Thursday, February 5, 2026 / by Joyce Dungca
If you’re planning to buy a home this year, you may be focused on the spring market. And hoping that when spring does hit, you’ll see:
Mortgage rates drop a little more.
More homes hit the market.
But here’s what most buyers don’t realize. Buying just a few weeks earlier could mean paying less, dealing with less stress, and feeling less rushed.
Here are three reasons why accelerating your timeline over the next few weeks could actually be a better play.
1. Holding Out for Lower Rates May Pay Off
A lot of buyers are hoping mortgage rates will fall even further. But that’s not the best strategy. Here’s why. Experts are pretty aligned on this: rates are expected to stay roughly where they are.
Forecasts throughout the industry all point to the same thing: rates are projected to be in the low-6% range this year (see graph below):
That's not a bad thing, especially if you consider how much rates ha ...
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team raj jaggi, buyers, sellers, housing market, mortgage rates
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 / by Joyce Dungca
There’s finally a little good news for anyone who’s been priced out or sitting on the sidelines.
Buying a home is getting more affordable.
Monthly payments have started to come down, and the squeeze buyers have been feeling for the past few years is slowly loosening. Now, that doesn’t mean everyone can suddenly afford a home, but with how tough the market’s been, the improvement we’re seeing matters.
Affordability Is Finally Moving in the Right Direction
One of the best ways to see this shift is by looking at how much of a household’s income it takes to buy a home.
According to Zillow, housing is typically considered affordable when it takes 30% or less of your monthly income to cover your expenses. That includes your mortgage payment, taxes, insurance, and basic maintenance.
For the past few years, the math was well above that threshold, and it made buying a home unachievable for many. But ...
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team raj jaggi, buyers, sellers, housing market, home prices, mortgage rates
Monday, February 2, 2026 / by Joyce Dungca
Buying a home is one of the biggest purchases you’ll ever make. And homeowner’s insurance is what protects that investment. Think of it as your safety net. NerdWallet explains it:
Covers Repairs and Rebuilding Costs: If your home is damaged by fire, storms, or other covered events, it helps pay for repairs and possibly even a full rebuild, if that’s deemed necessary.
Protects Your Belongings: It can also cover personal items like furniture, electronics, jewelry, and clothing if they’re stolen or damaged.
Provides Liability Coverage: And, if someone gets injured on your property, your policy can help cover medical bills or legal expenses.
But that peace of mind does come with a cost, and lately those costs have been rising.
Why Home Insurance Premiums Are Going Up
There are a number of factors causing insurance premiums to rise today. But, in the simplest sense, here’s what’s driving prices up according to t ...
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team raj jaggi, buyers, sellers, housing market, mortgage rates, homeownership, home insurance
Thursday, January 22, 2026 / by Joyce Dungca
If you’re one of the thousands of homebuyers waiting for rates to fall, you should know it’s already happening. And they recently crossed an important milestone. Rates officially dipped their toes into the 5s – something that hasn’t happened in about 3 years.
This moment marked a critical threshold. Now, rates are sitting in the low 6% territory. And expert forecasts project they’ll hover near this range throughout the year.
Here's why that’s so good for you.
Why Current Rates Are Such a Big Deal
A mortgage rate doesn’t just affect the interest you end up paying on your home loan. It shapes your entire buying experience.
When rates were up around 7% just one year ago, a lot of buyers felt priced out. Payments were higher. Budgets felt tighter. Affordability was a bigger challenge. That’s especially true for first-time homebuyers, who felt the biggest pinch.
But according to industry experts, that’s starting ...
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team raj jaggi, buyers, sellers, housing market, mortgage rates, home buyers
Tuesday, January 13, 2026 / by Joyce Dungca
Mortgage rates are down a full percentage point since last year. That recent drop doesn’t sound dramatic, until you realize how much it can already save you on the typical $400k loan. Compared to buying in January of last year, that saves you more than $330 a month and almost $120k over the life of your loan. That’s the difference just one year makes. If buying didn’t work for you last year, let’s re-run the numbers and see if 2026 could finally be your year. #MortgageRates #Affordability #KeepingCurrentMatters ...
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team raj jaggi, buyers, sellers, housing market, mortgage rates
