A Quick Local Update for You
A smart weekly look at the East Bay
through the lens of local life, housing, and development.
What the market is telling us
Mortgage rates just made another move in the wrong direction.
The average 30-year fixed mortgage climbed to 7.28%, up from 7.03% the week before. A year ago, it was 6.34%.
That may not sound like a huge change, but on an $800,000 mortgage, every quarter-point matters.
And it’s happening at a time when buyers already have more choices and considerably less patience for homes they think are overpriced.
My read: 7% isn’t a magic line where the market stops. But 7.28% makes buyers even more price-sensitive.
The homes that show well and are priced right can absolutely still sell quickly. The ones that miss the mark are increasingly being left behind.
The local read
Here’s what I find interesting locally: higher rates haven’t affected every East Bay market the same way.
In Walnut Creek, the latest three-month median is about $868,000, with homes taking 28 days to sell.
Compare that with Lafayette at just over $2 million and 15 days, Moraga at about $1.75 million and 14 days, and Orinda at just under $2 million and 14 days.
Meanwhile, Concord is around $758,000 and 24 days, while Martinez is about $813,000 and 20 days.
That’s why I’m increasingly skeptical whenever I hear someone describe “the housing market” as if there’s only one.
Right now, we have a collection of very different micro-markets, sometimes only a few miles apart.
Price point matters. Neighborhood matters. Condition matters. And increasingly, the individual house matters.
What I’d actually put on the calendar
Walnut Creek
Bingo Drop-In
Oct. 8 | Noon–2:30 PM | Civic Park Community Center
50+ drop-in bingo.
Lego Break!
Oct. 8 | 4:30–5:30 PM | Walnut Creek Library
Drop-in LEGO and building activities for kids.
Nicholas Payton
Oct. 8 | 7:30 PM | Lesher Center for the Arts
Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and composer.
Bridge & Chess Drop-In
Oct. 9 | 10 AM–1 PM | Civic Park Community Center
Senior drop-in games.
Let’s Sing
Oct. 9 | 1:30–3 PM | Civic Park Community Center
50+ community singing group.
Jack and the Beanstalk
Oct. 9–11 | Lesher Center for the Arts
Music, comedy and audience participation in a family introduction to live theater.
Dungeons & Dragons
Oct. 10 | 2–4 PM | Walnut Creek Library
Teen D&D for ages 13–18 and all experience levels.
Light The Night East Bay
Oct. 10 | 5:30 PM | Civic Park
Community walk and fundraiser supporting people affected by blood cancer.
Rock With You: The Michael Jackson Experience
Oct. 10 | 8 PM | Lesher Center for the Arts
A full-stage Michael Jackson tribute show.
Best of San Francisco Stand-Up Comedy
Oct. 10 | 8:15–9:30 PM | Lesher Center for the Arts
A showcase of up-and-coming Bay Area comedians.
HEAD WEST Marketplace
Oct. 11 | 11 AM–5 PM | North Main Street
Makers, artists, vintage sellers, designers and local music downtown.
Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration
Oct. 11 | 1:15–2:30 PM | Unity of Walnut Creek
A celebration focused on Lakota culture with a blessing, traditional dance and Indigenous food.
Grease Movie Sing-Along
Oct. 11 | 3–5 PM | Lesher Center for the Arts
Interactive big-screen Grease screening with on-screen lyrics and audience participation.
Single Day Art Camp
Oct. 12 | 9 AM–4 PM | Walnut Creek Arts + Rec
Drawing and painting nature or a Play in a Day option.
Pinochle Drop-In
Oct. 12 | 11 AM–1 PM | Civic Park Community Center
50+ drop-in card game.
Tiny Tuesday: Nocturnal Nature
Oct. 13 | 10 AM–Noon | Lindsay Wildlife Experience
Animal ambassadors, games, crafts and storytime for young children.
Center REP Preview: Dracula — A Comedy of Terrors
Oct. 13 | 7–8 PM | Walnut Creek Library
A free sneak peek at Center REP’s upcoming comedy.
Music from the Shadows
Oct. 13 | 7–8:45 PM | Lesher Center for the Arts
Walnut Creek Concert Band’s spooky fall program.
Qi Gong Drop-In
Oct. 14 | 12:30–12:50 PM | Civic Park Community Center
Short senior-focused meditative stretching session.
Mah Jong Drop-In
Oct. 14 | 1–4 PM | Civic Park Community Center
50+ drop-in Mah Jong.
DLUX Puppets’ Wonderland
Oct. 14–15 | Lesher Center for the Arts
A musical Alice in Wonderland adaptation with life-size puppets and digital scenery.
Pleasant Hill
Computer Help
Oct. 8 | 10 AM–Noon | Pleasant Hill Library
Volunteer tech help with basic computer questions.
Storytime + Stay & Play
Oct. 8 | 11 AM–Noon | Pleasant Hill Library
Stories, songs and movement followed by open play.
Sewing Studio Basics
Oct. 8 | 3–5 PM | Pleasant Hill Library
Beginning sewing-machine workshop for ages 9–18.
Off the Grid
Oct. 8 | Evening | Pleasant Hill City Hall
The city’s Thursday-night food-truck gathering.
Computer Help
Oct. 9 | 10:30 AM–12:30 PM | Pleasant Hill Library
One-on-one basic technology help.
Friday Book Club: The Guncle
Oct. 9 | 1–2:30 PM | Pleasant Hill Library
Discussion of Steven Rowley’s The Guncle.
Second Friday Sip & Shop
Oct. 9 | Le Jardin Salon
Shopping, snacks, drinks and music.
Pleasant Hill Farmers Market
Oct. 10 | 9 AM–1 PM | City Hall
Weekly Saturday farmers market.
Pleasant Hill Stampede
Oct. 10 | Staging 10:45 AM; parade 11:15 AM | Crescent Drive
Kids dress in western attire for a community procession and food drive.
Pleasant Hill Harvest Festival
Oct. 10 | 11 AM–9 PM | Crescent Drive
Live music, food, beer and wine, artisan vendors, a pumpkin patch, petting zoo and family activities.
Pleasant Hill Christian School Harvest Festival
Oct. 10 | 2 PM | Pleasant Hill Christian School
Cornhole, barbecue, live auction and barn dance fundraiser.
Lego Builders Club
Oct. 10 | 2–4 PM | Pleasant Hill Library
All-ages drop-in LEGO building.
Rune Divination Workshop
Oct. 10 | 6–7:30 PM | Pleasant Hill
Workshop exploring rune divination.
Pumpkin Splash
Oct. 11 | 1:30–3 PM | Pleasant Hill Aquatic Park
Swim through a floating pumpkin patch and decorate your pumpkin afterward.
Building a Brain-Healthy Lifestyle
Oct. 12 | 6–7:30 PM | Pleasant Hill Community Center
Community presentation focused on habits that support brain health.
Storytime
Oct. 15 | 11 AM–Noon | Pleasant Hill Library
Stories, songs, movement and Stay & Play.
Lamorinda
Lafayette
Día de los Muertos Search-and-Find
Through Oct. 31 | Lafayette Library
Kids hunt for Día de los Muertos decorations hidden around the children’s area.
Storytime Junction
Oct. 8 | 10:30–11 AM | Lafayette Library
Stories, songs and early-literacy activities.
November Ballot Pros & Cons
Oct. 8 | 6:30–7:45 PM | Lafayette Library
Nonpartisan presentation on measures appearing on the November ballot.
Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail 50th Anniversary
Oct. 10 | 9–11 AM | Lafayette Community Center
Open house, historical exhibits and unveiling of new interpretive panels.
Friends of the Lafayette Library Half-Price Book Sale
Oct. 10 | 10 AM–4 PM | Lafayette Library
Books in the Friends Corner Book Shop are half price.
Contra Costa Vintage Market: Halloween Edition
Oct. 11 | 10 AM–3 PM | 3583 Mt. Diablo Blvd.
About 30 vintage vendors, live musicians and food.
Read to a Dog
Oct. 13 | 3–4 PM | Lafayette Library
Kids practice reading aloud with certified therapy dogs.
Let’s Make Weird Things: Creepy Curio Shelves
Oct. 13 | 4:30–6 PM | Lafayette Library
Make a miniature shelf of spooky curios.
Tai Chi
Oct. 13 | 6–7 PM | Lafayette Library
Weekly low-impact Tai Chi class.
Sing Me a Storytime
Oct. 14 | 10:30–11 AM | Lafayette Library
Stories, songs, fingerplays and movement.
Read to a Dog
Oct. 14 | 2:15–3:15 PM | Lafayette Library
Another chance for kids to read with a therapy-dog team.
Meditation
Oct. 14 | 6–7 PM | Lafayette Library
Guided weekly meditation.
Storytime Junction
Oct. 15 | 10:30–11 AM | Lafayette Library
Weekly early-literacy storytime.
Moraga
Goblin’s Grocery List Hidden Image Search
Throughout October | Moraga Library
Kids search the library for ingredients needed for a goblin’s spooky spell.
October Moraga Book Club
Oct. 8 | 1–2 PM | Moraga Library
Discussion of Anthony Fauci’s memoir On Call.
Orinda
October Artist Reception
Oct. 10 | 2:30–4:30 PM | Art Gallery at the Orinda Library
Free reception featuring Uganda art.
Art of Mixology
Oct. 10 | 4:30–7 PM | Orinda Theatre Square
Cocktails and mocktails, food, music and dancing benefiting Lamorinda Arts Council.
Poetry Circle
Oct. 12 | 10:30 AM | Orinda Books
Discussion of Mosab Abu Toha’s Forest of Noise.
Raptors Up Close
Oct. 12 | 2–3 PM | Orinda Library
Live raptor ambassadors and hands-on educational materials.
English Learners Conversation Group
Oct. 13 | 4:30–5:30 PM | Orinda Library
Casual English conversation practice for adults.
Toddler Storytime
Oct. 14 | 10 and 10:30 AM | Orinda Library
Stories and songs for ages 1–3.
Second Wednesday Book Club
Oct. 14 | 3 PM | Orinda Books
Discussion of The Orphan Master’s Son.
Concord
Concord Senior Health Expo
Oct. 8 | 9 AM–Noon | Concord Senior Center
Free expo with healthcare providers and community organizations.
Concord Taco Trail Challenge
Through Oct. 15 | Restaurants throughout Concord
Final week to explore participating taquerias and vote for favorites.
Costume Donations for the Concord Library Boo-tique
Through Oct. 20 | Concord Library
Donate new and gently used Halloween costumes for the library’s free costume giveaway.
Contra Costa Fire Open House
Oct. 10 | 9 AM–1 PM | Contra Costa Fire Training Center
Fire apparatus, training demonstrations and a behind-the-scenes look at the department.
Floating Pumpkin Patch
Oct. 10 | 1:30–3:30 PM | Concord Community Pool
Choose a pumpkin from the pool and decorate it afterward.
The Groovy Judy Band
Oct. 10 | 5 PM | Legends at Diablo Creek Golf Course
Saturday evening live music.
TLC, Salt-N-Pepa & En Vogue
Oct. 11 | 7:30 PM | Toyota Pavilion at Concord
Three major ’90s acts on one bill.
Martinez
Downtown Martinez Car Show
Oct. 8 | 6–8 PM | Downtown Martinez
Classic and specialty cars fill downtown.
Alhambra High School Homecoming Parade
Oct. 9 | 3–4 PM | Downtown Martinez
Annual homecoming parade through town.
Aire Libre Weekend
Oct. 9–11 | Downtown Martinez
Outdoor dining and pedestrian activity downtown.
Live Music: Los Nadies
Oct. 9 | 6:30–9:30 PM | Del Cielo Brewing
Friday night Latin rock.
Family Fun at the Marina
Oct. 10 | 10 AM–1 PM | Martinez Marina
Saturday family event along the waterfront.
Read to a Dog
Oct. 10 | Noon–1 PM | Martinez Library
Young readers practice with a therapy dog.
Zombie Brew Crawl
Oct. 10 | 1–4 PM | Downtown Martinez
30+ craft beer tastings around downtown plus a zombie costume contest.
Cornhole Tournament
Oct. 10 | 1–4 PM | Del Cielo Brewing
Friendly team cornhole tournament.
Live Music: Una Maz
Oct. 10 | 6:30–9:30 PM | Del Cielo Brewing
Latin funk Saturday night.
Downtown Farmers’ Market
Oct. 11 | 9 AM–1 PM | Downtown Martinez
Weekly Sunday market downtown.
Trivia Night
Oct. 13 | 6:30–8:30 PM | Del Cielo Brewing
Tuesday-night team trivia.
Meetings that matter
Walnut Creek
Planning Commission | Oct. 8 | 6 PM
The Planning Commission meets Thursday night at City Hall. This is the regular second-Thursday meeting, and one of the local land-use meetings I keep an eye on each week.
Lafayette
Emergency Preparedness Commission | Oct. 8 | 4 PM
Environmental Task Force | Oct. 8 | 7 PM
City Council | Oct. 13
Design Review Commission | Oct. 13 | 7 PM
Parks, Trails & Recreation Commission | Oct. 14 | 7 PM
Zoning Administrator | Oct. 15 | 4 PM
One notable item: Lafayette’s Objective Design Standards are scheduled to come back for a second reading at the Oct. 13 City Council meeting.
Concord
Design Review Board | Oct. 8 | 5:30 PM
Concord has an unusually light civic week after that. The Oct. 13 City Council meeting is canceled, as are the Oct. 14 Community Services Commission and Zoning Administrator meetings.
Martinez
Planning Commission | Oct. 13 | 7 PM
Martinez Planning Commission meets Tuesday night.
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 obviously huge, but the days-on-market numbers continue to tell an interesting story.
Moraga, Orinda and Lafayette are averaging roughly two weeks. Pleasant Hill is under three. Walnut Creek is closer to four.
That doesn’t mean every Lamorinda house is flying or every Walnut Creek listing is sitting.
It reinforces the bigger theme right now: this market is increasingly property-specific.
5 Star For Sale Property
1 bed | 1 bath | 726 sqft
$435,000
One smart add-on
Broadway Plaza turns 75 next weekend.
Here’s one worth putting on the calendar early.
Broadway Plaza celebrates its 75th anniversary Saturday, Oct. 17, with live entertainment, family activities and other programming downtown.
Seventy-five years is pretty remarkable for a place that still plays such a central role in Walnut Creek.
The stores and buildings have changed dramatically over the decades, but the basic idea really hasn’t: give people a reason to come downtown, walk around, shop, eat and spend time together.
That’s a big part of what makes a downtown work.
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