March 24, 2026 • 12 mins
Everyone says wait.
But what if waiting is the one move that quietly puts you behind?
If you've been asking, "Should I buy a house now or wait?"—this episode will challenge the way you've been thinking about that question. Because this isn't about timing the market. It's about understanding your position within it.
In this episode, Kevin Martini breaks down the real difference between waiting and preparing—and why buyers who focus on clarity often make stronger, more confident decisions regardless of where rates or prices go next.
If you've been stuck in the cycle of overthinking, second-guessing, and trying to "get it right," this conversation will help you shift from guessing… to strategy.
Resources:
https://www.martinimortgagegroup.com/should-i-buy-a-house-now-or-wait-in-raleigh-nc/
https://www.martinimortgagegroup.com/kevin-martini/
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Everyone keeps telling you to wait for the perfect time to buy a house.
(00:06):
And that sounds very smart, until you realize that waiting is often just another word for
guessing.
Welcome to episode 244 of the Martini Mortgage Podcast.
Today we're going to be talking about one of the biggest questions serious buyers are
asking right now.
Should I buy a house now?
(00:26):
Or should I wait?
And most importantly, how do you make the decision without any regret?
Now before we get into it, let me make those legal folks happy.
So I am Kevin Martini, certified mortgage advisor, producing branch manager, NMLS143962,
with the Martini Mortgage Group at Gold Star Mortgage Financial Corporation, NMLS3446
(00:51):
E.Q.H.L.S. in lender, this podcast is for educational purposes only and is not legal or tax
advice.
Now with that out of the way, let's talk.
If you've been watching these markets lately, you probably know the feeling.
You scroll listings, you run numbers, you may even find a home that you like.
(01:12):
And then your brain does what almost every thought buyer's brain does.
You'd ask this question, should I move now or should I wait it out?
Because on one side, if you've got an interest rate that still feels higher than you want,
on the other side, you've got rent that keeps moving in one direction up.
(01:38):
And sitting in the middle of all of this, it's your, I'm trying to make a decision without
stepping into a financial mistake.
Not because you're un-serious.
And really not because you're unqualified, but because you don't want to get it wrong.
(01:59):
And in just a minute, I'm going to show you that the one mistake people make when they
ask this question and why it causes more bad decisions than the market ever does.
Where's what nobody tells you?
Should I buy a house now or wait?
(02:19):
Sounds like a market question.
But most of the time, it is not.
It's a strategy question.
That's where people get this all wrong.
They think the answer lives out there somewhere and interest rates and headlines and pundits predicting.
(02:41):
And one magical moment when everything finally lines up.
But real estate decisions do not get easier just because you wait longer.
Sometimes they get merrier.
Sometimes they get more expensive.
Sometimes they get more emotional because here's the fact, what changes while you wait
(03:06):
is not just the rate.
What changes is competition, negotiating power, inventory, seller behavior, and your own
level of fatigue.
So let's clear something up right now.
You're not deciding between a bad option and a perfect one.
(03:26):
You are deciding between two different kinds of risk.
Risk number one, you buy now at today's terms.
Risk number two, you wait and the entire deal changes while you're waiting.
The distinction matters a ton.
Because when most people say they're waiting, what this really means is this.
(03:51):
You're hoping for something outside of your control to improve enough to make it easier.
Now listen, that might happen, but hope is not a strategy.
It is.
And in a second, I'll explain why some buyers are actually in a stronger position now than
(04:11):
they may have been later, even if rates improve.
Let's break this down into two very real paths.
Path A is waiting.
Now waiting can sound responsible.
You can tell yourself it's being disciplined.
You're being patient, you're watching, you're learning, and listen, sometimes that's true.
(04:37):
But sometimes waiting is just indecision wearing a nicer outfit.
Because here's the hidden cost of waiting.
You may get a lower rate later, but you may also get a more, have more competition later.
You may see more buyers come back into the market later.
(04:59):
You may see fewer concessions later.
You may see less room for negotiating later.
You may see homes in your price range move faster later.
And the frustrating part, a lower rate later does not automatically mean a better deal.
That's the part almost nobody explains very well.
(05:23):
So path B is preparation, not rushing, nope, not forcing it, not buying before you're
ready, preparing.
That means getting clear on your payment, getting clear on what's comfortably, actually for
your life, getting clear on what your options are before you're trying to make an offer
(05:49):
under pressure.
So when the right opportunity shows up, you're not reacting, you're choosing.
That is very different posture.
And that posture changes everything because confidence in real estate does not come from
perfect time.
We know it comes from a clear structure.
(06:11):
So what actually matters when you're deciding whether to buy now or wait for things, first
payment clarity.
Now what the lender says, you can technically qualify for, not for what some online calculator
gask, not what your friends said they paid your real payment.
(06:34):
The one that includes the full monthly picture, principal interest taxes insurance, PMI
if applicable, maybe even H.O.A. if it's applicable.
Because a Florida ability is not just math, it's lifestyle.
A payment can be approved and still feel wrong.
(06:58):
A payment can also look higher on paper and still fit beautifully because it aligns with
your goals, your timeline and your cash flow.
Second, it's control.
Do you have it?
Or are you depending on the market to rescue your plan?
Because if your entire strategy only works if rate drop, price is softened, competition
(07:26):
stays low and the perfect house appears at the perfect time.
Well, that's not a strong plan.
That's a fragile one.
Strong plans work across multiple scenarios.
Third, third is flexibility.
What happens if rates improve later?
(07:48):
Can you refinance from position of strength?
Great.
That's flexibility.
But if your purchase only makes sense if you refinance later, that is not flexibility.
It's dependency.
There's a huge difference between an optional refinance and a necessary refinance.
(08:10):
And smart buyers understand the difference before they move forward.
Fourth is confidence.
This is the one that changes behavior because when you know your numbers, when you understand
your options, when you see the trade-offs clearly, you can stop asking what the perfect move
(08:33):
and start asking a much better question, what's the right move for me?
That's the shift.
And that's also why at the Martini Mortgage Group, we don't believe in shopping for the
house first and hoping the financing works out later.
(08:53):
We believe in a home loans first strategy, meaning build a strategy first, structure the
financing first, know the comfort zone first, then go shop with confidence.
Not chaos, not confusion, shop with confidence.
And for some buyers, we take it even further with something called a same as cash mortgage
(09:21):
approval.
That means income assets and credit are fully underwritten up front, not halfway, not loosely
reviewed, not we think you'll be fine, actually underwritten.
Now why does this matter?
Because uncertainty is expensive, it's actually very expensive, it's expensive both emotionally
(09:48):
and it's expensive strategically.
And in a competitive environment, it's expensive contractually.
When sellers see strength, certainty and reduced financing risk, that changes how your
offer is perceived.
Now is that the reason to buy before you're ready?
(10:13):
Absolutely not.
It's a reason to remove avoidable uncertainty so that you can make a better decision.
That's very different.
And here's the part that nobody tells you.
The biggest risk is not necessarily buying at the wrong time.
The biggest risk is making a major decision without clarity and then trying to fix the
(10:39):
emotional fallout later.
That is what creates regret.
Not just the rate, not just the price, the lack of structure.
So let me ask you a few things.
If you've been trying to figure this out for weeks or months, would it help to actually
(11:03):
see what your numbers are clearly?
If you've been wondering whether waiting is smart or whether it's just keeping you stock,
would it help to understand the trade-offs instead of guessing at them?
And if you want to make a low regret decision, would it make sense to have a strategy before
(11:28):
you try to time the market that nobody can control perfectly?
This is exactly what we do at the marketing markets group.
We help you understand your payment, your options, your flexibility, your risk.
So you can make a strong decision whether that decision is yes, now it makes sense or no
(11:52):
waiting is smarter.
Because this isn't about pushing you into a mortgage.
Absolutely not.
This is about helping you make a decision with clarity and clarity changes everything.
If you want that kind of clarity for your situation, you can reach me directly by calling 919-238-4934.
(12:21):
Again, my name is Kevin Martini and I offer no pressure just a conversation.
Because at the end of the day, clarity creates certainty and certainty creates power.
If this gives you clarity, share it with someone who needs it and subscribe so you don't miss
(12:45):
what's next.
[ Silence ]
Everyone keeps telling you to wait for the perfect time to buy a house.
(00:06):
And that sounds very smart, until you realize that waiting is often just another word for
guessing.
Welcome to episode 244 of the Martini Mortgage Podcast.
Today we're going to be talking about one of the biggest questions serious buyers are
asking right now.
Should I buy a house now?
(00:26):
Or should I wait?
And most importantly, how do you make the decision without any regret?
Now before we get into it, let me make those legal folks happy.
So I am Kevin Martini, certified mortgage advisor, producing branch manager, NMLS143962,
with the Martini Mortgage Group at Gold Star Mortgage Financial Corporation, NMLS3446
(00:51):
E.Q.H.L.S. in lender, this podcast is for educational purposes only and is not legal or tax
advice.
Now with that out of the way, let's talk.
If you've been watching these markets lately, you probably know the feeling.
You scroll listings, you run numbers, you may even find a home that you like.
(01:12):
And then your brain does what almost every thought buyer's brain does.
You'd ask this question, should I move now or should I wait it out?
Because on one side, if you've got an interest rate that still feels higher than you want,
on the other side, you've got rent that keeps moving in one direction up.
(01:38):
And sitting in the middle of all of this, it's your, I'm trying to make a decision without
stepping into a financial mistake.
Not because you're un-serious.
And really not because you're unqualified, but because you don't want to get it wrong.
(01:59):
And in just a minute, I'm going to show you that the one mistake people make when they
ask this question and why it causes more bad decisions than the market ever does.
Where's what nobody tells you?
Should I buy a house now or wait?
(02:19):
Sounds like a market question.
But most of the time, it is not.
It's a strategy question.
That's where people get this all wrong.
They think the answer lives out there somewhere and interest rates and headlines and pundits predicting.
(02:41):
And one magical moment when everything finally lines up.
But real estate decisions do not get easier just because you wait longer.
Sometimes they get merrier.
Sometimes they get more expensive.
Sometimes they get more emotional because here's the fact, what changes while you wait
(03:06):
is not just the rate.
What changes is competition, negotiating power, inventory, seller behavior, and your own
level of fatigue.
So let's clear something up right now.
You're not deciding between a bad option and a perfect one.
(03:26):
You are deciding between two different kinds of risk.
Risk number one, you buy now at today's terms.
Risk number two, you wait and the entire deal changes while you're waiting.
The distinction matters a ton.
Because when most people say they're waiting, what this really means is this.
(03:51):
You're hoping for something outside of your control to improve enough to make it easier.
Now listen, that might happen, but hope is not a strategy.
It is.
And in a second, I'll explain why some buyers are actually in a stronger position now than
(04:11):
they may have been later, even if rates improve.
Let's break this down into two very real paths.
Path A is waiting.
Now waiting can sound responsible.
You can tell yourself it's being disciplined.
You're being patient, you're watching, you're learning, and listen, sometimes that's true.
(04:37):
But sometimes waiting is just indecision wearing a nicer outfit.
Because here's the hidden cost of waiting.
You may get a lower rate later, but you may also get a more, have more competition later.
You may see more buyers come back into the market later.
(04:59):
You may see fewer concessions later.
You may see less room for negotiating later.
You may see homes in your price range move faster later.
And the frustrating part, a lower rate later does not automatically mean a better deal.
That's the part almost nobody explains very well.
(05:23):
So path B is preparation, not rushing, nope, not forcing it, not buying before you're
ready, preparing.
That means getting clear on your payment, getting clear on what's comfortably, actually for
your life, getting clear on what your options are before you're trying to make an offer
(05:49):
under pressure.
So when the right opportunity shows up, you're not reacting, you're choosing.
That is very different posture.
And that posture changes everything because confidence in real estate does not come from
perfect time.
We know it comes from a clear structure.
(06:11):
So what actually matters when you're deciding whether to buy now or wait for things, first
payment clarity.
Now what the lender says, you can technically qualify for, not for what some online calculator
gask, not what your friends said they paid your real payment.
(06:34):
The one that includes the full monthly picture, principal interest taxes insurance, PMI
if applicable, maybe even H.O.A. if it's applicable.
Because a Florida ability is not just math, it's lifestyle.
A payment can be approved and still feel wrong.
(06:58):
A payment can also look higher on paper and still fit beautifully because it aligns with
your goals, your timeline and your cash flow.
Second, it's control.
Do you have it?
Or are you depending on the market to rescue your plan?
Because if your entire strategy only works if rate drop, price is softened, competition
(07:26):
stays low and the perfect house appears at the perfect time.
Well, that's not a strong plan.
That's a fragile one.
Strong plans work across multiple scenarios.
Third, third is flexibility.
What happens if rates improve later?
(07:48):
Can you refinance from position of strength?
Great.
That's flexibility.
But if your purchase only makes sense if you refinance later, that is not flexibility.
It's dependency.
There's a huge difference between an optional refinance and a necessary refinance.
(08:10):
And smart buyers understand the difference before they move forward.
Fourth is confidence.
This is the one that changes behavior because when you know your numbers, when you understand
your options, when you see the trade-offs clearly, you can stop asking what the perfect move
(08:33):
and start asking a much better question, what's the right move for me?
That's the shift.
And that's also why at the Martini Mortgage Group, we don't believe in shopping for the
house first and hoping the financing works out later.
(08:53):
We believe in a home loans first strategy, meaning build a strategy first, structure the
financing first, know the comfort zone first, then go shop with confidence.
Not chaos, not confusion, shop with confidence.
And for some buyers, we take it even further with something called a same as cash mortgage
(09:21):
approval.
That means income assets and credit are fully underwritten up front, not halfway, not loosely
reviewed, not we think you'll be fine, actually underwritten.
Now why does this matter?
Because uncertainty is expensive, it's actually very expensive, it's expensive both emotionally
(09:48):
and it's expensive strategically.
And in a competitive environment, it's expensive contractually.
When sellers see strength, certainty and reduced financing risk, that changes how your
offer is perceived.
Now is that the reason to buy before you're ready?
(10:13):
Absolutely not.
It's a reason to remove avoidable uncertainty so that you can make a better decision.
That's very different.
And here's the part that nobody tells you.
The biggest risk is not necessarily buying at the wrong time.
The biggest risk is making a major decision without clarity and then trying to fix the
(10:39):
emotional fallout later.
That is what creates regret.
Not just the rate, not just the price, the lack of structure.
So let me ask you a few things.
If you've been trying to figure this out for weeks or months, would it help to actually
(11:03):
see what your numbers are clearly?
If you've been wondering whether waiting is smart or whether it's just keeping you stock,
would it help to understand the trade-offs instead of guessing at them?
And if you want to make a low regret decision, would it make sense to have a strategy before
(11:28):
you try to time the market that nobody can control perfectly?
This is exactly what we do at the marketing markets group.
We help you understand your payment, your options, your flexibility, your risk.
So you can make a strong decision whether that decision is yes, now it makes sense or no
(11:52):
waiting is smarter.
Because this isn't about pushing you into a mortgage.
Absolutely not.
This is about helping you make a decision with clarity and clarity changes everything.
If you want that kind of clarity for your situation, you can reach me directly by calling 919-238-4934.
(12:21):
Again, my name is Kevin Martini and I offer no pressure just a conversation.
Because at the end of the day, clarity creates certainty and certainty creates power.
If this gives you clarity, share it with someone who needs it and subscribe so you don't miss
(12:45):
what's next.
[ Silence ]
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