Is a Mortgage Rate important to Move?

Dated: March 12 2024

Views: 102

If you’ve been thinking about buying a home, mortgage rates are probably top of mind for you. They may even be why you’ve put your plans on hold for now. When rates climbed near 8% last year, some buyers found the numbers just didn’t make sense for their budget anymore. That may be the case for you too.

Data from Bright MLS shows the top reason buyers delayed their plans to move is due to high mortgage rates (see graph below):

 a graph of blue rectangles with text

David Childers, CEO at Keeping Current Matters, speaks to this statistic in the recent How’s The Market podcast:

“Three quarters of buyers said ‘we’re out’ due to mortgage rates. Here’s what I know going forward. That will change in 2024.”

That’s because mortgage rates have come down off their peak last October. And while there’s still day-to-day volatility in rates, the longer-term projections show rates should continue to drop this year, as long as inflation gets under control. Experts even say we could see rates below 6% by the end of 2024. And that threshold would be a gamechanger for a lot of buyers. As a recent article from Realtor.com says:

Buying a home is still desired and sought after, but many people are looking for mortgage rates to come down in order to achieve it. Four out of 10 Americans looking to buy a home in the next 12 months would consider it possible if rates drop below 6%.”

While mortgage rates are nearly impossible to forecast, the optimism from the experts should give you insight into what’s ahead. If your plans were delayed, there’s light at the end of the tunnel again. That means it may be time to start thinking about your move. The best question you can ask yourself right now, is this:

What number do I want to see rates hit before I’m ready to move?

The exact percentage where you feel comfortable kicking off your search again is personal. Maybe it’s 6.5%. Maybe it’s 6.25%. Or maybe it’s once they drop below 6%.

Once you have that number in mind, here’s what you do. Connect with a local real estate professional. They’ll help you stay informed on what’s happening. And when rates hit your target, they’ll be the first to let you know. 

Bottom Line

If you’ve put your plans to move on hold because of where mortgage rates are, think about the number you want to see rates hit that would make you ready to re-enter the market.

Once you have that number in mind, let’s connect so you have someone on your side to let you know when we get there.

Blog author image

Jason Justak

In the world of Real Estate, there are those who simply facilitate transactions, and then there are those who go above and beyond to make a profound impact on the lives of their clients. Meet Jason Ju....

Latest Blog Posts

Chatham Hills Market Update: Westfield, IN Luxury Real Estate Trends

Chatham Hills Market Update: Westfield, IN Luxury Real Estate Trends – August 2026Chatham Hills continues to set the pace for luxury real estate in Westfield, IN. Based on 76 recent

Read More

Hamilton County (& Boone Co) Housing Market Report: What Buyers and Sellers in Carmel, Westfield, Zionsville & Noblesville Need to Know (July 2026)

If you're watching the housing market in Carmel, Westfield, Zionsville, or Noblesville, Indiana, the numbers are in for June 2026 — and they tell a clear story: this remains one of the,

Read More

Think Nobody's Buying Homes Right Now in Westfield, Carml or Noblesville? Think Again.

If you've been thinking about selling in Westfield, IN | Carmel, IN | Noblesville,IN | Zionsville, IN, you've probably seen plenty of headlines suggesting buyers have just about disappeared. But

Read More

Real Estate Agents: Did You Choose Who You’re In Business With… Or Did You Just End Up There?

Let me ask you something, and I want you to sit with it for a second before you answer.Think about the people you’re in business with right now. Your broker. The agents in your office. The

Read More