Home Buying & Selling in 2026

WHAT LIES AHEAD?

As we march into 2026, I'm hopeful that we will see positive changes for both buyers and sellers of real estate. Since the real estate market is primarily driven by mortgage interest rates that equate to a monthly payment, many buyers and sellers have been on the fence, unwilling or quite simply unable to make a move due to the increased cost of a monthly payment that just doesn't fit their budget.

Since rising housing costs have outpaced salaries throughout recent years, it only makes sense that sellers would be unwilling to sell since they would in turn have to repurchase in the same market at higher interest rates, effectively paying more for something similar that they may have purchased or refinanced at a low interest rate. We will hopefully see salaries begin to catch up with housing costs.

This brings us to where we are today, starting off in 2026 with interest rates for a 30-year mortgage at 6.15-6.35% and for a 15-year mortgage at 5.44-5.7% (varies between conventional and FHA loans.) As we see interest rates decrease, we will start to see more market activity; more of those anxious fence-sitters will begin to make a move.

I have predicted for the last couple of years that once interest rates drop below 6%, market activity will begin to stir and if they reach as low as 5.5%, the market will likely take off. As it stands, more sellers have entered the market but buyers still remain hesitant, even in the wake of reduced home prices by sellers and home builders. Builders have even offered the incentive of low fixed interest rates, aggressively buying down the rates for buyers to as low as 3.99% in some cases in the Greater Houston area.

EXTRA EFFORT REQUIRED BY SELLERS

In a market that is more evenly balanced between buyers and sellers, in addition to interest rates that don't quite fit buyer's preferred budgets, sellers may need to offer a little something extra to get those buyers off the fence to make an offer - the place at which a successful sale begins.

This is why I have rolled out a new program for 2026: "Certified Inspected Homes" and "Certified Repaired Homes." This program will give buyers confidence in their purchase, knowing that the home has been pre-inspected and repairs have either been accounted for in the price or that repairs have actually been completed. This also means that a Residential Service Contract (also referred to as a Home Warranty) will be provided upon closing for a full year afterward.

For sellers, offering a Certified Inspected or Certified Repaired Home will likely result in a faster and less complicated sale, having bypassed an entire step that is typically done after a contract is in place. This also means that it's less likely that a sale will fall through due to complications with any renegotiation over unrepaired items; it's resolves the unknown regarding property condition beforehand.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT CERTIFYING MY HOME

If you are interested in buying, selling or renting a home, please feel free to contact me anytime at 832-257-2428.

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Here, I provide real estate information valuable to all players involved in a real estate transaction. I also blog about the real estate market in general and give my personal opinions about it.