If you’ve seen headlines saying home sales are slowing down, you may be wondering: is this really a good time to sell?While the latest numbers show sales picked up slightly in September, they’re still down compared to last year. But here’s the perspective the headlines can miss.Homes are still selling every single day. Because no matter what’s happening with mortgage rates or the economy, life keeps happening too. People get new jobs. Families grow. Relationships change. People retire, downsize, or need to move closer to the people they love. And those life changes create buyers and sellers in every market.Just Look at the MathAccording to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), based on the current pace homeowners are expected to sell almost 4 million homes this year. Break that down, and that’s roughly:11,000 homes every day.450 homes every hour.8 homes every minute.So, yes, the market may be moving at a slower pace than it has at other points in time. But slower doesn’t mean it’s stopped. As Hannah Jones, Senior Economic Research Analyst at Realtor.com, says:

“Even in today’s high-price, high-rate market, homebuying activity around major life events, such as having kids, a job change, or a divorce, keeps the market in motion.”

Thousands of buyers are still making moves every day. The key is making sure your house is positioned to get their attention.What That Means for Your SaleToday’s buyers have more choices, so they can afford to be more selective about things like price and condition. That makes having the right strategy from the start especially important.Because you don’t need every buyer to be looking for a home like yours. You just need the right one – and to know how to get in front of that buyer.Bottom LineDon’t let a headline about slowing home sales convince you no one is buying. Homes are still selling every minute of every day.If you need or want to move, talk to an agent about what it’ll take to make sure yours is one of them.

Mortgage rates being back above 7% isn’t exactly the news most people wanted. But it’s changing the market in ways that matter whether you’re buying or selling. The number of homes for sale is growing faster than it was this time last year. And interestingly, the main reason isn’t a flood of new listings. It’s because homes aren’t selling as quickly.Here’s why – and what that means if you’re thinking about buying or selling.Inventory Growth Is Picking Up SteamAccording to HousingWire Data, after inventory growth slowed down for most of the past year, it’s accelerated again in recent weeks. You can see that in the graph below. Just look at the blue line:And what’s behind this shift might surprise you.When rates rise, some buyers hit pause. That means fewer homes sell each week. And as those unsold homes stay on the market alongside new listings, the number available starts to grow (see the blue line in the graph below).Here’s another way to look at it to make it even more obvious. The graph below shows the relationship between rates and inventory. Again, this year is the blue line. Last year? That’s the green.With rates inching up this year, you can see inventory has grown by about 25k. But when rates went down this time last year, buyers jumped back in, and inventory actually dropped by about 9k.Logan Mohtashami, Lead Analyst at HousingWire, explains how that’s flipped from 2025 to 2026:

“With mortgage rates over 7%, demand tends to soften and inventory rises . . .”

Homes Are Spending More Time on the MarketHere’s another metric that shows the impact rates are having: time on market. Data from Realtor.com shows the typical home spent 61 days on the market this September. Back in September 2021, it was just 41 days (see graph below):Here’s what that tells us. In 2021, when rates were low, more buyers were active, and homes sold fast. But now that rates are a bit higher, not as many buyers are interested, so it takes a bit longer to close a deal.How To Make This Market Work for YouSo, what does all of this mean for your plans? That depends on which side of the move you’re on:If you’re buying, more homes for sale means more choices and less pressure to rush. And more room to negotiate too. A house that’s been sitting for a while could have a seller who’s more willing to talk – not just about price, but repairs, closing costs, or even helping buy down your mortgage rate.That doesn’t mean every seller will play ball. But compared to the frenzy of a few years ago, buyers have more leverage now.If you’re selling, the right strategy can make all the difference. Buyers have more homes to choose from, so making yours stand out is especially important. That starts with pricing it right from day one, making a great first impression, and working with your agent to highlight what makes your house worth choosing. Buyers are still buying and homes are still selling. The key is making sure yours is positioned to attract the right buyer.The market hasn’t stopped. It’s just moving at a different pace. And whether you’re buying or selling, your strategy needs to move with it.Bottom LineIn many places right now, inventory is growing and homes are taking a bit longer to sell. And that’s information that should shape the strategy you use going in.Whether you’re buying or selling, connect with a local real estate agent to look at how long homes are taking to sell in your neighborhood, so your offer, or your price, fits today’s market.

With everything going on, it’s understandable if you’re wondering if you’d regret buying right now. Everyday expenses cost more. Mortgage rates are higher than you’d like. And when the economy feels uncertain, taking on a mortgage can feel like a much bigger leap. But here’s some perspective that may help…Most people who already made that leap would do it again.According to a recent survey from NerdWallet, the vast majority of recent buyers (74%) were glad they bought their current home. Only a very small 3% of people regret it:And here’s a big reason why so many people feel it was worth it, even now.Homeownership Is a Long-Term PlayWhen you’re deciding whether to buy, it’s easy to focus on what’s happening right now. What’s today’s mortgage rate? Are prices going up or down? Those things matter. But don’t get so caught up in buying in the perfect moment that you miss the bigger picture.A home isn’t typically something you buy for just a year or two. It’s a longer-term play. And when you zoom out, it all starts to fall into perspective – especially if you look at home prices and equity.According to data from the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), home prices nationally have risen 33.4% over just the past five years (see map below):And that appreciation has helped current homeowners build some serious wealth. Research from Bankrate shows homeowners gained an average of nearly $150,000 in wealth over the past five years as equity steadily rose across 90% of major metro areas.That’s one of the biggest benefits of homeownership. As you pay down your mortgage and your home appreciates over time, your ownership stake – your equity – can grow.Now, Zoom Out Even FurtherThe five-year numbers are impressive. But the numbers get even more dramatic when you look at decades instead of individual market cycles.FHFA data shows home prices nationally have risen 336% since 1991. Sit with that for a second. Three hundred percent (see map below): That doesn’t mean prices go up every single year. And it doesn’t mean buying is automatically the right decision for everyone today. You should only buy when the numbers (and the payment) work for you.What it does show is why trying to perfectly time the market can make you miss the bigger picture. Over time, homeowners gain a lot of equity. And that equity can eventually become a powerful financial resource. As Freddie Mac explains: 

“Your home’s equity is part of your total wealth as a homeowner. If you decide to sell your home, the equity you have built over time will come back to you in the sale. . .If it’s time to upsize or downsize, you can use that cash for the down payment on your next home.”

Basically, if you can afford to do it, buying a home now could set you up for future moves.And just in case you’re someone who’s worried about what happens if prices do fall, after you buy, remember: you’re not buying for one year.Prices can dip. They have before. But historically, they’ve risen far more over the long run. And the longer you own your home, the more time you have to ride out those ups and downs and keep building equity.Bottom LineDon’t let today’s uncertainty make you lose sight of what homeownership can do over time. Most homeowners say they’d make the same choice again. And decades of home-price growth help explain why.If you’re wondering whether buying makes sense for you right now, connect with an agent to look at the numbers together – and what owning a home could mean for you in the years ahead.