Is Now a Good Time to Sell Your House?

Navigating the 2026 Housing Market

The housing market has undergone significant changes over the past few years. Rising interest rates, fast price growth, and uncertainty made it challenging for both buyers and sellers. As we move through 2026, the market is beginning to feel more balanced—and that can be good news if you’re thinking about selling.

What’s Shaping the 2026 Housing Market?

Home prices are leveling out.

After years of rapid increases, home price growth is expected to slow to about 1%–3% this year. Prices aren’t expected to drop sharply, but sellers may not see the huge jumps of the past. This steadier pace, combined with rising wages, is helping improve affordability for buyers.

Mortgage rates are more stable.

Mortgage rates are expected to stay mostly in the low 6% range in 2026. While higher than the pandemic lows, this stability helps buyers plan and move forward with more confidence—often leading to healthier demand.

Inventory is improving.

More homes are coming on the market compared to recent years. While inventory is still below pre-pandemic levels, buyers now have more options, and bidding wars are less intense, creating a more balanced negotiation environment.

Buyer demand remains strong.

Many buyers who paused their search during uncertain times are returning. The desire for homeownership hasn’t gone away—it’s just becoming more realistic and steady.

Why 2026 Could Be a Good Time to Sell

Strong home equity.

Many homeowners have built significant equity, giving them the flexibility to downsize, relocate, or move into a home that better fits their current lifestyle.

More serious buyers.

Today’s buyers are often well-prepared and informed, which can lead to smoother transactions and fewer last-minute surprises.

Improving affordability.

With slower price growth and stable rates, more buyers can comfortably enter the market, expanding your pool of potential buyers.

Lifestyle opportunities.

If your home no longer fits your needs—whether due to remote work, family changes, or space preferences—selling in 2026 may help you make a move that better aligns with your life today.

Early-year momentum.

Some sellers may benefit from listing early in the year, when competition can be lower and motivated buyers are active.

A Few Things to Keep in Mind

Real estate is always local. Market conditions can vary by neighborhood, city, and even street. Pricing, timing, and competition matter—especially if you plan to sell and buy another home. Understanding your local market is key.

The Bottom Line

The 2026 housing market is shaping up to be more stable and predictable than recent years. For many homeowners, the combination of strong equity, steady prices, stable mortgage rates, and ongoing buyer demand could make this a smart time to sell.

If you’re curious about your options or want to explore different scenarios, starting the conversation now can help you move forward with clarity and confidence. 

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August 21, 2023, WEEKLY MARKET UPDATE

Mortgage rates are about to set a new peak, hitting affordability, inventory, transaction volumes, and builder confidence.

A combination of hawkish Fed minutes, rising bond yields globally, and fading recession expectations at home saw the 10-year US treasury bond move up to a 4.3% yield (levels not seen since 2008) and average 30-yr mortgage rates climb to 7.34% — just shy of the previous peak set in October 2022 (7.37%). [Mortgage News Daily]

Here is the summary statement from the last Federal Open Markets Committee (FOMC) meeting. "With inflation still well above the Committee's longer-run goal and the labor market remaining tight, most participants continued to see significant upside risks to inflation, which could require further tightening of monetary policy." [Federal Reserve]

In July, the number of permits (units authorized) and starts (actual construction) for single-family homes rose. This tends to be a volatile data series from month to month, so seeing that the 3-month average for SFH permits has now risen for five straight months was heartening.

That's great, but unfortunately, it's just not enough. Builders will complete 1.3–1.4 million new housing units (77% SFH, 23% Multifamily) over the next 12 months. But households are being formed at ~2 million a year. [Census Bureau]

If you have any questions, need advice, or want to explore exciting market opportunities, please don't hesitate to reach out. I wish you a fantastic week filled with sunshine and endless possibilities!

Are we in buyer market yet?

The days are gone when buyers were widely willing to drop home inspections and other contingencies. Seller contributions will be more common, and concessions will be buried beneath the surface in recorded sale prices. It’s not a buyer’s market, but at least purchasers sense that some bargaining may be possible. It’s another opportunity to get into the market that millions of purchasers will take advantage of during the coming year.

My friends, the real estate market has been a seller’s paradise fueled by pandemic fears and historically-low interest rates for the past few years. But, at the start of 2023, a new market emerged, with a more outstanding balance between buyers and sellers.

Please call me if you have any questions at 562-715-8622. Your feedback is critical to be part of this conversation, so please make a comment. 

Small improvements will do massive impact on the value of your property!

Naples. Long Beach, California | photo by Amir Zee

It doesn’t matter whether you are getting ready to sell your home or refinance your existing mortgage; if you are working with a lender, they will likely require an estimate of the fair market value of your property. That means they will request an appraisal to find out how much your home is currently worth to help determine the loan amount you may qualify for.

In an era when small improvements can have a considerable impact on the value of your property, it’s more important than ever to do what you can to maintain your home.

Your appraiser will look at the value of the surrounding properties to make sure that your estimate is comparable to the rest of the homes in your neighborhood. To stay informed, you could do the same. You can go to some of the open houses in your area or look at homes in your area that recently sold. If you can make your house look more appealing than the rest of the homes in your neighborhood, it may raise your home’s value.

An appraiser will take your home’s curb appeal into account when they estimate its fair market value. Make sure that you take care of any repairs that you need to make to your home, fence, and yard before the appraisal.

The condition of your dwelling, yard, and garage are considered to come up with a home appraisal value. Clean all of the surfaces in your home (including your windows, counters, walls, hardwood floors, and carpets) regularly, and get rid of any clutter that will obstruct views of your rooms.

Small problems (like broken faucets, damaged floors, or surface cracks on the ceiling) can lower your home’s perceived value by thousands of dollars. Check every room in your home. And write down all of the problems that could reduce the value of your property. If you can manage to repair them within your budget, you should consider doing so.

Courtesy Real Estate Services

I will do the following as a courtesy and give you lots of ideas for needed improvements. Even small suggested improvements, such as paint colors or furniture placement, can go a long way toward improving the look and sale-ability of your home. Not every home improvement is cosmetic. Deteriorating roofs, termite infestation, or outdated electrical systems — you can’t fix it if you don’t know it’s broken. My inspectors to check out the areas of your home that you don’t usually see with no charge to you. They may discover hidden problems that could negatively impact your home’s value. Small problems (such as a hidden water leak) can become big, expensive problems quickly; the longer you put off repairs, the more expensive those repairs will be.

FREE VISUAL INSPECTION

FREE HOME PRICE EVALUATION

FREE HOME IMPROVEMENT IDEAS AND CONTRACTOR COORDINATION

FREE LOW-MAINTENANCE LANDSCAPING

FREE ENERGY HOME SAVING IDEAS

FREE ADU “Accessory Dwelling Units” ADDITION PERMIT, PLANNING & CONSTRUCTION

Please call me at 562-715-8622 or email me amir.zee@vylla.com

Real Estate Common Fraud, Beware Please!

Remember: Knowledge is the best prevention.

The dream of homeownership remains one of the most important goals for many residents. Unfortunately, real estate scams can steal these dreams with a single forged signature or get-rich-quick scheme.
While anyone may fall prey to one of these scams, the groups most targeted by real estate scammers are usually the elderly, homeowners already in foreclosure, and individuals with low incomes.


The following is a set of examples of the types of real estate scams that are pervasive across the country. Tap on the links for a full explanation of each scam.

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