Why Buyers Shouldn’t Wait: The Market Is Quietly Shifting in Their Favor
If you’ve got buyers sitting on the sidelines right now, you’re definitely not alone. High prices, higher rates, and constant economic noise have made a lot of people nervous about making a move. But what most buyers don’t realize is that the housing market underneath the headlines is shifting—and in many ways, it’s shifting in their favor.
Let’s break it down in a simple, easy-to-share way that helps buyers understand what’s really going on.
Affordability Is Starting to Improve Again
One of the biggest misconceptions buyers have today is that affordability is getting worse. But the newest data tells a different story.
Recent research from the National Association of Realtors shows that in many parts of the U.S., monthly mortgage payments are now cheaper than rent. That alone is a major shift compared to the last few years.
National numbers paint an even clearer picture:
Mortgage rates have been trending down and hovering near the 6% range—levels we haven’t seen in a long time. Lower rates are already helping monthly payments come down, and Redfin’s data shows that median mortgage payments have been dropping as a result. At the same time, wages are climbing, which boosts buyers’ purchasing power. According to recent figures from ICE, the share of income needed to afford a median-priced home is now the best it’s been in more than two and a half years.
Buyers rarely hear this part—but it can change how they feel about jumping into the market.
Life Doesn’t Wait for Interest Rates
Even though many homeowners are “rate-locked,” we’re seeing movement again because life doesn’t stop. People still need to relocate, welcome new family members, downsize after kids move out, or move after major life changes like divorce or loss. And we’re now seeing more sellers accept that life changes matter more than holding onto an ultra-low mortgage rate.
Economists at Redfin note that more homeowners are choosing to move even if it means stepping into a higher-rate loan, which is helping inventory rise. More homes on the market means buyers have choices again—something that was impossible during the ultra-competitive days of the pandemic frenzy.
Homes Are Still Selling—Every Single Minute
We hear it all the time: “Nobody’s buying right now.”
But that simply isn’t true.
NAR’s latest numbers break it down like this:
More than 11,000 homes sell every single day in America. That’s over 460 homes every hour or about 8 homes every minute. Even in a slower market, buyers are out there—every minute of every day—making moves and building wealth.
That kind of perspective matters when clients feel like “nobody is doing anything” in real estate.
The Lock-In Effect Is Weakening
Yes, many homeowners have low rates. But FHFA data shows a growing number of mortgages now carry rates above 6%, which means the market is normalizing. Sellers and buyers are increasingly navigating the same rate environment. That shift is helping increase inventory across the country, according to Realtor.com.
More inventory means more opportunities, fewer bidding wars, and more realistic pricing. That’s exactly what buyers wanted for the last three years.
A Market in Recovery—Not Decline
A lot of buyers are waiting for a crash that simply isn’t backed by the data.
First American’s economists report the existing-home market is showing signs of recovery after a long slump. Mortgage Bankers Association data shows purchase applications are up more than 20% compared to last year. And major housing forecasters like NAR, MBA, and Fannie Mae all expect home sales to rise over the next year, not fall.
This is exactly the moment smart buyers step in—not the moment they step back.
Buying Now Helps Build Future Wealth
One of the most compelling reasons buyers shouldn’t wait is long-term equity.
The Home Price Expectations Survey reveals that someone buying a $400,000 home in January 2025 may gain more than $61,000 in equity in just five years—and that’s just from normal price appreciation.
Waiting for the “perfect” market often means missing out on years of wealth-building.
The Bottom Line for Buyers
Buyers don’t need perfect timing—they need clear information.
Affordability is improving. More homes are coming to the market. People are buying every day. And those who buy now are positioned to gain equity over the next several years.
As Realtors®, the best thing we can do is show buyers what’s really happening behind the headlines—because the opportunities are already here.
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Works Cited (MLA Format)
“Exploring Housing Affordability: Where Mortgage Payments Are Cheaper Than Rent Across the U.S.” National Association of Realtors, 2025, www.nar.realtor/blogs/economists-outlook/exploring-housing-affordability-where-mortgage-payments-are-cheaper-than-rent-across-the-u-s/.
Childers, David. Monthly Market Report – November 2025. Keeping Current Matters, 2025.
Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). Share of Outstanding Residential Mortgage by Rate at Origination, 2025.
Freddie Mac. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rate Data, 2025.
ICE Mortgage Technology. Home Affordability and Income Share Index, 2025.
Kushi, Odeta. First American Financial Corporation, Economist Commentary, 2025.
MBA – Mortgage Bankers Association. Weekly Purchase Application Data, 2025.
Redfin. Median Mortgage Payment and Housing Market Trends, 2025.
Realtor.com. Active Listing Trends and Price Reduction Data, 2025.
Zhao, Chen. Redfin, Housing Economics Commentary, 2025.
