When Is the Perfect Time to Move?

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There’s no perfect time to buy a home – every market has trade-offs. If you’re ready and can afford it, lean on a pro to make the most of current trends.

NEW YORK — 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 five 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 increase in how many buyers were purchasing, the homes on the market were snapped up fast. And since that resulted in so few homes left for sale, bidding wars became the norm and home prices went through the roof. Those buyers got a great rate, but they had other things to contend with.

Now, with higher rates and higher prices, it’s more expensive to buy. You can’t argue that. But at the same time, the number of homes for sale is at the highest point in several years. That means you have more options to choose from and you’ll be less likely to find yourself in a pull-out-all-the-stops bidding war. Again, there are benefits and trade-offs in any market.

So, if you have a reason to move and can afford to do so, you’ve got to take advantage of the trends that work in your favor and lean on a pro to help you navigate the rest. As Bankrate says:

“The complexities of the current conditions mean that, now more than ever, it’s smart to lean on the guidance of an experienced local real estate agent. If you want to enter the housing market in 2025, whether as a buyer or a seller, let a pro lead the way for you.”

While achieving your goals may feel like an uphill battle in today’s complex market, it is doable. But you’ll need the help of a trusted real estate agent and a lender.

Your agent will help you explore creative solutions — like looking into different housing types (like smaller condos), considering homes that need a little elbow grease, or casting a wider net for your search area. And your lender will walk you through different loan options and down payment assistance programs, so you know what you need to do to make the numbers work for you. As Yahoo Finance says:

“Buying a house at a time when both mortgage rates and home prices are favorable is a challenge. You probably shouldn’t try to time the housing market … Buy when it makes sense for you personally.”

Bottom line

There’s no perfect time to move — every market has its pros and cons. The key is knowing how to make the most of the factors working in your favor. If you need to move and can afford to do it, let’s connect so you’ll have the guidance and tools to make it possible.

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Home Price Growth Reaccelerates in Q4

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The housing market needs mortgage rates to decrease to help unwind the lock-in effect and thaw the supply of existing homes for sale, Fannie Mae said.

WASHINGTON — Single-family home prices nationally increased 5.8% from Q4 2023 to Q4 2024, an acceleration from the previous quarter’s downwardly revised annual growth rate of 5.4%, according to the latest reading of the Fannie Mae Home Price Index (FNM-HPI).

On a quarterly basis, home prices rose a seasonally adjusted 1.7% in Q4 2024, up from the downwardly revised 1.2% growth rate in Q3 2024. On a non-seasonally adjusted basis, home prices increased just 0.3% in Q4 2024. The FNM-HPI is a national, repeat-transaction home price index measuring the average, quarterly price change for all single-family properties in the United States, excluding condos.

“Year-over-year home price growth accelerated in the fourth quarter, following back-to-back quarters of deceleration,” said Mark Palim, Fannie Mae senior vice president and chief economist. “Inventories of existing homes for sale have improved from a year ago but remain historically low, due largely to the so-called ‘lock-in effect.’ Since the beginning of October, mortgage rates have rebounded after bottoming out around 6.1% and are now inching closer to a new psychological barrier, the 7% threshold. The higher mortgage rate environment is not only hurting affordability, but it’s also exacerbating the lock-in effect by further reducing homeowners’ incentive to move.”

Palim continued: “The housing market in 2025 faces a difficult balancing act, with a notable decline in mortgage rates likely needed to help unwind the lock-in effect and thaw the supply of existing homes for sale. However, we believe such a decline would likely jumpstart demand from potential first-time homebuyers currently waiting to purchase, which could lead demand to outpace any improvement in supply, further exacerbating already-high home prices and purchase affordability.”

Methodology: The FNM-HPI is produced by aggregating county-level data to create both seasonally adjusted and non-seasonally adjusted national indices that are representative of the whole country and designed to serve as indicators of general single-family home price trends. The FNM-HPI is publicly available at the national level as a quarterly series with a start date of Q1 1975 and extending to the most recent quarter, Q4 2024. Fannie Mae publishes the FNM-HPI approximately mid-month during the first month of each new quarter.

Source: Fannie Mae

Why Now’s Not the Time To Take Your House Off the Market

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Has your house been sitting on the market longer than expected? If so, you’re bound to be frustrated by now. Maybe you’re even thinking it’s time to pull the listing and wait to see what 2025 brings. But what you may not realize is, the decision to hold off could actually cost you. Here’s a look at why staying the course could be the smarter move.

Other Sellers Are Pulling Back. Should You Hold Off Too?

According to recent data from Altos Research, the number of withdrawals is increasing – that means more sellers are opting to pull their listings off the market right now. And this isn’t unusual for this time of the year.

In the housing market, there are seasonal ebbs and flows. Inventory levels typically start to drop off a bit headed into the fall season as some sellers delay their plans until the new year. As Mike Simonsen, Founder of Altos Research, explains:

“. . . we’re seeing a more normal seasonal pattern now with inventory beginning to decline. We’re also seeing more home sellers withdrawing their listings to try again next year. In fact, for every two sales, there is another listing withdrawn from the market.”

But is that a smart move? While it might seem like a good idea to pull your listing too, here’s why that approach may not pay off this year.

Today’s Buyers Are Serious and Ready To Act

The biggest reason to stick with your plan to sell now is that the buyers who are looking at this time of year are serious about making a purchase.

They’ve been sitting on the sidelines for a while waiting for affordability to improve. And now that mortgage rates are down from their recent peak, they’re ready to make their move. Mortgage applications are rising – and that’s a leading indicator that buyers are preparing to jump back in. And since they’ve already put their needs on the back burner for so long, they’re even more eager than buyers usually are at this time of year.

These aren’t window shoppers. They’re highly motivated buyers who want to move fast – and that’s the kind of buyer you want to work with. As Freddie Mac says:

“During the fall months, serious homebuyers are eager to settle in to a new home before the holiday season ramps up and the winter weather begins.”

By keeping your home on the market, you increase the chances of attracting people who are truly ready to make a purchase.

Bottom Line

While some sellers are choosing to take their homes off the market, this really isn’t the best move. With serious buyers eager to purchase, this is a great time to sell your house. Let’s connect to make sure we’ve got a strategy in place to make it happen. 

Local Real Estate Insights: Impact on Home Prices

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If you’re wondering what’s going on with home prices lately, you’re definitely not the only one. With so much information out there, it can be hard to figure out your next move.

As a buyer, you might be worried about paying more than you should. And if you’re thinking of selling, you might be concerned about not getting the price you’re aiming for. 

So, here’s a quick breakdown to help clear things up and show you what’s really happening with prices—whether you’re thinking about buying or selling. 

Home Price Growth Is Slowing, but Prices Aren’t Falling Nationally

Throughout the country, home price appreciation is moderating. What that means is, prices are still going up, but they’re not rising as quickly as they were in recent years. The graph below uses data from Case-Shiller to make the shift from 2023 to 2024 clear:


But rest assured, this doesn’t mean home prices are falling. In fact, all the bars in this graph show price growth. So, while you might hear talk of prices cooling, what that really means is they’re not climbing as fast as they were when they skyrocketed just a few years ago.

What’s Next for Home Prices? It’s All About Supply and Demand 

You might be curious where prices will go from here. The answer depends on supply and demand, and it’s going to vary by local market.

Nationally, the number of homes for sale is going up, but there still aren’t enough of them to meet today’s buyer demand. That’s keeping upward pressure on prices – even though recent inventory growth has caused that home price appreciation to slow. Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at Realtor.com, said:

“. . . today’s low but quickly improving for-sale inventory has ushered in more market balance than would otherwise be expected . . . This should help home prices maintain a slower pace of growth.” 

And here’s one other thing you may not have considered that could play a role in where prices go from here. Since experts say mortgage rates should continue to decline, it’s likely more buyers will re-enter the market in the months ahead. If demand picks back up, that could make prices climb a bit further.

Why You Should Work with a Local Real Estate Agent 

While national trends give a big-picture view, real estate is always local – especially when it comes to prices. What’s happening in your neighborhood might be different from the national average based on what supply and demand look like in your market. That’s why it’s crucial to get local insights from a knowledgeable real estate agent.

 As your go-to source for everything related to home prices, a local agent can provide the most current data and trends specific to your area.

So, if you’re planning to sell, they can help you price your house accurately. And when you’re ready to buy, they can find the right home that fits your budget and your needs.

Bottom Line

Home prices are still rising, just not as quickly as before. Whether you’re thinking about buying, selling, or just curious about what your house is worth, let’s connect so you have the personalized guidance you need.