Stop Waiting for Perfect Rates: 5 Signs You Should Buy a Home in 2025 (Even at 6%)

Let's be honest, nobody's thrilled about 6% mortgage rates. I get it. Just a few years ago, we were spoiled with rates in the 2s and 3s, and now 6% feels like we're getting gouged. But here's the thing I tell my clients every day: waiting for the "perfect" rate might cost you way more than just biting the bullet and buying now.

After helping hundreds of families navigate this tricky market, I've noticed five clear signs that it's time to stop waiting and start shopping, even with today's rates. If any of these sound like you, it might be time to have a serious conversation about making your move in 2025.

Sign #1: Your Financial House Is Actually in Order

This might sound obvious, but you'd be surprised how many people focus on rates while ignoring the bigger picture. If you've got your financial ducks in a row, solid down payment saved up, debt under control, and a job you can count on, then you're already ahead of the game.

Here's what "financially ready" actually looks like:

• You've saved at least 3-5% down (ideally 10-20%)
• Your debt-to-income ratio is below 43%
• You have 3-6 months of expenses in emergency savings
• Your job situation feels stable for the next few years

When your finances are solid, a 6% rate becomes way more manageable. I've seen people with shaky finances get great rates and still struggle, while financially prepared buyers thrive even when rates are higher. Your ability to handle the monthly payment matters infinitely more than shaving off half a percentage point.

Think about it this way: would you rather buy a house you can comfortably afford at 6%, or stretch yourself thin at 5.5%? I know which one I'd choose.

Sign #2: Your Rent Check Is Making You Sick Every Month

Let's talk about the elephant in the room: rent prices are absolutely bonkers right now. While you're sitting there waiting for mortgage rates to drop, your landlord is probably planning the next rent increase. And unlike mortgage payments, rent increases never stop coming.

I had a client last month who was paying $2,800 in rent and kept putting off buying because she wanted rates to hit 5%. Meanwhile, her landlord raised her rent to $3,100. Suddenly, that 6% mortgage payment on a $400,000 house (around $2,400/month) started looking pretty attractive.

Here's the math that changed her mind: over 30 years, a fixed mortgage payment never changes. Your rent? It's going up every single year. The National Apartment Association reports average rent increases of 3-5% annually. That $2,800 rent could easily be $4,200 in ten years. Your mortgage payment at 6%? Still the same.

When you buy with a fixed-rate mortgage, you're essentially locking in your housing costs for the next three decades. Try getting that kind of predictability from any landlord.

Sign #3: You're Playing a Losing Game With Home Prices

Here's some tough love: home prices aren't crashing. I know, I know, everyone's been predicting the big price drop for the past two years. But the data tells a different story.

Current projections show home prices growing at a more moderate 2-3% annually through 2025-2026. That's way better than the double-digit increases we saw during the pandemic, but it's still growth. And "moderate growth" means you're still paying more if you wait.

Let's do some quick math. Say you're looking at a $400,000 house today. If prices grow just 2.5% this year, that same house costs $410,000 next year. At 3% growth the following year, you're looking at $422,300.

Even if rates drop from 6% to 5.5% next year, you'd save about $150/month on that original $400,000 house. But you'd pay $10,000 more upfront, which wipes out almost six years of that monthly savings.

The house doesn't care what interest rate you're paying, it's going to cost what it costs. And unless you've got a crystal ball that's more accurate than every economist in America, banking on a price drop is basically gambling with your housing future.

Sign #4: You Actually Have Options Now

Remember 2021 and 2022 when you had to waive inspections, offer $50k over asking, and basically sacrifice your firstborn just to get an offer accepted? Those days are behind us.

Inventory has improved significantly compared to the chaos of the pandemic years. While we're still not at pre-2020 levels, you've got way more bargaining power than you did a few years ago. Sellers are more willing to negotiate, you can actually get inspections done, and you don't need to write a love letter to the seller's cat to get your offer considered.

This improved market dynamic can actually offset some of the sting of higher rates. When you can negotiate on price, request seller concessions, or take your time finding the right property, you're in a much stronger position overall.

I've seen buyers recently negotiate 2-3% off the asking price, get the seller to cover closing costs, and even secure some home improvements as part of the deal. Try pulling that off in 2022, you'd have been laughed out of the showing.

Sign #5: You're Planning to Stay Put (Not Playing House Flipper)

This might be the most important sign of all: you're looking for a home, not an investment property. If you're planning to stay in your next house for at least 5-7 years, then short-term rate movements become way less important.

Homeownership isn't really about timing the market perfectly, it's about building stability and equity over time. The families who bought homes in the 1980s at 18% interest rates (yes, that really happened) still came out ahead because they stayed put and let time work in their favor.

When you buy a home you plan to live in for years, you get benefits that go way beyond just the financial math:

• Stability for your family and kids' schooling
• The ability to customize and improve your space
• Protection against future rent increases
• Building equity instead of padding your landlord's retirement account

Plus, here's a little secret: you can always refinance later if rates drop significantly. Your house isn't going anywhere, but good houses in good neighborhoods definitely will.

The Bottom Line: Perfect Timing Doesn't Exist

Look, I'd love to tell you that rates are definitely dropping to 4% next month, or that home prices are about to crash 20%. But anyone making those kinds of predictions is either lying or delusional.

What I can tell you is this: if you're financially ready, tired of throwing money at rent, and planning to stay put for several years, then 6% rates shouldn't keep you on the sidelines. The cost of waiting often exceeds the cost of buying, especially when you factor in rising rents and home prices.

The "perfect" time to buy a house is when you're financially and personally ready for homeownership. Everything else is just noise. And if that time is now, don't let a few percentage points keep you from building the stability and equity that comes with owning your own home.

Ready to stop waiting and start shopping? Let's talk about how we can make homeownership work for your situation, even in today's market. Because sometimes the best rate isn't the lowest rate: it's the one that gets you into the home you want, when you're ready to buy it.