BUYING HERE
First-time buyers
What lenders look at, how much cash it really takes to get to the table, and the questions worth asking before you fall in love with a house.
MERCED COUNTY
Merced County Housing Market: Housing and Mortgage Talk with Ed and Mike
Real Estate Jerky is a Central Valley show, and Merced County is part of the conversation. Ed Parcaut and Mike Kelly take the housing and mortgage headlines and talk about what they actually mean for people buying, selling, borrowing, and staying put around Merced, Atwater, Livingston and Los Banos. No jargon, no hype, and no pretending a national number tells your street’s story.
Saturday noon · KFIV 1360 AM
Replay Sunday 3 PM · All times Pacific
WHO YOU’RE HEARING FROM
The numbers and the perspective.
Ed works in mortgage and lending. Mike works in local real estate. Between them you get both halves of the same decision: what a home is worth here, and what it costs to finance it. When something changes, they say so on the air instead of waiting for a headline to explain it.
Ed Parcaut · edparcaut.com · Mike Kelly · mikekellyrealtor.comINVENTORY, SIDE BY SIDE
Merced County against California and the country
| Figure | Merced County | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes actively listed | 447 | 73,896 | 1,140,035 |
| New listings that month | 204 | 30,920 | 401,760 |
| Listings under contract | 230 | 27,706 | 451,902 |
| Median days on market | 57 days | 53 days | 60 days |
| Listings with a price cut | 15.9% | 18.2% | 20.4% |
| Median asking price | $451,179 | $730,000 | $424,500 |
| Median price per square foot | $267 | $459 | $224 |
Monthly figures cover August 2026 and come from Realtor.com residential listing data. These are listing figures, not closed sales. Closed sales come from Mike on the air, where we have them.
RUN YOUR OWN NUMBERS
What would the payment be?
Put in the price, what you plan to put down and the rate you have been quoted. Nothing is sent anywhere and nothing is saved. This is arithmetic, not a loan offer.
Estimated monthly payment
$3,634
- Loan amount
- $450,000
- Cash down
- $50,000
- Principal and interest
- $2,844
- Property taxes
- $458
- Home insurance
- $125
- Mortgage insurance, estimated
- $206
Taxes, insurance and mortgage insurance vary by property and by lender. With less than 20 percent down this adds mortgage insurance at an estimated 0.55 percent of the loan a year. Ask Ed for a real quote before you rely on any of it.
SELLING HERE
Pricing and timing
How local homes get priced, what shows up in an appraisal, and why the same house can sit on one street and sell fast on the next.
STAYING PUT
Owning and maintaining
Refinancing, taxes and insurance, seasonal upkeep, and the Home Improvement Tip we share with listeners each week.
BRING US YOUR QUESTION
Ask about your own situation.
Send the question you would ask a lender or an agent if the clock were not running. Ed and Mike answer listener questions on the show, and you can stay anonymous if you would rather.
Email the show