This Housing Market Paradox Has Buyers and Sellers Both Stuck

If the housing market feels stuck to you, you’re not alone. Many would-be homebuyers and sellers are sitting on the sidelines, held back by the same thing: stubbornly high mortgage rates. As a buyer, high rates shrink your home budget. Meanwhile, sellers are left less motivated to give up their current low rate (i.e., the “lock-in effect“). The result is a stagnant market.

How Current Mortgage Rates Are Impacting Home Sales

If you bought a home in 2020 or 2021, you could likely lock in a 30-year fixed mortgage with an interest rate in the 3% to 4% range (if not lower). However, times have changed. Since the Federal Reserve’s aggressive rate hikes of 2022 and 2023, mortgage rates have hovered in the 6% to 7% range.

Now the market is “stalled at unaffordable levels,” according to Kevin Khang, Vanguard Senior International Economist, and Brian Kim, Vanguard Co-Head of High Yield Research. “Demand has weakened as mortgage rates have surged, while supply remains constrained as existing homeowners cling to low-rate mortgages, they said. “The result is a dormant market—too expensive for new buyers and too illiquid for sellers.”

Case in point: Annual existing home sales are stuck at 4 million, far below historical levels.

When Will Mortgage Rates Fall Below 6%?

Lower mortgage rates could loosen up the housing market by pushing more owners to sell and encouraging more buyers to get off the sidelines. 

But whether and when rates fall below their current 6% to 7% range is the real question. According to Fannie Mae, they’re not expected to fall below 6% until the end of 2026.

That said, things could change, and interest rates are notoriously hard to predict. In the meantime, buyers and sellers may need to get creative to make deals happen.

How Buyers Can Navigate High Mortgage Rates

“When buyers tell me they feel stuck, I remind them that movement is still possible—it just looks different in today’s market,” Los-Angeles-based Realtor Maria Korpacheva told Investopedia.

Here are some buying strategies to consider:

Find Unique Ways to Save

Instead of waiting for lower mortgage rates, try negotiating seller concessions, buying down your interest rate, or arranging seller financing. Each of these strategies can lower your purchase costs, regardless of the current interest rate environment. 

Marry the House, Date the Rate

Mortgage rates fluctuate. If you find a house at a good price, consider locking it in now.

“You can always refinance later if rates fall,” Korpacheva said. “But you can’t go back in time to buy at today’s prices if home values continue climbing.”

Expand Your Search Radius

Try widening your home search.

“Sometimes moving just 10-15 minutes away from a high-demand neighborhood gives you more square footage, a yard, or even a better school district—all at a lower price point,” Korpacheva said.

How Sellers Can Navigate Higher Mortgage Rates

As a seller, high mortgage rates can lead to fewer potential buyers for your home and fewer options when you’re ready to buy your next one.

Here’s how to sell your home despite the challenging interest rate environment:

Price With Precision

Price your house competitively. If high mortgage rates already squeeze buyers’ budgets, they’re less likely to pay top dollar. For help setting a listing price, consult a real estate agent or research recent sales of similar properties in the area (also known as “comps”).

Invest in Presentation

“Professional photos, staging, and small upgrades can dramatically increase interest,” Korpacheva said. In other words, presentation is a small investment that can pay off big time.

Offer Concessions That Matter

Try to meet the buyer halfway. If they’re interested in your home but can’t quite afford the price, consider offering concessions like repair credits or help with closing costs.

“These gestures can make your property far more attractive without cutting the listing price,” Korpacheva said.

The Bottom Line

The housing market may feel frozen, but that doesn’t mean buyers and sellers are powerless. It just means you might need to get more creative to make deals happen. And since mortgage rates aren’t expected to fall dramatically anytime soon, now is the time to think outside the box.