I sell real estate in 2 markets. Colorado and Florida. I will say the same thing I have been saying for well over a decade now to my clients. Do not wait to buy your home. I have been saying that for 13 years and have not been wrong yet. I still think about clients saying they wanted to wait for prices to drop. Homes have appreciated about 125% since then. People hesitant to buy a home in Evergreen for $400,000 could be selling that home today for well over a million. So do you want to wait? That is up to you but everyone in the last 13 years (that I know) that decided to wait is really regretting their decision.
Buying a New Home is a Huge Commitment
For many people, purchasing a home is one of the most significant financial decisions they will ever make. With the rise in home prices and interest rates, it is understandable that potential homebuyers might be hesitant to make a purchase. However, waiting for home prices to drop is not always the best strategy, particularly when interest rates are going up. In this blog post, we will explore why waiting for home prices to drop is a bad idea and provide some examples to illustrate the point.
How Interest Rates Impact Your Mortgage
First, it is essential to understand how interest rates impact the cost of a mortgage. When interest rates are low, it means that the cost of borrowing money is low. Therefore, mortgage payments will be lower. Conversely, when interest rates are high, it means that borrowing money is more expensive, and mortgage payments will be higher. If you are waiting for home prices to drop, but interest rates are going up, it might not make much of a difference in terms of your overall affordability. This is because the increased interest rates could offset any potential savings from lower home prices.
An Example of Why You Shouldn’t Wait to Buy a Home
For example, let’s say you are looking to purchase a home with a $300,000 mortgage. If the interest rate is 3%, your monthly payment will be approximately $1,265. However, if the interest rate increases to 4%, your monthly payment will increase to approximately $1,430. Even if the home price drops by $20,000, your monthly payment will still be higher with the increased interest rate.
Will Home Prices Even Really Drop in 2023?
Another factor to consider is that waiting for home prices to drop can take time, and there is no guarantee that they will drop at all. While home prices may fluctuate over time, the overall trend is usually upwards. Therefore, if you are waiting for prices to drop significantly, you might be waiting for a long time, and you could end up missing out on potential opportunities.
For instance, let’s say you are waiting for home prices to drop by 10% before making a purchase. According to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller National Home Price Index, home prices increased by 11.2% in the fourth quarter of 2021 compared to the previous year. If you had waited for prices to drop by 10%, you would have missed out on the opportunity to purchase a home at a lower price point.
If You Could Actually Predict Market Trends You Would Have Enough Money To Pay Cash
Lastly, waiting for home prices to drop can be a risky strategy because it assumes that you can predict market trends accurately. If the market behaves differently than you expected, you could end up missing out on an opportunity altogether. Additionally, it is important to consider the opportunity cost of waiting. While you are waiting for prices to drop, you could be saving money and building equity by owning a home.
Waiting for home prices to drop when interest rates are going up is not always a wise decision. Instead, it is essential to consider the impact of interest rates on your overall affordability and the potential opportunity cost of waiting. If you find a home that meets your needs and is within your budget, it might be best to make a purchase sooner rather than later, as you could end up missing out on potential opportunities if you wait too long
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