Home Prices Are Not Falling
Laurie-Ann Webster October 2, 2023
Laurie-Ann Webster October 2, 2023
During the fourth quarter of last year, some housing experts projected home prices were going to crash in 2023. The media ran with those forecasts and put out headlines calling for doom and gloom in the housing market. All of this negative news coverage made a lot of people have doubts about the strength of the residential real estate market.
If it made you question if you should delay your own plans to move, here’s what you really need to know.
Disregard what you saw in the headlines. The actual data shows home prices were remarkably resilient and performed far better than the media would have you believe (see graph below):
This graph uses reports from three trusted sources to clearly illustrate prices have already rebounded after experiencing only slight declines nationally. That’s a far cry from the crash so many articles called for.
The declines that did happen (shown in red), weren’t drastic but were short-lived. As Nicole Friedman, a reporter at the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), says:
“Home prices aren’t falling anymore. . . The surprisingly quick recovery suggests that the residential real-estate downturn is turning out to be shorter and shallower than many housing economists expected . . .”
Even though some media coverage made a big deal about home prices pulling back, the slight correction that happened is already in the rearview mirror. Basically, this data shows you home prices aren’t falling anymore – they’re actually going back up.
The consensus from experts is that home price growth will continue in the years ahead and is returning to normal levels for the market. That means we’ll still see home prices appreciating, just at a slower pace than the last few years – and that’s a good thing.
Some news sources will see home price growth slowing and put out stories that make you think prices are falling again. The return of misleading headlines like those is already having an impact on how homebuyers are feeling again. You can see how this affects general opinion in the Consumer Confidence Survey from Fannie Mae (see graph below):
While the percentage of Americans who think prices will fall has been slowly declining this year, the latest Consumer Confidence data indicates that’s ticked back up recently (shown in red). This change is surprising especially since the home price data shows prices are going up, not down. It tells you the impact the media still has on public opinion.
Don’t fall for the negative headlines and become part of this statistic. Remember, data from a number of sources shows home prices aren’t falling anymore.
Even though the media may make things sound doom and gloom, the data shows home prices aren’t falling anymore. So, don’t let the headlines scare you or delay your plans. Lean on a real estate professional so you have a trusted resource to cut through the noise and tell you what’s really happening in your area.
Experts are optimistic about what 2024 holds for the housing market.
You haven’t missed your chance to sell at a time when sellers are receiving multiple offers.
If you want to buy a home, you may not need as much for your down payment as you think.
There aren’t that many homes available for sale right now, your home’s asking price still matters.
Whether you're on the hunt for your next home or thinking of selling, now might be the perfect time.
Achieving the dream of having a home may be more within reach than you think.
Here’s one key data point that could help you feel more confident in making your decision.
Home prices are still rising, just at a slower pace – and that’s perfectly normal for this time of year.Â
It can be helpful to know what led other people to buy their first home to make that decision.
You will find Laurie Ann energetic, integrity driven, family oriented, and professional to work with. Laurie grew up on Cape Cod in Falmouth, MA and agrees that there is no place like Cape Cod!
