In today’s higher-rate environment, home buyers should focus on purchase price rather than interest rates, advises Maria Raymer, broker associate at RE/MAX Specialists PV, offering a fresh perspective on timing the market.
“Don’t be too caught up in interest rates, because it’s temporary. You date the rate, you marry the house,” Raymer says, explaining her philosophy on current market opportunities. She argues that today’s negotiable market conditions offer long-term advantages for buyers who act now.
“If you buy when the market’s more negotiable, like now when it’s not super hot, you get a better negotiated price that’s fixed,” Raymer explains. “What you paid for the house that’s etched in stone…But if you wait, even with modest depreciation, which we are still having modest depreciation, you’re going to pay more if you wait a year from now.”
Drawing on 30 years of experience, Raymer emphasizes real estate’s enduring value proposition. “Real estate is still one of the best, most secure investments that you can make,” she says. “If you look at a 10-year picture of the real estate market, it’s got its dips, but it always goes up.”
She compares real estate appreciation to the stock market’s long-term trajectory: while both experience short-term volatility, the overall trend remains upward. However, she notes that real estate typically offers more stability: “I do believe that real estate is a safer investment and certainly less volatile investment.”
Through her RE/MAX Specialists PV team, Raymer advises clients to consider current market conditions as an opportunity rather than a barrier. She points out that while interest rates can be refinanced later, purchase prices are permanent: “When the rate comes down, you can refinance…whereas if you wait, you’re going to pay more if you wait a year from now.”
This strategy particularly resonates in Jacksonville’s market, where Raymer notes prices continue to show modest appreciation despite current market challenges. She suggests buyers who wait for perfect conditions might miss opportunities for long-term value appreciation.
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