02/11/2026
Please keep Richard Kinball in mind when you are looking to buy or sell real estate in 2026.
Great email from Laine Buquoi!
Good Morning! I expect we will be “slow-ish” until Mardi Gras, but based on where rates are this year, I think we will have a very busy spring. When things are moving quickly, it’s important that we have information handy so that we can consistently talk clients off the ledge. I see buyers miss houses all the time because they move too slow, don’t want to go up another $10k or we are within a couple of thousand on inspections and they can’t get there mentally. In times like these, I always like to defer back to the math to diffuse the situation.
Here is the math based on today’s average rate of 6.11% on a 30 year fixed rate:
At a 6.11% rate, the mortgage payment is roughly $600 per $100,000.
To totally ballpark it - $100k = $600 per month, $200k = $1,200 per month, $300k = $1,800 per month, $1,000,000 = $6,000, etc
Absolutely correct answer - $100k = $606, $200k = $1,213, $300k = $1,819, $1,000,000 = $6,066
At a 6.11% rate, every $10,000 financed is about $60 per month.
Absolutely correct answer - $10k = $60.66 per month
If you want to include property taxes in this estimate, then Orleans is about $11 per month for every $10k and Jefferson is about $10 per month per $10k.
One of our greatest assets as the real estate professional is to maintain calm when everyone is freaking out. Knowing the math is a good way to do that. If $5,000 becomes the emotional barrier that buyer and seller are fighting over, does the buyer realize that we are fighting over $30 per month? Most people don’t blink at spending that and we are talking about improving their living situation and financial future. Real estate can be emotional and personal because it’s a lot of money and a major life change. We can help keep things in perspective if we have the information ready.
As an added bonus, I wanted to show you guys a chart of where rates were this time last year (7.13% on 2/12) and today (6.11%). This is fantastic news that we need to share all the time!
