01/13/2026
2019: "I'm waiting for the market to crash."
2020: "Pandemic! See? I was right!"
2021: "Prices are insane. I'll wait."
2022: "Rates are too high. I'll wait."
2023: "Still too expensive."
2024: "New administration..."
2025: Still renting. Still waiting. Still wrong.
Meanwhile, the "panic buyers" of 2019?
They own homes worth $95k more.
They've built six years of equity.
They're not paying rent.
The crash you're waiting for?
Even if prices drop 15%, that's $417k → $354k.
Still $32k more than 2019.
You're still behind.
And when prices DO drop?
Every "patient" buyer floods the market.
That $354k house gets 15 offers.
Bidding war pushes it to $375k.
You waited six years to overpay anyway.
One of you is winning. Hint: Not you.
Every year you wait costs:
Appreciation you'll never recover
Equity you'll never build
Rent you'll never get back
