10/02/2026
๐ก DONโT LET THE HEADLINES MAKE THE DECISION FOR YOU.
If youโve been thinking about buying or selling a home, youโve probably seen plenty of headlines warning you to wait because of mortgage interest rates.
But hereโs what Iโm seeing locally: people are still buying. People are still selling. Homes are going under contract. Homes are closing.
And the numbers back that up.
๐ Pitt County: Median home sale price was $303,883 in August, up 5.9% from the same time last year.
๐ Greenville: 359 homes sold in August, up 2.6% year over year, while the median sale price increased 4.3%.
So what does that tell us?
The market isn't waiting for the perfect interest rate.
Mortgage rates have always moved up and down. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate was over 18% in 1981. Today we're around 7%. That doesn't mean today's rate is inexpensiveโbut it does put today's rate into a much broader historical perspective.
And here's something buyers need to remember:
You don't buy an interest rate. You buy a home.
If the right home comes along, the price is right, the payment fits your budget, and the numbers make sense for your situation, waiting solely for rates to drop could mean waiting for a market where more buyers come off the sidelines at the same time.
And when that happens, you could potentially be competing with more buyers for the same homes.
For some buyers, the strategy may be:
Buy when the home and numbers make sense โ build equity โ refinance later IF rates become favorable.
Of course, refinancing is never guaranteed, and it comes with costs. The key is making sure the home and payment make sense at today's rate, rather than buying based on the hope that rates will change.
For sellers, the same principle applies.
If you're waiting to sell until rates drop, remember that a lower-rate environment could bring more buyers back into the marketโand potentially more competition from other sellers who have also been waiting.
There is no crystal ball. There is only the market we're in today and the decision that makes sense for YOUR situation.
Don't let a scary headline make a real estate decision for you.
๐ Let's look at the actual numbers for your situation.
If you're considering buying, selling, or simply want to know what your options look like in today's Greenville & Eastern NC market, I'm happy to have a no-pressure conversation and help you make an informed decision.
Melissa Hildreth
Realtor | Broker | Owner
Legacy Premier Real Estate
๐ 252-917-4896
Sources: Freddie Mac, Realtor.com, Redfin. Market data referenced above reflects national mortgage rates and Greenville/Pitt County market data available in SeptemberโOctober 2026.