Real Estate Blog - Interest Rates

Think It’s Better To Wait for a Recession Before You Move? Think Again.

Posted by Shane Andersen on July 2nd, 2025

 

Fear of a recession is back in the headlines. And if you’re thinking about buying or selling sometime soon, that may leave you wondering if you should reconsider the timing of your move.

A recent survey by John Burns Research and Consulting (JBREC) and Keeping Current Matters (KCM) shows 68% of people are delaying plans to buy or sell due to economic uncertainty.

But it may not be for the reason you think. Not everyone is holding off because they’re worried. Some buyers are waiting because they’re hopeful. According to Realtor.com:

“In 2025Q1, 3 in 10 (29.8% of) surveyed homebuyers said a recession would make them at least somewhat more likely to purchase a home . . . This reflects a common dynamic where some buyers see a downturn as an…

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When Is the Perfect Time To Move?

Posted by Shane Andersen on February 4th, 2025

 

It’s easy to get caught up in the idea of waiting for the perfect moment to make your move – especially in today’s market. Maybe you’re holding out and hoping mortgage rates will drop, or that home prices will fall. But here’s what you need to realize: trying to time the market rarely works. And here’s why.

There is no perfect market.

No matter when you buy, there’s always some benefit and some sort of trade-off – and that’s not a bad thing. That’s just the reality of it. If you’re not sure you buy into that, think back to the last 5 years in housing.

Just a few years ago, mortgage rates hit a historic low. To take advantage of that, a ton of buyers rushed to buy a home and lock in those lower rates. The side effect? With such a big…

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2024 Mortgage Rate Projections

Posted by Shane Andersen on March 13th, 2024

What do mortgage rates look like in 2024? Projections point to more favorable rates for buyers. Check out this video to learn more and let us know at the Brookings Home Team how we can serve YOU!

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2 Reasons Why Today's Mortgage Rate Trend Is Good for Sellere

Posted by Shane Andersen on February 6th, 2024

 

If you’ve been holding off on selling your house to make a move because you felt mortgage rates were too high, their recent downward trend is exciting news for you. Mortgage rates have descended since last October when they hit 7.79%. In fact, they’ve been below 7% for over a month now (see graph below):

And while they’re not going back to the 3% we saw during the ‘unicorn’ years, they are expected to continue to go down from where they are now in the near future. As Dean Baker, Senior Economist at the Center for Economic Research, explains:

“It also appears that mortgage rates are now falling again. They will almost certainly not fall to pandemic lows, although we may soon see rates under 6.0 percent, which would be low by pre-Great…

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It's Not the 80s-Who Cares What Interest Rates Where Then?

Posted by Shane Andersen on September 27th, 2023

One of the biggest factors in buying a home is the interest rate. We hear about it a lot when people are debating a purchase today or waiting for the rates to come down. A better question would be to ask if you like the house. If you really want it, you can buy today and refinance later when the rates get lower.  Who cares what the interest rates were like in the 80's?

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Pay More For a Home Then, OR Less Now With a Higher Interest Rate

Posted by Shane Andersen on September 20th, 2023

Would you rather pay tens of thousands of dollars over asking price to win a “bidding war” for a home with a lower interest rate or would you rather pay just a few thousand over asking at a slightly higher interest rate? The answer is … So, if you find a home you like today, make a solid offer and refinance when you can. Because you could be waiting a long time for it to be the right time to buy a home!

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How Changing Mortgage Rates Can Affect You

Posted by Shane Andersen on May 9th, 2023

The 30-year fixed mortgage rate has been bouncing between 6% and 7% this year. If you’ve been on the fence about whether to buy a home or not, it’s helpful to know exactly how a 1%, or even a 0.5%, mortgage rate shift affects your purchasing power.

The chart below helps show the general relationship between mortgage rates and a typical monthly mortgage payment:

Even a 0.5% change can have a big impact on your monthly payment. And since rates have been moving between 6% and 7% for a while now, you can see how it impacts your purchasing power as rates go down.

What This Means for You

You may be tempted to put your homebuying plans on hold in hopes that rates will fall. But that can be risky. No one knows for sure where rates will go…

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The Two Big Issues the Housing Market’s Facing Right Now

Posted by Shane Andersen on March 20th, 2023

 

The biggest challenge the housing market’s facing is how few homes there are for sale. Mark Fleming, Chief Economist at First American, explains the root causes of today’s low supply:

“Two dynamics are keeping existing-home inventory historically low – rate-locked existing homeowners and the fear of not finding something to buy.”

Let’s break down these two big issues in today’s housing market.

Rate-Locked Homeowners

According to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), the average interest rate for current homeowners with mortgages is less than 4% (see graph below):

But today, the typical mortgage rate offered to buyers is over 6%. As a result, many homeowners are opting to stay put instead of moving to another…

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Lower Mortgage Rates Are Bringing Buyers Back to the Market

Posted by Shane Andersen on February 23rd, 2023

As mortgage rates rose last year, activity in the housing market slowed down. And as a result, homes started seeing fewer offers and stayed on the market longer. That meant some homeowners decided to press pause on selling.

Now, however, rates are beginning to come down—and buyers are starting to reenter the market. In fact, the latest data from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) shows mortgage applications increased last week by 7% compared to the week before.

So, if you’ve been planning to sell your house but you’re unsure if there will be anyone to buy it, this shift in the market could be your chance. Here’s what experts are saying about buyers returning to the market as we approach spring.

Mike Fratantoni, SVP and Chief…

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Perspective Matters When Selling Your House Today

Posted by Shane Andersen on November 16th, 2022

Does the latest news about the housing market have you questioning your plans to sell your house? If so, perspective is key. Here are some of the ways a trusted real estate professional can explain the shift that’s happening today and why it’s still a sellers’ market even during the cooldown.

Fewer Homes for Sale than Pre-Pandemic

While the supply of homes available for sale has increased this year compared to last, we’re still nowhere near what’s considered a balanced market. A recent article from Calculated Risk helps put this year’s increased inventory into context (see graph below):

It shows supply this year has surpassed 2021 levels by over 30%. But the further back you look, the more you’ll understand the big picture.…

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