Holiday gatherings always bring the same topics to the table, and the housing market is almost guaranteed to come up. If you’ve been getting the same questions from friends or family, here are the three that show up the most — along with simple, fact-based answers.
1. “Will I even be able to find a home if I want to move?”
In most areas, yes — and far more than what you saw one or two years ago.
Inventory has been climbing. Realtor.com data shows we’ve had more than one million homes available for six straight months, something we haven’t seen since 2019 (see graph below):
That means two things:
- Buyers have more options.
- Sellers have more places they can move to next.
Many people who paused their plans last year are noticing the difference. The shelves aren’t empty anymore. If you stepped away from your search because nothing matched what you needed, it’s worth checking again — the selection is better, and the pace is less frantic.
More choices also mean homes aren’t vanishing the minute they’re listed. Buyers have room to think, compare, and make decisions without feeling rushed.
2. “Will I ever be able to afford a house?”
Affordability is improving — slowly, but meaningfully.
The past few years have been tough for buyers, but this year brought a few positive shifts:
-
Mortgage rates have been easing.
-
Home price growth has cooled.
Together, those changes create a monthly payment that’s noticeably lower than it was just months ago (see graph below):
Buying still takes planning and preparation, but the numbers are moving in a better direction, and that’s opening the door for more people.
3. “Should I wait for prices to come down?”
A big nationwide price drop isn’t what current data suggests.
Yes, the number of homes for sale has increased, but inventory is still far below what’s needed for prices to fall significantly across the country. Plus, today’s homeowners have strong equity positions and healthier financial footing than what we saw in 2008.
Local trends vary — some markets are rising, some are flattening, and some overheated areas are seeing slight corrections. But nationally, the expectation is clear: Fannie Mae’s survey shows experts project continued price growth, just at a slower, more sustainable pace (see graph below):
Waiting for a dramatic decline rarely pays off. Long-term wealth tends to favor those who spend time in the market, not those who try to predict the perfect moment.
Bottom Line
There’s a lot of noise out there, and it’s easy to feel unsure about what’s really happening. If you want to talk through how these trends line up with your plans, let’s connect and look at the numbers together.
