Don Baker is a full-time staff reporter for RealtyWire, where he covers residential real estate, commercial real estate, multifamily housing, market trends, finance, construction, rental data, and regulatory issues affecting the real estate industry.
Before joining RealtyWire, Don worked as an investor relations director for a multifamily private equity fund, where he wrote investor updates and reporting materials on the performance, operations, and outlook of investment properties. That role gave him hands-on experience analyzing real estate trends, rental statistics, construction activity, financing issues, multifamily operations, compliance matters, and the legal and regulatory factors that shape property ownership and investment.
Don brings a broad understanding of both residential and commercial real estate to his reporting, with a particular focus on helping readers understand how market data, policy changes, capital markets, and local property trends affect buyers, sellers, investors, brokers, developers, and property owners.
He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business from Southern Illinois University and currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
Don Baker 
A gated estate on five acres, a Georgian-style home in Baldwin Park, a brand-new home in Oakland, a golf-club home in Lake Nona Estates and a renovated waterfront retreat in Longwood made up the week’s five priciest sales.
Four of the week’s five priciest homes sold in Palm Beach County, from a 1925 Mediterranean Revival home in Palm Beach to two newly built waterfront homes.
Two brand-new homes in Sandy Springs led the week, ahead of a Buckhead estate, a walkable home in Downtown Alpharetta and a lakefront property on acreage.
Payroll growth nearly stopped in September and July and August were revised 60,000 lower, yet the 30-year mortgage rate jumped 25 basis points to 7.28%. Plus a RealPage injunction in New York, a Senate bill on agents’ status and data centers running 73% ahead.
A three-bedroom house in Chapin sold for $1.38 million, the highest of five reported home sales in the Columbia, South Carolina metro area for the week ending September 27, 2026.
A custom lakefront home in Auburndale’s Lake Juliana Estates sold for $1.15 million to lead the five highest-priced home sales reported in the Lakeland, Florida metro area for the week ending September 27, 2026.
Gov. Wes Moore signed two executive orders Oct. 1 creating a modular housing initiative and a statewide permitting team, after a 2025 order cut environmental permit times 25%.
ATTOM’s Q2 2026 flipping report found a typical gross profit of $60,526 and a 21.5% margin, down from 27.6% a year earlier, with San Antonio flips posting a small loss.
A 1930 Ardsley Park house sold for $1,725,000, the highest reported home sale in the Savannah metro area for the week ending September 27, 2026.
A 2021 home in Port Charlotte’s Harbor West community sold for $1.30 million, the highest reported sale in the Punta Gorda metro area for the week ending September 27, 2026.
A 1929 Mediterranean-style house on The Hill sold for $1.30 million, the highest reported home sale in the Augusta metro area for the week ending September 27, 2026.
A fully renovated Gulf-front condominium on Navarre Beach led reported home sales in the Pensacola metro area for the week ending September 27, 2026, at $1 million.
A Hammock Dunes condominium in Palm Coast sold for $1.88 million, the highest reported sale in the Deltona metro area for the week ending September 27, 2026.
A renovated horse farm minutes from the World Equestrian Center sold for $3.65 million, the highest reported home sale in the Ocala metro area for the week ending September 27, 2026.
The highest reported home sale in the Wilmington, North Carolina metro area for the week ending September 27, 2026 was a $2.90 million house on Harbor Island at Wrightsville Beach.
A custom-built home in Viera West sold for $1.38 million to lead the five highest-priced reported home sales in the Palm Bay metro area for the week ending September 27, 2026.
A Louisville farm sold for $4,995,000 to lead five reported home sales in the Knoxville, Tennessee metro area for the week ending September 27, 2026.
A custom home on Bishop Road sold for $1,733,942 to lead the home sales reported in the Huntsville metro area for the week ending September 27, 2026.
A four-bedroom Gulf Shores condominium completed in 2025 sold for $1,765,000 to lead reported home sales in the Daphne, Alabama metro area for the week ending September 27, 2026.
Private data-center construction reached an $85.0 billion annual rate in August, 73% above a year earlier. Strip it out and nonresidential construction is shrinking.
A waterfront home in the Sunset Harbour community of North Myrtle Beach sold for $2.10 million, the highest of five reported sales in the Myrtle Beach metro area for the week ending September 27, 2026.
A 2019 house in Beach Park sold for $4.3 million, the highest reported home sale in the Tampa, Florida metro area for the week ending September 27, 2026.
A 2014 residence in Palmetto Bluff sold for $3.83 million to top the five highest-priced home sales reported in the Hilton Head Island metro area for the week ending September 27, 2026.
A Riverview-area house on Minnekahda Place sold for $3,100,000 to lead the five highest reported home sales in the Chattanooga metro area for the week ending September 27, 2026.
A penthouse at Seasons At Naples Cay sold for $21.50 million, the highest of five reported home sales in the Naples metro area for the week ending September 27, 2026.
A five-bedroom bayfront home on San Marino Island, built in 2018, sold for $33 million, the highest reported home sale in the Miami metro area for the week ending September 27, 2026.
Realtor.com’s September report put price reductions on 20.8% of active listings, the highest share for the month since 2018, and brought the supply of homes for sale to within 9.1% of pre-pandemic norms — while pending sales fell 4.1% year over year.
The 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose for a sixth consecutive week to 7.30%, the highest since November 2023, and mortgage applications fell 6% for the week ending Sept. 25, with refinance volume down 56% from a year ago.
A 2023-built oceanfront house in Stuart’s Sailfish Point community led the five highest reported home sales in the Port St. Lucie metro area for the week ending September 27, 2026.
A modern Tudor-style house completed this year in Winter Park’s Park Grove community sold for $3,925,000, the highest reported home sale in the Orlando metro area for the week ending September 27, 2026.
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