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As a record-breaking summer travel season comes to an end, many across the county are preparing to close it out with one last big trip for Labor Day weekend.
The good news for domestic travelers is this final getaway will be more budget-friendly, with flights, hotels, and car rentals being more affordable than previous years.
“Millions of travelers are taking advantage of cheaper prices on lodging and transportation this Labor Day weekend,” said Doug Johnson, spokesperson for AAA Mountain West Group. “Travelers can mitigate costs and maximize the value of their trips even more with the help of a travel advisor and by taking advantage of the many discounts that come with a AAA Membership.”
AAA booking data reveals where travel costs are less — and more — this Labor Day weekend.
Flights:
• Domestic flights are 6% cheaper this Labor Day weekend compared to last year.
• The average price for a domestic roundtrip flight is $720.
• International flights are 8% more expensive compared to last year.
• The average price for an international roundtrip ticket is $1,470.
Hotels:
• Domestic hotels are 11% cheaper this Labor Day weekend compared to last year.
• The average cost of a domestic hotel stay booked through AAA is $495 per stay.
• International hotels are 2% cheaper this Labor Day weekend compared to last year.
• International hotel bookings through AAA average $590 per stay.
Rental cars:
• Domestic car rentals are 3% cheaper this Labor Day weekend compared to last year, with the average cost for a rental car being about $545 per stay.
• International car rentals are 42% cheaper this year, with the average cost being around $645 per stay.
• Hertz, AAA’s car rental partner, says the top destinations based on advanced bookings are Orlando, Denver, Boston, Los Angeles, and Atlanta, with the busiest day to pick up rental cars expected to be Friday, Aug. 29.
Gas prices this summer have averaged its lowest prices since 2021. The national average for a gallon of regular last Labor Day was $3.33. Barring severe weather affecting Gulf Coast refineries, gas prices should stay below what they were last year.
Saturday, Aug. 30 is expected to be the busiest travel day for drivers. Afternoon and early evening will be the worst times to hit the road over the holiday weekend.
International travel costs this year are a mixed bag — while hotels are 2% cheaper, airfare is 8% more expensive.
European cities make up most of AAA’s top international destinations, but the number one spot belongs to Vancouver.
Alaska cruises are wrapping up a strong season, as AAA projected at the beginning of the year with the 2025 Cruise Forecast.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKEPORT, Calif. — Lincoln-Leavitt Insurance, in a strategic move to better reflect its expanded services and unified operation, has changed their name to Far West Leavitt Insurance Services.
This change will take effect immediately across all communications and operational materials.
Earlier this year, Far West Leavitt Insurance Services had a merger with Pyorre Insurance Agency, uniting two trusted local agencies with a shared commitment to client service.
The name change to Far West Leavitt Insurance Services reflects this integration and marks a new chapter as a strong team serving the region with expanded resources and support.
“This renaming to Far West Leavitt Insurance Services marks an exciting milestone, reflecting strategic expansion and an unwavering commitment to delivering even greater value. As we embrace this new identity, we are more dedicated than ever to strengthening our position as a market leader, expanding our reach, and enhancing the exceptional service our customers have come to expect,” said Jill Jensen, managing owner.
The transformation into Far West Leavitt Insurance Services does not alter the internal structure of the agency.
The staff, office locations and contact information remain unchanged. Clients can expect the same personalized service and commitment to community welfare that have been hallmarks of the agency's operations.
Far West Leavitt Insurance Services, formed in 1999 through a partnership with Leavitt Group, is Lake County’s leading provider of insurance products for families and businesses. With over 115 years of combined insurance experience among its licensed agents, Far West Leavitt Insurance is known for its exceptional service teams, who offer timely, friendly, and compassionate assistance to clients.
Leavitt Group is one of the largest privately held insurance brokerages in the nation with a mission to build, serve, and perpetuate independent insurance agencies as partners with local co-owners. With an extensive network of 85+ agencies and 250+ locations across 28 states, Leavitt Group offers a distinctive advantage with local ownership, delivering a personalized and collaborative approach to commercial insurance, employee benefits and personal insurance.
For more information about Leavitt Group, visit www.leavitt.com.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
ATTOM, a leading curator of land, property data, and real estate analytics, today released its second quarter 2025 U.S. Home Sales Report, which shows that homeowners, on average, made a 50 percent profit selling single-family homes and condos during the second quarter of the year.
That was a marginal increase over the 48.9 percent national median profit margin posted in the first quarter of 2025 but was down from a year ago when the typical home sale netted a 55.6 percent profit.
Profit margins for home sales have been trending downward since a recent peak of 64.3 percent in the spring of 2022. But the latest tick up is a sign that historically high home prices can continue to rise. The median national sales price in the second quarter of 2025 was $369,000, up 5.4 percent from the previous quarter and up 3.1 percent from a year ago.
Despite the continued growth in home prices, the typical home sale netted $123,000 in raw profit during the second quarter of 2025, which was down 5.6 percent from the $127,990 median profit posted in the second quarter of 2024.
“We saw historically high home prices last quarter but even so, we didn’t see a big jump in seller profits,” said Rob Barber, CEO for ATTOM. “That’s a measure of the fact that home prices have been very high for a number of years now.”
“While profit margins aren’t going up significantly, they’re still sitting at pretty good levels,” he added. “The median home sale last quarter netted a 50 percent profit, whereas in the years right before the pandemic the typical seller was netting around 30 percent.”
Profit margins down annually in more than three quarters of metro areas
Compared to the first quarter of the year, the profit margin for a typical home sale rose in 49.4 (77) of the 156 metropolitan statistical areas in ATTOM’s analysis that had populations of at least 200,000 with at least 1,000 home sales in the second quarter. The profit margin is the percent difference between the median purchase price and median resale price for homes in an area. Year-over-year, however, the median profit margin was down in 78.8 (123) of the 156 metro areas.
The biggest annual decrease in median profit margins for the second quarter came in Ocala, FL (down from 97.6 percent to 61.8 percent); Knoxville, TN (down from 105.8 percent to 81 percent); Sarasota, FL (down from 70 percent to 47.8 percent); Punta Gorda, FL (down from 79.5 percent to 58.9 percent); and Naples, FL (down from 72.6 percent to 52.4 percent).
The largest annual increases in median profit margins were in Hilo, HI (up from 41.4 percent to 65.7 percent); Kalamazoo, MI (up from 59 percent to 69.3 percent); Flint, MI (up from 60.7 percent to 69.7 percent); Trenton, NJ (up from 73.8 percent to 81.4 percent); and Bridgeport, CT (up from 61.5 percent to 69 percent).
Among metro areas with populations over 1 million, the largest annual decrease in profit margins came in Las Vegas, NV (down from 60.6 percent to 46.9 percent); Jacksonville, FL (down from 57.8 percent to 44.4 percent); Tampa, FL (down from 73.7 percent to 60.8 percent); San Francisco, CA (down from 84.6 percent to 72.3 percent); and Columbus, OH (down from 68.6 percent to 56.6 percent).
And for those largest metro areas, the largest annual increases in profit margins were in Honolulu, HI (up from 37.2 percent to 42.7 percent); St. Louis, MO (up from 51.1 percent to 54.9 percent); Hartford, CT (up from 75.4 percent to 78.4 percent); Chicago, IL (up from 44.5 percent to 46.9 percent); and Buffalo, NY (up from 80.2 percent to 81.8 percent).
Home sales profit margins lag in big cities across Texas and the South
More than half (55.8 percent) of the 156 metro markets in ATTOM’s analysis saw profit margins that were equal to or higher than the national rate of 50 percent. That was down slightly from the previous quarter, when 59.6 percent of the markets posted typical profit margins over 50 percent.
Among the metro areas with at least 1 million residents, the highest typical profit margins were in San Jose, CA (101.2 percent); Buffalo, NY (81.8 percent); Seattle, WA (78.6 percent); Providence, RI (78.4 percent); and Hartford, CT (78.4 percent).
The large metro markets with the lowest typical profit margins were New Orleans, LA (20.5 percent); San Antonio, TX (24.7 percent); Houston, TX (33.2 percent); Austin, TX (33.9 percent); and Dallas, TX (34.2 percent).
Highest raw profits from sales seen in California, lowest in Southern cities
The national median raw profit on a sale was $123,000 in the second quarter of 2025, down from $127,990 at the same time last year, and raw profits from home sales fell year-over-year in two thirds (103) of the 156 metro areas analyzed.
Among metro areas with populations over 1 million, the biggest annual decreases in raw profits came in Jacksonville, FL (down 18.5 percent); Austin, TX (down 16.9 percent); New Orleans, LA (down 16.7 percent); Las Vegas, NV (down 15.2 percent); and Tampa, FL (down 15 percent).
The large metro areas with the largest increases in raw profits were Honolulu, HI (up 16.9 percent); Chicago, IL (up 10.3 percent); St. Louis, MO (up 9.9 percent); Cincinnati, OH (up 9.1 percent); and Hartford, CT (up 8.3 percent).
In pure dollar figures the large metro areas with the highest typical profit on a home sale were San Jose, CA ($830,000); San Francisco, CA ($499,000); Los Angeles, CA ($360,000); San Diego, CA ($360,000); and Seattle, WA ($330,050).
While the major metro markets with the smallest typical raw profits were New Orleans, LA ($45,000); San Antonio, TX ($61,015); Oklahoma City, OK ($62,500); Birmingham, AL ($65,000); and Louisville, KY ($73,700).
Median home sale prices hit record high
The national median home sale price hit a high of $369,000 in the second quarter of 2025, $19,000 more than the previous quarter and $10,000 above the previous high of $358,976 posted in the third quarter of 2024.
Year-over-year, the median sale price rose in 78.6 percent (125) of the 159 metro areas with sufficient data to analyze. Quarter-over-quarter, it grew in 90.6 percent (144) of the markets.
The metro areas with the largest year-over-year increases in typical home sales price were Hilo, HI (up 32.9 percent); Macon, GA (up 15.3 percent); Syracuse, NY (up 13.2 percent); Toledo, OH (up 12.8 percent); and Lubbock, TX (up 11.2 percent).
The markets with the largest year-over-year drops in typical home sales price were North Port-Sarasota, FL (down 12.1 percent); Cape Coral, FL (down 11 percent); Crestview, FL (down 8.6 percent); Punta Gorda, FL (down 8.6 percent); and Stockton, CA (down 7.4 percent).
Homeowners holding onto homes for record lengths of time before selling
The national average homeownership tenure—the amount of time between an owner buying and selling a home—rose to 8.18 years for homes sold in the second quarter of 2025, the longest it’s been in at least 25 years and up 4.3 percent compared to the second quarter of 2024.
The average homeownership tenure increased year-over-year in 80.7 (92) of the 114 metro markets with sufficient data to analyze.
The metro areas with the longest homeownership tenures for homes sold in the second quarter of 2025 were Barnstable, MA (14.26 years); Santa Cruz, CA (13.23 years); New Haven, CT (13.15 years); Springfield, MA (13 years); and Hartford, CT (12.82 years).
The metro markets with the shortest ownership tenures for homes sold in the second quarter were Oklahoma City, OK (6.81 years); Provo, UT (6.96 years); Panama City, FL (7.16 years); Kansas City, MO (7.17 years); and San Antonio, TX (7.20 years).
Lender-owned sales drop back down
Homes sold by banks or other lenders following foreclosures accounted for 1.3 percent of all sales nationwide in the second quarter of 2025, down from 1.5 percent in the previous quarter and 1.4 percent at the same time last year.
Among metro areas with sufficient data to analyze, the markets with the highest proportion of lender-owned sales were Macon, GA (5.5 percent); Shreveport, LA (4.9 percent); Flint, MI (4.6 percent); Honolulu, HI (4.1 percent); and Baton Rouge, LA (4 percent).
The markets with the smallest share of lender-owned sales were Phoenix, AZ (0.4 percent); Denver, CO (0.4 percent); Seattle, WA (0.5 percent); Los Angeles, CA (0.5 percent); and Columbus, OH (0.6 percent).
Share of all-cash sales dips nationwide
All-cash transactions accounted for 38.9 percent of home sales nationwide in the second quarter of 2025, down from 42.1 percent the previous quarter and down from 39.1 percent the same time last year.
Among metro areas with sufficient data to analyze, the markets with the largest proportions of all-cash sales were Myrtle Beach, SC (70.6 percent); Claremont, NH (69 percent); Utica, NY (66.1 percent); Hilo, HI (65.9 percent); and Honolulu, HI (65.6 percent.)
The metro areas with the smallest proportions of all-cash sales were Washington, D.C. (22.6 percent); Kennewick, WA (22.9 percent); Vallejo, CA (23 percent); Jacksonville, NC (23.4 percent); and Charleston, WV (23.9 percent).
Institutional investor purchases down year-over-year
The proportion of homes sold to institutional investors nationwide in the second quarter of 2025 dropped slightly to 5.7 percent, from 5.8 percent the previous quarter. But it was down more significantly compared to the same time last year, when 6.5 percent of home sales involved institutional investors.
The metro areas with the highest proportion of sales to institutional investors were Memphis, TN (14.5 percent); Huntsville, AL (12.5 percent); Oklahoma City, OK (10.2 percent); Columbus, GA (10.2 percent); Clarksville, TN (10.2 percent).
FHA sales hold steady
Nationwide during the second quarter of 2025, about 8.3 percent of all home purchases were made using Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans. That was up slightly from 8.2 percent in the previous quarter and from 8.1 percent the same time last year.
The metro areas with the highest proportion of sales involving FHA loans were Merced, CA (24.6 percent); Bakersfield, CA (24 percent); Visalia, CA (22.3 percent); Hagerstown, MD (21.4 percent); and Lakeland, FL (20.9 percent).
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKEPORT, Calif. — Two locally owned Lake County restaurants will receive a financial boost from the California Restaurant Foundation and The PG&E Corporation Foundation from grants to invest in equipment upgrades, workforce training and more — all intended to help keep them in business and thrive.
The PG&E Foundation’s $1.1 million charitable contribution is funding $5,000 grants to 188 hometown restaurants in 29 counties in Pacific Gas and Electric Co.’s (PG&E) service area.
The contribution also provides operating support for the California Restaurant Foundation, which administers the grant program. The funding comes from PG&E shareholders, not customers.
Lake County’s winning restaurants are Angelina’s Bakery and the Ripe Choice Farm and Catering, both located in Lakeport.
The PG&E Foundation’s contribution to CRF’s Restaurants Care Resilience Fund will help grantees pay for equipment and technology upgrades, unforeseen hardship, employee retention bonuses and training to help restaurant owners invest in their business and people.
Grants were made available to California resident restaurant owners with fewer than five locations and less than $3 million in revenue, and prioritized minority- and women-owned businesses.
Since 2021, PG&E and the PG&E Foundation have contributed $4.3 million in funding to the CRF’s Restaurants Care Resilience Fund, providing grants ranging from $3,000 to $5,000.
In total, PG&E has funded grants to 675 restaurants and caterers in Northern and Central California.
“Our North Coast restaurants — many of them owned by local families who live in our communities — are the places where we love to gather, celebrate and make memories. These small businesses also help drive our local economies. We’re grateful for our partnership with the California Restaurant Foundation that allows PG&E to support local restaurants and ensure their ongoing success,” said Dave Cany, vice president of PG&E’s North Coast Region.
For more information on the California Restaurant Foundation, Restaurants Care, or the Restaurant Resilience Fund, visit restaurantscare.org.
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