2026 U.S. Housing Market: What Can We Expect
饾煇饾煄饾煇饾煍 饾悢.饾悞. 饾悋饾惃饾惍饾惉饾悽饾惂饾悹 饾悓饾悮饾惈饾悿饾悶饾惌: 饾悥饾悺饾悮饾惌 饾悂饾惍饾惒饾悶饾惈饾惉, 饾悞饾悶饾惀饾惀饾悶饾惈饾惉 & 饾悜饾悶饾惂饾惌饾悶饾惈饾惉 饾悞饾悺饾惃饾惍饾惀饾悵 饾悇饾惐饾惄饾悶饾悳饾惌
The U.S. housing market is slowly shifting toward a more balanced environment after years of buyer's insanity. The FOMO effect was strong!
Inventory is improving, giving buyers more choices and negotiation power compared with the past few years.
Mortgage rates are forecast to ease modestly in 2026. But it bears repeating: rates are not high, historically speaking. The average 30 year fixed rate mortgage over the last 50 years is 7.75%. Current rates are around 6.25% 饾悎饾惌 饾悮饾悽饾惂'饾惌 饾惈饾悮饾惌饾悶饾惉. 饾悎饾惌'饾惉 饾惌饾悺饾悶 饾惄饾惈饾悽饾悳饾悶!
Home sales and prices are projected to grow modestly, with Realtor.com anticipating slight year-over-year gains. For those of you drooling at the prospect of 5% or lower rates, be careful what you wish for. Housing prices will spike again. I'm speaking with sellers now who are raising their asking prices based on the 饾憹饾憸饾憼饾憼饾憱饾憦饾憱饾憴饾憱饾憽饾懄 of declining rates. These are sellers whose properties have been on the market for multiple months without so much as an offer. Stop the insanity!
Renters may benefit from softer rents in parts of the South and West as rental supply keeps pace with demand.