{"id":322,"date":"2025-10-16T14:09:22","date_gmt":"2025-10-16T19:09:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/?p=322"},"modified":"2025-10-16T14:09:22","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T19:09:22","slug":"the-280-shift-in-affordability-every-homebuyer-should-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/?p=322","title":{"rendered":"The $280 Shift in Affordability Every Homebuyer Should Know"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<div class=\"pt-8 px-8\">\n<h2 class=\"profile-color-text text-3xl\">The $280 Shift in Affordability Every Homebuyer Should Know<\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"mt-6 text-base-content flex items-center flex-wrap gap-x-4 gap-y-2\"><span class=\"flex items-center flex-wrap gap-1\"><time class=\"text-base-content\" datetime=\"2025-10-16T10:30:00Z\">Thursday October 16th, 2025<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"mt-6 text-base-content flex items-center flex-wrap gap-x-4 gap-y-2\"><span class=\"flex items-center flex-wrap gap-1\"><a class=\"text-base-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.simplifyingthemarket.com\/en\/category\/sellers\/?a=1000025117-654188f2b9e9f721433bea74f0bf3424\">For Sellers,<\/a><a class=\"text-base-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.simplifyingthemarket.com\/en\/category\/first-time-buyers\/?a=1000025117-654188f2b9e9f721433bea74f0bf3424\">First-Time Buyers,<\/a><a class=\"text-base-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.simplifyingthemarket.com\/en\/category\/mortgage-rates\/?a=1000025117-654188f2b9e9f721433bea74f0bf3424\">Mortgage Rates,<\/a><a class=\"text-base-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.simplifyingthemarket.com\/en\/category\/move-up\/?a=1000025117-654188f2b9e9f721433bea74f0bf3424\">Move-Up,<\/a><a class=\"text-base-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.simplifyingthemarket.com\/en\/category\/affordability\/?a=1000025117-654188f2b9e9f721433bea74f0bf3424\">Affordability,<\/a><a class=\"text-base-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.simplifyingthemarket.com\/en\/category\/buying-tips\/?a=1000025117-654188f2b9e9f721433bea74f0bf3424\">Buying Tips<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<div>Article from Keeping Current Matters<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"p-6 px-8\">\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-3 sm:flex gap-1 flex-wrap w-fit sm:w-full my-4\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"mt-6 flex flex-col gap-4 mb-8\">\n<div class=\"mb-2\">\n<p>If you paused your plans to move because of high rates or prices, it may finally be time to take a second look at your numbers.\u00a0<strong>Affordability is\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.firstam.com\/economics\/affordability-improves-for-fifth-straight-month-offering-a-glimmer-of-hope-for-the-housing-market\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>improving<\/strong><\/a>in 39 of the top 50 markets, according to\u00a0<em>First American.\u00a0<\/em>And that\u2019s the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.firstam.com\/economics\/affordability-improves-for-fifth-straight-month-offering-a-glimmer-of-hope-for-the-housing-market\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>5th straight month<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0where buying a home has started to get a little bit easier.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s break this down into real dollars, so you can see the difference this could make for you (and your move).<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Monthly Payments Are Coming Down<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>One of the clearest signs of this shift is in monthly payments. The latest data from\u00a0<em>Redfin<\/em>\u00a0shows\u00a0<strong>mortgage payments on a median-priced home are now $283 lower than they were just a few months ago\u00a0<\/strong>(<em>see graph below<\/em>):<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/files.keepingcurrentmatters.com\/KeepingCurrentMatters\/content\/images\/20251014\/20251016-Monthly-Payments-Are-Down-283-original.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/files.keepingcurrentmatters.com\/KeepingCurrentMatters\/content\/images\/20251014\/20251016-Monthly-Payments-Are-Down-283-original.png\" alt=\"a graph of a graph of money\" \/><\/a>This kind of monthly savings adds up fast, and totals nearly\u00a0<strong>$3,400 over the course of a year<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>While this isn\u2019t enough to completely change the affordability game overnight, think about it this way. When you\u2019re putting together a homebuying budget, a few hundred dollars could be the difference between being comfortable buying and feeling like money\u2019s a bit tight.<\/p>\n<p>And from a home-search perspective, it could even be enough to change the price point you can look at. According to\u00a0<em>Redfin<\/em>:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>\u201cA borrower with a $3,000 monthly budget can now afford a $468,000 home, about $22,000 more than in June.&#8221;<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>And that\u2019s a big deal if you haven\u2019t found a home you love in your price range yet. It gives you a little more flexibility to find the one that\u2019s right for you.<\/p>\n<p>Either way, that\u2019s a big win.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>What\u2019s Behind the Shift?<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Two key factors are working in your favor right now:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Mortgage rates have eased from their high earlier this year<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Home price growth is slowing in many markets<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Both of those things help your bottom line and give you a bit of breathing room if you\u2019re buying a home. As Andy Walden, Head of Mortgage and Housing Market Researchat\u00a0<em>ICE Mortgage Technology<\/em>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mortgagetech.ice.com\/resources\/data-reports\/october-2025-mortgage-monitor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">says<\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>\u201cThe recent pullback in rates has created a tailwind for both homebuyers and existing borrowers.\u00a0<\/em><strong><em>We\u2019re seeing affordability at a 2.5-year high . . .\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Whether you\u2019re a first-time homebuyer or someone looking to move-up into a bigger house, the shifts happening this year could make your move possible. Connect with a trusted agent or lender to see what your monthly payment would look like at today\u2019s rates.<\/p>\n<p><strong>For you, the savings could be the difference between \u201cnot yet\u201d and \u201clet\u2019s go.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<h3 class=\"text-xl mb-2\">Bottom Line<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Affordability is improving in many markets. And that resets the math on your move.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019ve been sitting on the sidelines, this is your cue to start looking again. Let\u2019s run the local numbers together so you can get a rough estimate of how much more buying power you may have than you did just a few months ago.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Whether you\u2019re buying your first home, selling property, or investing in real estate in the <strong data-start=\"917\" data-end=\"953\">Lufkin area or anywhere in Angelina County, Texas<\/strong>, I\u2019m here to guide you every step of the way. As a local <strong data-start=\"1011\" data-end=\"1034\">CENTURY 21 REALTOR\u00ae<\/strong>, I provide trusted market insight, professional service, and a faith-driven approach to real estate. Visit my website at <a href=\"https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/\">https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/<\/a> to explore the latest <strong data-start=\"1219\" data-end=\"1247\">homes for sale in Lufkin<\/strong>, neighborhood updates, and expert real estate tips designed to help you make confident decisions in today\u2019s East Texas market.\u00a0 I am always striving to be the Best Real Estate agent I can for all of my clients.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p data-start=\"257\" data-end=\"487\"><strong data-start=\"257\" data-end=\"288\">\ud83c\udfe1 Twila Bertrand, REALTOR\u00ae<\/strong><br data-start=\"288\" data-end=\"291\" \/>CENTURY 21 Cota Realty | Lufkin, Texas<br data-start=\"329\" data-end=\"332\" \/>\ud83d\udcde <strong data-start=\"335\" data-end=\"349\">Call\/Text:<\/strong> (936) 208-7631<br data-start=\"364\" data-end=\"367\" \/>\ud83d\udce7 <strong data-start=\"370\" data-end=\"380\">Email: twilabertrand@gmail.com<\/strong><br data-start=\"412\" data-end=\"415\" \/>\ud83c\udf10 <strong data-start=\"418\" data-end=\"430\">Website:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/\">https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"257\" data-end=\"487\">\ud83c\udf10 <strong data-start=\"418\" data-end=\"430\">Website on Zillow:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.zillow.com\/profile\/Twila-Bertrand\">https:\/\/www.zillow.com\/profile\/Twila-Bertrand<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"489\" data-end=\"625\">\u2728 <em data-start=\"491\" data-end=\"623\">Faith-based service. Local expertise. Helping families buy, sell, and invest in real estate across Lufkin and all of\u00a0 Angelina and Nacogdoches County, TX.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The $280 Shift in Affordability Every Homebuyer Should Know &nbsp; Thursday October 16th, 2025 For Sellers,First-Time Buyers,Mortgage Rates,Move-Up,Affordability,Buying Tips Article from Keeping Current Matters If you paused your plans to move because of high rates or prices, it may finally be time to take a second look at your numbers.\u00a0Affordability is\u00a0improvingin 39 of the top [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":194391,"featured_media":323,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[155,153,107,148,89,141,132,154,43,144,121,93],"class_list":["post-322","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-real-estate","tag-award-winning-agent","tag-best-agent-in-huntington-tx","tag-best-real-estate-agent","tag-best-real-estate-agent-in-lufkin-tx","tag-best-realtor","tag-best-realtor-in-lufkin-tx","tag-buyers-agent","tag-experienced-agent","tag-homes-for-sale","tag-knowledge-is-power","tag-trust-the-experts","tag-trusted-agent"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/194391"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=322"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":324,"href":"https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322\/revisions\/324"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/323"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=322"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=322"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=322"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}