John Schneider
bzzjohn@yahoo.com
Catalina-Foothills-Homes.com
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I'm Leaving / The Robots Are Arriving
June 2026
After a rewarding run specializing in the Catalina Foothills Single Family Home market , I have officially retired from active real estate sales. Thank you to one and all, with special thanks to those who put up with me and helped me along the way.
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Get Ready for the AI Revolution in Residential Real Estate
June 2026
Although we are at the dawn of what is yet to come AI is already bringing fresh thinking to the buying and selling of residential real estate across this country.
And with the industry facing a perfect storm, change is coming fast. The traditional real estate machine—burdened by rigid local boards, cumbersome rules, mountains of paperwork, and low public trust— is uniquely vulnerable to a transforming tech infusion. In fact, historical Gallup data shows that only 17% to 20% of Americans rate the honesty and ethical standards of real estate agents as "high" or "very high."
For decades, the sheer inconvenience of the traditional transaction was tolerated only because there wasn't a viable alternative. Today, with AI knocking on everyones door, that barrier to entry is quickly dropping. And as AI is designed to give buyers and sellers more transparent control consumers are increasingly considering AI focused real estate platforms. The consumer isn't just looking for a cheaper option—they're looking for a more transparent option that is more efficient, more predictable and dependable, that streamlines the process, restores trust and, yes, is less costly.
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What's Up with AI
Ready or Not Here it Comes!
FORTUNE I REAL ESTATE I HOUSING
SEPT 22, 2026
By James LaForge
Americans are turning to AI to survive a brutal housing market—37% would let it buy their next home with ‘minimal human involvement’
A growing body of survey data suggests AI is taking on a bigger role for buyers, sellers, and agents alike—and the technology could fundamentally change how people buy and sell homes.
A recent LendingTree survey shows just how open Americans have become to leaning on it. Nearly three-quarters of respondents (72%) said they would use AI for at least one task tied to buying or selling a home, and 37% said they would let AI handle a purchase for them “with minimal human involvement.”
READ ALL ABOU IT
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Oct. 14, 2026
Coming Soon
An update on the Catalina Foothills Single Family Home Market - as our winter visitor season gets underway. ______________________________________________________________________
Oct. 7, 2026
I asked Gemini to evaluate the single family home market in the Catalina Foothills at under $1M and over $1M in 85718 zip.
Here's what I got
When you split ZIP code 85718 at the $1 million threshold, you find two very different dynamics running side-by-side. While the overall 85718 ZIP leans buyer-friendly, breaking it down reveals that under $1M is a fast-paced, balanced-to-buyer transitional market, while over $1M is a decisive, heavy buyers' market. Here is how the single-family metrics compare between the two segments:
Homes Under $1 Million (Balanced to Slight Buyer's Market)
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Inventory & Months of Supply: Supply floats right around 3 to 4 months. High demand from local move-up buyers, out-of-state relocations, and downsizing retirees keeps this segment moving relatively steadily.
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Days on Market (DOM): Averages 35 to 50 days. Well-maintained or fully modernized homes under $800k that are priced right to comps still catch contract activity within the first 3 weeks.
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Negotiating Leverage: Moderate. Sellers are regularly granting 2%–3% in price adjustments or rate buydown credits, but buyers don't have endless room to lowball if the home is turnkey.
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Homes Over $1 Million (Strong Buyer's Market)
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Inventory & Months of Supply: Supply stretches to 7 to 9+ months (and higher as you push past $2M). Active inventory in this tier has built up substantially as higher interest rates and elevated holding costs limit the pool of active luxury buyers.
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Days on Market (DOM): Averages 80 to 120+ days. It is common for high-end properties to sit for several months, often undergoing multiple sizable price revisions before landing a serious buyer.
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Negotiating Leverage: Heavy Buyer Advantage. Sellers in this price point are competing against significant luxury inventory. Buyers are successfully negotiating 5% to 10%+ off original ask, requesting substantial repairs/credits, and demanding extended inspection windows.
While data can only tell part of the story, this kind of report gives you a basic reliable overview of where the market stands. The best part? You can do the research yourself. Use it to analyze the market based on your specific priorities, send it to your Realtor for their ground-floor input, and go from there.
To be clear my only input was, I asked Gemini to evaluate the single family home market in the Catalina Foothills at under $1M and over $1M in 85718 zip.
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Sept 12, 2026
The New York Times
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei Calls for AI Slowdown
Sept 12, 2026
The New York Times
Bill Gates is Warning That AI Is More Dangerous Than Big Tech Will Admit
"In private, people who understand how good this stuff is, and how mch better it's getting, they're very worried, " he said. But few tech executives, Mr. Gates said, are willing to admit that.They're now saying to eachother: 'Hey, man, don't say that. It's bad for us - the next trillion dollars we're trying to raise.
Sept 9, 2026
Must Watch From Bloomberg Podcasts
Kai-fu Lee on the global AI Race
Sept 9, 2026
And Suddenly an Actual Show Stopper From Inside the AI Industry
Anthropic researchers say AI could cause human extinction by 2030
Artificial intelligence could kill off humanity within the decade, according to three researchers with the industry giant Anthropic, one of whom has quit his job in protest.
Aug 27, 2026
On the other hand Bill Gates says The turbulent AI era is here. The choices we make are critical.
MORE HERE
Aug 19, 2026
A Must-Watch Feature from Bloomberg News:
Emily Chang’s sit-down with legendary AI pioneer Dr. Fei-Fei Li is essential viewing for anyone tracking the digital shift. Though it doesn’t focus directly on real estate, it puts a profoundly human face on the world of artificial intelligence and sets the table for what's to come. From her revolutionary field work to her new $1 billion startup, World Labs, Li lays out a compelling case for why the future of AI lies well beyond everyday chatbots. And given the monumental challenges AI is solving elsewhere, reshaping the real estate industry to better serve buyers and sellers ought to be a walk in the park.
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Getting Started with AI
Aug 2026
Modern residential brokerages—ranging from national powerhouses like Compass, eXp, and Keller Williams to boutique regional firms—are shifting AI from the "novelty tech" phase into the core operational infrastructure.
The following is a simple example of how AI can boost efficiency in the Real Estate biz.
When you list your home, the goal now isn't to just put it online—it's to instantly put it in front of pre-qualified, high-intent buyers who are actively searching for a home like yours.
XXYY Realty uses AI to analyze your home’s details, specifications and photos the moment it goes live. So when an active buyer tells their system: "Find me a mid-century home with natural light, an office space, that's under 20 minutes from downtown," XXYY's AI matches your home’s unique features directly to that buyer's criteria. And within moments, your listing pops up on their phone. Bingo!
That scenario represents a big leap in efficient productivity—that works seamlessly for both the buyer, the seller and the real estate agent.
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On the ground in the Catalina Foothills ...?
Sept 24,2026
We're seeing an awful lot of price cuts—including substantial cuts in the **$50k to $100k range—coupled with a previously uncommon surge in twice-weekly Open Houses, 'all thru the HOT summer months and continuing now into the fall' which, at first glance, makes the market appear to be a growing opportunity for buyers.
But, then again, with 7.49% mortgage rates squeezing purchasing power, and predicted to go higher, conditions on the ground may be reflecting a standoff between buyers & sellers. In a standoff I would bet on buyers holding out and sellers (eventually) caving in.
Why?
Because,
I've seen it before, 2008-2009-2010-2011
Sellers have high carrying costs - mortgage, taxes, insurance, etc.,etc. Buyers have none.
Sellers suffer from "loss aversion." They hang on to past peak prices to justify not cutting theirs, thereby creating a standoff causing buyers to lose interest in their home as it continues to lose value.
In a falling market a buyer's greatest leverage is their ability to walk away and wait. Sellers have no such leverage. And that is particularly true in the Catalina Foothills where many buyers are buying a 2nd or 3rd home, a purely discretionary purchase that can wait, and often does, until conditions are more favorable.
**Speak of the devil ....."— 5330 E Placita Casa Rio, Tucson, 85718 just dropped from $2,250,000 to $2,150,000. Who's next.
**today (10/5/26) 5036 N Creosote Canyon Dr dropped $300,000 - from $2,250,000 to $1,950,000 in one fell swoop.
If list prices continue to slide and a declining market becomes indisputable, the smartest move for sellers is to get ahead of the curve. Price aggressively—and do it before neighboring homes make their cuts. Standing out as the best value in your price tier is what attracts buyers. Sellers who hesitate often end up chasing the market down, only to watch the delay erode both interest in their home and its ultimate market value.
On the other hand buyers should do the opposite, watch the market carefully, be patient and wait for the right house at the right price to come along. And before it does make sure you have put all your ducks in a row and are ready to make a squeaky clean, attractive offer. Your realtor agent should be your eyes, ears and advisor on what's happening in the market while helping you do what needs to be done to move forward quickly once the right house comes along.
Yesterdays News ↓
July 2026
New and better ways to buy and sell a home
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Google's Power Move: Google just bypassed the entire industry by rolling out enhanced Local Services Ads across all 50 states, embedding live MLS listing data, prices, and photos directly into mobile search results. Consumers can now browse homes and book appointments with local agents without ever having to click through to a traditional brokerage or a portal like Zillow.
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How Buyers Win: Conversational AI search engines act as 24/7 virtual advisors, matching buyers with properties based on lifestyle and budget—often before they hit the public market—while providing instant, total transparency without the middleman.
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How Sellers Win: Computer-vision AI replaces subjective pricing guesswork with mathematical certainty, dropping error rates to under 3%. Meanwhile, generative AI instantly restyles and virtually stages homes to match a buyer's exact taste, maximizing sale price and slashing market time.
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Maximum Efficiency for All: Soon "Agentic AI" will take over client onboarding, contract analysis, and closing coordination, while an app handles routine administrative paperwork for pennies.