01/28/2026
Playing the “wait for lower rates” game? Here’s the math that might make you rethink that strategy.
Let’s talk Sarasota, Florida specifically 🌴
🏡 Buy today:
$650,000 home in the Sarasota area
6% interest rate = ~$3,900/month
⏳ Wait 2 years hoping rates drop to 5%.
Meanwhile, Sarasota home prices increase just 3% per year (conservative for this market).
That same home is now ~$690,000
5% interest rate = ~$3,700/month
🎉 You saved about $200/month. Congrats.
Except…
• You missed out on ~$40,000 in equity
• You likely paid $45,000–$50,000+ in rent you’ll never see again
📉 Net loss: Around $80,000–$90,000
All to save a couple hundred dollars a month.
And that’s assuming prices only rise 3%.
Sarasota has historically outpaced that.
📊 What experts are predicting for rates:
• Mortgage Bankers Association: Rates holding in the mid-6% range through 2026–2027
• Fannie Mae: Gradual decline toward ~5.9% by the end of 2026
• NAR: Rates expected to stay above 6% for the foreseeable future
Translation?
If you’re waiting for 3% rates, you’re going to be waiting a long time — while Sarasota home prices keep climbing.
Here’s what nobody tells you:
👉 You marry the home. You date the rate.
Refinancing exists.
Appreciation doesn’t wait.
And when rates drop, demand rises — and prices follow.
Stop trying to time the market.
Start timing your life.
🏡 Follow Medway Realty for no-BS real estate strategy that actually helps you win in today’s Sarasota market. 🌴
