The age-old dilemma now depends heavily on your local market's "heat".
: Selling first provides a definitive budget for a next home and puts the seller in a "strong buying position" for their subsequent purchase. The Story for Buyers: A Return to Rationality
: Many potential sellers are hesitant to trade their pandemic-era 3% mortgage rates for current rates hovering around 6% . However, those moving to be closer to family or for job changes are finding that their high existing equity makes these trades feasible. buy or sell home
The decision to buy or sell a home in 2026 is less about timing a "perfect" market and more about navigating a period of . After years of extreme seller leverage, the current landscape has shifted into the most balanced market in nearly a decade, offering a "new era" of leverage for buyers while maintaining high equity for sellers. The Story for Sellers: Cashing in on Equity
For homeowners who bought several years ago, the narrative remains one of significant gain. Despite a cooling market, home prices are generally not in danger of a major decline; instead, they are expected to grow modestly by nationally in 2026. The age-old dilemma now depends heavily on your
: For the first time since 2020, typical monthly mortgage payments are expected to decline as modest rate drops (toward 6% ) offset minimal price growth.
: To clear inventory, many homebuilders are now offering mortgage rate buydowns , effectively lowering a buyer's interest rate by 1% to 2% below the market average. Buy or Sell First? However, those moving to be closer to family
: Inventory levels have improved, rising roughly 20% over the last year. This allows buyers more time for due diligence and inspections, rather than making "sight-unseen" offers.