafayette, these are the two calendars worth checking once the agendas are posted.

  • Moraga

Candidate Forum | Oct. 6 | Soda Activity Center, Saint Mary’s

The separately planned library ballot presentation was canceled and combined with a forum involving candidates for Moraga Town Council and the Moraga-Orinda Fire District.

  • Concord

Design Review Board | Oct. 8 | 5:30 PM

Worth noting: the Planning Commission meeting scheduled for Oct. 7 is canceled.

  • Martinez

City Council | Oct. 7 | 7 PM

Martinez City Council holds its regular meeting Wednesday evening.

The scoreboard

Latest three-month snapshot:

  • Walnut Creek, including Rossmoor: $868,425 median | 317 sold | 28 days on market

  • Pleasant Hill: $948,372 median | 97 sold | 18 days

  • Lafayette: $2,038,651 median | 81 sold | 15 days

  • Moraga: $1,750,092 median | 45 sold | 14 days

  • Orinda: $1,998,677 median | 61 sold | 14 days

  • Concord: $758,248 median | 271 sold | 24 days

  • Martinez: $813,462 median | 102 sold | 20 days

The price spread is still huge, but the days-on-market numbers are just as interesting. Moraga, Orinda and Lafayette are averaging roughly two weeks, while Walnut Creek is closer to four.

5 Star For Sale Property

3183 Wayside Plz, #311

1 bed | 1 bath | 726 sqft

$435,000

One smart add-on

Osaka Marketplace looks like it’s finally getting close

This one has been a long time coming.

The Japanese grocery chain Osaka Marketplace is now actively hiring for all positions and departments at its Pleasant Hill location, one of the clearest signs yet that the project is getting close to opening.

The market is taking over the former 42,000-square-foot Orchard Supply Hardware space and is planned as more than a grocery store. The concept includes a semi-outdoor Japanese market hall with mini restaurants serving things like sushi, ramen, karaage and bento.

If there’s an East Bay neighborhood, project, local issue, event, or market question you want me to cover in a future edition, hit reply and send it my way.

– Brendan

Brendan Moran
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