Those looking for some signs of positive relief from the gyrations of the financial markets will be happy to know that the San Francisco Bay Area housing market is still strong and thriving — the fundamentals of low unemployment, a strong business climate and continued population growth are still in place — but there is change on the horizon.

Looking in the rear view mirror ... this summer San Francisco Bay Area home prices neared their pre-recession all-time highs as sales soared, according to a recent report by Core Logic. Most Bay Area counties saw jaw-dropping double-digit gains in sales prices. With housing near job centers becoming less affordable, buyers began spilling over into more affordable inland counties. Napa, Contra Costa and Solano counties, posted whopping 31%, 19% and 18% year-over-year increases in homes sold, according to Andrew LePage, research analyst with Core Logic.

Will it last? There's little debate that for the time being the San Francisco Bay Area housing market will remain strong. However, looking into a crystal ball ... seasoned agents believe the period of double-digit appreciation is about to end. Since 2012/2013 low inventory and high demand helped drive up prices in most of the nine Bay Area counties. Home-price appreciation has outpaced income growth to the point that we are beginning to see a tipping point. Inventory is slowly increasing and indications are the playing field is beginning to change.

Many believe the San Francisco Bay Area housing market is approaching a healthy leveling off phase. I see this as especially good news for buyers exhausted from trying to compete for a home. The slowdown will begin to create opportunities for them to obtain homes that were too difficult and expensive to buy in the past. The time is coming where buyers will once again get the opportunity to purchase a home the old fashioned way — by negotiating with the seller.

On the flip side, sellers will begin to discover the days of getting considerably over asking for their homes are numbered. Great homes in great locations will always sell for top dollar. However, lesser properties may take longer to sell and seller concessions will be back on the table. My prediction is the playing field is leveling and this is good news for the San Francisco Bay Area housing market!