{"id":340,"date":"2025-11-14T16:49:41","date_gmt":"2025-11-14T22:49:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/?p=340"},"modified":"2025-11-14T16:49:41","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T22:49:41","slug":"would-you-let-80-a-month-hold-you-back-from-buying-a-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/?p=340","title":{"rendered":"Would You Let $80 a Month Hold You Back from Buying a Home?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<div class=\"pt-8 px-8\">\n<h2 class=\"profile-color-text text-3xl\">Would You Let $80 a Month Hold You Back from Buying a Home?<\/h2>\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=\"2025-11-13T11:30:00Z\">Thursday November 13th, 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\/buyers\/?a=1000025117-654188f2b9e9f721433bea74f0bf3424\">For Buyers,<\/a><a class=\"text-base-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.simplifyingthemarket.com\/en\/category\/first-time-buyers\/?a=1000025117-654188f2b9e9f721433bea74f0bf3424\">First-Time Buyers<\/a><\/span><\/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\/mortgage-rates\/?a=1000025117-654188f2b9e9f721433bea74f0bf3424\">Mortgage Rates<\/a><\/span><\/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\/affordability\/?a=1000025117-654188f2b9e9f721433bea74f0bf3424\">Affordability<\/a><\/span><\/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\/forecasts\/?a=1000025117-654188f2b9e9f721433bea74f0bf3424\">Forecasts<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<div>Article from Keeping Current Matters<\/div>\n<div>&#8230;<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/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\">&#8230;<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"mt-6 flex flex-col gap-4 mb-8\">\n<div class=\"mb-2\">\n<p>A lot of buyers are stuck in \u201cwait and see\u201d mode right now. They\u2019re watching rates hover a little above 6% and thinking, I\u2019ll buy once they hit the 5s. Because who doesn\u2019t want a better rate?<\/p>\n<p>But here\u2019s the thing:\u00a0<strong>that 5.99% number might not save you as much as you think.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Affordability is still a challenge. There\u2019s no question about that. But the market has given savvy buyers a head start. Mortgage rates have already come down over the past few months. And the drop we\u2019ve seen saves you more than you\u2019d think.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>How Much You\u2019ve Already Saved, Without Realizing It<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Let&#8217;s put some real numbers to it. Rates peaked for the year in May when they inched above 7%. But since then, they\u2019ve been slowly declining. Now, they\u2019re sitting in the low 6s. And while that may not sound like a big deal, that change translates to real dollars.<\/p>\n<p>According to data coming out of\u00a0<em>Redfin<\/em>,\u00a0<strong>the typical monthly payment on a $400,000 home is already down almost $400 since May.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>That means if you\u2019re buying a home now, you&#8217;re saving hundreds of dollars every month compared to what you would have been able to get earlier this spring. That\u2019s\u00a0<em>real\u00a0<\/em>money that makes a\u00a0<em>real\u00a0<\/em>difference for buyers who paused their plans because they thought homeownership was out of reach.<\/p>\n<p>And while it may be tempting to wait even longer to see bigger savings, that\u2019s a gamble that could cost you. Here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Where Experts Say Rates Are Headed<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>For starters,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/img03.en25.com\/Web\/MortgageBankersAssociation\/%7B5fa36e70-0665-48ca-ba9b-6b0fb8d6ea09%7D_Mortgage_Finance_Forecast_Sep_2025.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">most experts<\/a>\u00a0say mortgage rates are likely to stay pretty much where we are today throughout 2026. So, there\u2019s no guarantee we\u2019ll see a rate much lower than what we have now. Only\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fanniemae.com\/media\/56296\/display\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">one expert<\/a>\u00a0forecaster is saying rates could fall into the upper 5s next year (<em>see graph below<\/em>):<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/files.keepingcurrentmatters.com\/KeepingCurrentMatters\/content\/images\/20251112\/20251113-Mortgage-Rates-and-Projections-Through-2026-original.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/files.keepingcurrentmatters.com\/KeepingCurrentMatters\/content\/images\/20251112\/20251113-Mortgage-Rates-and-Projections-Through-2026-original.png\" alt=\"a graph with numbers and lines\" \/><\/a>And even if rates do dip below 6%,\u00a0<strong>the extra savings you\u2019re holding out for won\u2019t move the needle as much as you might expect.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4><strong>The Real Math Behind a 5.99% Rate<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Let\u2019s break it down. If rates come down to 5.99% from where they&#8217;ve been lately that\u2019s a difference of only about\u00a0<strong>$80 a month on an average priced home\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013 give or take a bit based on your price point and the rate your lender quotes you (<em>see chart below<\/em>):<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/files.keepingcurrentmatters.com\/KeepingCurrentMatters\/content\/images\/20251112\/20251113-Waiting-for-Rates-Below-6-May-Only-Save-You-About-80-Month-original.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/files.keepingcurrentmatters.com\/KeepingCurrentMatters\/content\/images\/20251112\/20251113-Waiting-for-Rates-Below-6-May-Only-Save-You-About-80-Month-original.png\" alt=\"a blue and white rectangular table with white text\" \/><\/a>Eighty dollars. That\u2019s it. And for the typical family, that\u2019s about one dinner out (or one dinner in, if you have it delivered). That\u2019s not enough to change the game for most buyers. But the savings of nearly $400 we already have compared to when you paused your search in the spring? That might be.<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>So, the question to ask yourself is this:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Is an extra $80 savings really worth the wait?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Because while you\u2019re holding out for that small dip, the bigger opportunity might be slipping away.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>When Rates Fall, Competition Follows<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Right now, you have more homes to choose from, sellers who are ready to negotiate to get a deal done, and fewer buyers to compete with. But once rates fall below 6%, buyer mindsets will shift and all of that will change.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0<em>National Association of Realtors\u00a0<\/em>(NAR)\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nar.realtor\/magazine\/real-estate-news\/economy\/what-mortgage-rate-will-get-more-buyers-moving\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">reports<\/a>\u00a0that if rates hit 6%, about 5.5 million more households will be able to afford the median-priced home. Even if only a small fraction of them decide to buy, that could mean hundreds of thousands of buyers getting back into the market.<\/p>\n<p>That creates more competition for you, which would push home prices even higher \u2013\u00a0<strong>maybe high enough to cancel out the extra savings you waited for.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>So, if you\u2019re waiting for rates below 6%, just keep in mind&#8230; that extra $80 may not be worth it in the grand scheme of things.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<h3 class=\"text-xl mb-2\">Bottom Line<\/h3>\n<p>You don\u2019t have to wait for 5.99%. You have the chance to move (and save) right now. So, ask yourself:\u00a0<strong><em>Would you let $80 hold you back from buying a home?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you find a home you love and the math makes sense, getting ahead may be the best strategy. Let\u2019s run your numbers so you can see what you\u2019re working with in our market.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p data-start=\"373\" data-end=\"524\"><strong data-start=\"373\" data-end=\"391\">Twila Bertrand<\/strong><br data-start=\"391\" data-end=\"394\" \/><em data-start=\"394\" data-end=\"429\">REALTOR\u00ae | CENTURY 21 Cota Realty<\/em><br data-start=\"429\" data-end=\"432\" \/><strong>Proudly serving Lufkin, Huntington, Diboll, Hudson, Central, Pollok, and all of Angelina County<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"526\" data-end=\"588\">\ud83d\udcde <strong data-start=\"529\" data-end=\"543\">Call\/Text:<\/strong> 936-208-7631<br data-start=\"557\" data-end=\"560\" \/>\ud83d\udce7 <strong data-start=\"563\" data-end=\"573\">Email:<\/strong> twilabertrand@gmail.com<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"526\" data-end=\"588\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/\">https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"590\" data-end=\"929\">If you\u2019re looking for the <strong data-start=\"616\" data-end=\"677\">best and most experienced real estate agent in Lufkin, TX<\/strong>, I would love to help you buy or sell your home. With extensive knowledge of the <strong data-start=\"759\" data-end=\"788\">Lufkin real estate market<\/strong>, proven results, and a passion for serving families, I\u2019m committed to delivering exceptional service and smooth, stress-free transactions.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"931\" data-end=\"1022\"><strong data-start=\"931\" data-end=\"1022\">Your trusted local expert for buying, selling, and investing in East Texas real estate.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Would You Let $80 a Month Hold You Back from Buying a Home? Thursday November 13th, 2025 For Buyers,First-Time Buyers Mortgage Rates Affordability Forecasts Article from Keeping Current Matters &#8230; &#8230; A lot of buyers are stuck in \u201cwait and see\u201d mode right now. They\u2019re watching rates hover a little above 6% and thinking, I\u2019ll [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":194391,"featured_media":341,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[27,109,107,105,141,31,50,55,24,13,15,46,58],"class_list":["post-340","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-real-estate","tag-angelina-county-real-estate","tag-best-local-realtor","tag-best-real-estate-agent","tag-best-realtor-in-lufkin","tag-best-realtor-in-lufkin-tx","tag-buying-facts","tag-buying-smart","tag-expert-advice","tag-local-agent","tag-real-estate-lufkin-huntington","tag-realtor","tag-trust-the-pros","tag-trusted-realtor"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/340","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=340"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/340\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":343,"href":"https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/340\/revisions\/343"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/341"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=340"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=340"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/twilabertrand.sites.c21.homes\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=340"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}