It’s undeniable that the real estate market has been hot over the last couple of years, with low inventory across the boards and high competition among buyers. However, the market now seems to be making a shift. After three years, the inventory of homes for sale has finally increased for the first time since June 2019, with newly listed homes up 6.3% nationally compared to a year ago. 

While sellers are still listing at rates 6.4% lower than the pre-pandemic years from 2017 to 2019, the market is in the process of making major shifts. It’s still a seller’s market right now, but for how much longer? As a first-time homebuyer or even a seasoned homebuyer, it’s important to keep up with the shifting market trends in order to secure a successful transaction. Read on to learn more about the shifting real estate market and discover how to better navigate these changes. 

What Does the Shifting Market Look Like?

In May 2022, Realtor.com released some housing data that revealed some major turning points in the market. In terms of inventory, the data shows that the number of active home listings entering the market is higher than it’s been since 2019. Nationally, the inventory of active home listings has increased by 8% over the past year, amounting to 38,000 more active home listings compared to May 2021. 

While having more homes on the market is good for buyers, homes are still spending less time on the market compared to last year, and home prices are still rising. The market is definitely shifting, but not necessarily in a buyer’s favor just yet. Interest rates are continuing to rise. These rising interest rates coupled with all-time high listing prices have increased the cost of financing 80% of the typical home by 48% compared to a year ago. 

In addition to rising prices, newly listed homes are larger. In May 2022, the share of newly listed homes less than 1,750 square feet declined from around 47% to around 45%. In comparison, the share of newly listed homes more than 1,750 square feet increased from around 52% to around 54%. This may cause frustration for first-time homebuyers because while more homes are being listed on the market, many are larger and more expensive. For example, the national median listing price for active listings in May 2022 was $447,000. This is up 17.6% compared to May 2021 and up 35.4% compared to May 2020. 

Tips for Navigating Market Shifts as a Buyer

In addition to partnering with a local, expert real estate agent, utilizing the following tips can help first-time homebuyers better navigate continued market shifts. 

Know Your Budget

With rising mortgage rates and increased home prices, it’s essential to do your homework and plan what you can truly afford in advance. In a seller’s market, you should be prepared to pay the asking price. However, it is essential that you make buying decisions based on your finances and not on your emotions. Just because you can financially afford to pay over the market value of a home doesn’t mean that you should or that it’s in your best interest over the long term. 

Get Preapproval From a Trusted Lender

Along with having a thorough understanding of your budget before buying a home, you should obtain a preapproved loan with a trusted lender. Getting a preapproved loan signals sellers that you are a serious buyer, and it may even gain you access to earlier showings ahead of other buyers. 

Be Flexible and Patient 

A final tip for first-time homebuyers navigating today’s market shifts is to be flexible and patient. There will undoubtedly be ups and down on your homebuying journey, especially with today’s market and continued market shifts. While there will be ups and downs, just remember that buying a home is still within reach, and when in doubt, always reach out to a local, expert real estate agent for help.

Tips for Navigating Market Shifts as a Seller

While the market is shifting, it’s still an ideal time for sellers. The following tips will help you get the most out of your home selling experience.

Work With a Trusted Local Real Estate Agent 

Even during a seller’s market, it’s important to work with a local expert real estate agent when listing your house. A local real estate agent will be able to give you the most up-to-date information on the market, navigate stressful contracts, and help you get the best price for your property.  

Have a Pre-Inspection Before Putting Your Home on the Market 

In addition to working closely with a local real estate agent, it would be to your benefit to have a pre-inspection completed on your home before you list it on the market. Having a pre-inspection can save you a ton of time, headaches, or delays down the road. 

When should you buy a home in the current market? There’s no doubt this market is confusing, with one expert recommending selling now to get peak value for a home and others saying to wait for the market to correct. If you’re buying, your perspective is much different. You want to save money but still have your pick of lots of property for sale. Confused? That’s because this is a challenging market with many things to think about before you buy, especially home affordability.

When you work with your agent to break down how home affordability applies in your specific desired neighborhood and region, you’ll have a better idea of the best move for you. These factors will help contribute to that decision.

The Pandemic Housing Boom Is Correcting

Beyond all other factors, when you consider home affordability, you have to focus on the changes brought by the pandemic. Suddenly, people were buying homes quickly, and due to the limited number of homes listed for sale on the market, the laws of supply and demand took over. That led to rapidly increasing home prices. The double-digit home price growth of the last few years isn’t something the market can sustain. If you’re tired of being outbid for a home you love, that could soon be a thing of the past. All of this demand led to an increased number of homes being built, a run on steel and lumber, and refrigerators becoming hard to find.

The Federal Reserve took the reins in reeling in that excessive cost and rapid growth. To do that, they boosted the key lending rate, which is likely to lead to an increase in mortgage rates for some time. As frustrating as that may sound, as a home buyer who likely needs to buy a home with a loan, there are some key benefits to it.

What Will Home Affordability Look Like in 2023?

If all goes to plan, the increase in interest rates could curb inflation quickly, and a result of that could include some improvements in overall home affordability for those who are looking to buy a home. There’s no way to know what could happen, but here’s what many expect:

• Interest rates: If you wait until 2023, interest rates on most mortgage loans will likely be higher. That means you may spend more to buy the home when it comes to the loan costs. That doesn’t mean those prices are going to be significantly higher, but it could mean a few percentage points.
• Home inventory: While there’s no way to say you’ll never be outbid again, the chances are lower in the next year as inventory becomes more predictable in most areas. With more inventory available, there are also fewer reasons that home values will skyrocket in those bidding wars. Higher inventory leads to better access to buying what you want.
• Home prices: It’s unlikely there will be a significant housing value drop in the coming year, but home values may stop growing as quickly. There is some evidence of currently listed homes seeing price reductions right now, which could mean lower prices in some areas.

Will You Be Able to Afford More House Next Year, Though?

There’s no crystal ball to tell us the future of what’s to come. If you can afford to buy a home today that fits your needs and is within your budget, buy now. You may be better off buying now instead of waiting for the unpredictable real estate market of 2023.

More so, inflation is a factor. Though it is unlikely that you will find home prices rising due to inflation, you are likely to find it a bigger pinch on your budget.

With mortgage rates on the rise, there’s no doubt that buying now if you qualify for a lower interest rate is the better option overall. It will save you money to secure even an interest rate that’s even a fraction lower this year than next year. For example, the monthly payment on a 30-year fixed rate loan at 2.99% could be $1,073, while it’s $1,184 on a 3.99% loan.

If you can afford to buy a home now and have the financing to do so, there’s no real benefit to buying next year. Prices aren’t likely to be much lower, though inventory may be a bit better. If you’re able to find your dream home, it may be time to make your move now instead of waiting.