09/22/2026
🏡 Mortgage rates are up. So where’s the opportunity?
There’s no reason to sugarcoat it: higher mortgage rates are making affordability more difficult for buyers.
📈 As of September 18, Mortgage News Daily’s daily index put the average 30-year fixed mortgage at 7.20%.
But there’s another side to this market.
🏘️ More homes are available while buyer activity has slowed. That means buyers who are still in the market may have something they didn’t have as much of before: negotiating power.
Homes that have been sitting for several weeks may offer more room to negotiate on:
💰 Purchase price
💵 Closing costs
📉 Rate buydowns
🔨 Repairs after inspection
Does that automatically make them a good deal? No.
But less competition can create opportunities that weren’t available in a hotter market.
🏠 And for sellers, the message is just as important: when buyers have more choices, pricing and presentation matter.
I don’t think this is a market where everyone should buy or everyone should sell. The better question is whether the numbers make sense for your finances, your timeline, and your goals.
💡 Sometimes there’s opportunity in a difficult market. You just have to know where to look for it.
Sources: Real Estate News, Redfin, Mortgage News Daily & Freddie Mac