New Year, New House?

Every January, without fail, people start asking the same question.
“Is this the year we finally buy a house?”

And then they immediately follow it up with all the reasons they haven’t yet. Which, to be fair, have been pretty valid lately.

Over the past year or two, a lot of buyers hit pause. Some lost jobs. Some got nervous about affordability. Some watched Austin prices come down and decided they were going to time the market perfectly and buy at the absolute bottom. Others just looked at the news, saw interest rates, tariffs, elections, economic uncertainty, and said, “You know what? I’m going to sit this one out and stress quietly instead.”

I get it.

Why Buyers Hit the Brakes

There hasn’t been just one reason people stepped back. It’s been a pileup of things.

Affordability became a real concern.
Job security didn’t feel guaranteed.
Home prices started softening and buyers didn’t want to overpay.
Interest rates climbed fast and stayed higher than anyone expected.
Add in political noise and global uncertainty and suddenly buying a house felt like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube during an earthquake.

So people waited. And waited. And kept waiting.

What I’m Seeing Now

Here’s the interesting part. Over the last few weeks, I’ve gotten noticeably busier. Not in a chaotic way, but in a quiet, serious-buyer way. People are reaching back out. They’re asking better questions. They’re touring homes again.

What’s changed?

I think a lot of people are starting to adjust to the new normal. Rates aren’t what they were in 2020, but they’re also not shocking anymore. Prices have corrected in many parts of Austin. Buyers are realizing that waiting for the “perfect moment” usually just turns into waiting forever.

And if interest rates dip even a little more, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a small push of activity hit the market. Not a frenzy. Just momentum.

About Catching the Bottom

Let’s talk about the idea of catching the bottom for a second. Everyone wants to buy at the lowest possible price. Nobody wants to feel like they missed something.

The truth is, you only know the bottom in hindsight. By the time it’s obvious, the market has already started moving again. What smart buyers actually do is buy when things feel uncomfortable but reasonable. When competition is manageable. When sellers are negotiable. When there’s room to breathe.

That window doesn’t stay open forever.

Politics, Tariffs, and Real Life

Yes, the political climate is noisy. Yes, tariffs and policy changes make headlines. But at some point, people still need places to live. Kids still grow. Families still change. Commutes still matter. Life doesn’t pause just because the news cycle is stressful.

Eventually, buyers stop trying to predict everything and start making decisions that are best for their own situation. I think we’re getting closer to that point now.

So… Is It Time to Revisit Buying?

If you’ve been sitting on the fence, this might be a really good moment to at least explore the idea again. That doesn’t mean rushing. It doesn’t mean forcing a decision. It means getting informed, understanding your options, and seeing what today’s market actually looks like instead of what it felt like six months ago.

New year doesn’t have to mean impulsive decisions. But it can mean fresh perspective.

And if you want someone to help you think through it without pressure, hype, or salesy nonsense, that’s what I’m here for. No crystal ball. No fear tactics. Just honest guidance in a market that’s finally starting to find its footing again.

New year. New mindset.
Maybe even a new house.