Insider Discussion – Will Home Prices Fall?
Insider Discussion – Will Home Prices Fall?
Is Falling Home Prices a Myth?
Many buyers are waiting for home prices to come down, but history shows that long-term price declines are rare. Outside of the 2008 housing crisis, home prices have generally trended upward, meaning buyers who wait often miss out on equity growth. Rather than trying to time the market, the smarter approach is to focus on fundamentals—saving for a down payment, maintaining stable finances, and buying when your household is ready. Over time, homeownership remains one of the most reliable ways to build stability and long-term wealth.
I hope this information was helpful! If you are considering buying or selling a home, I would love to talk to you. I am a seasoned agent with over 24 years of experience in the local real estate market. I would love to be able to get you the financial result you desire from your current home to get you in to that Dream Home! Don’t hesitate to call me anytime at 260-579-1516 or you can email me at mike@mikearchbold.com.
Why Waiting for Home Prices to Drop May Cost You More Than You Think
Many would-be homebuyers are sitting on the sidelines right now. After years of inflation, rising interest rates, and higher overall living costs, affordability is a real concern. A common belief I hear is this:
“If I wait long enough, home prices will come down.”
It’s an understandable thought—but history and long-term fundamentals tell a different story.
What History Really Says About Home Prices
If we look back over the last 60 years of U.S. housing data, there has only been one major, sustained nationwide decline in home prices—the housing crisis that began in 2007 and bottomed out around 2012.
That decline was driven by extreme conditions: loose lending standards, speculative buying, and a financial system under stress. Even then, prices did not stay down. Once the market stabilized, values recovered and went on to reach new highs.
Outside of that period, home prices have sometimes slowed, flattened, or dipped briefly, often on a regional basis—but long-term, nationwide declines are the exception, not the rule.
The Hidden Cost of Waiting: Lost Equity
One of the biggest downsides of waiting is often overlooked: lost equity.
When you own a home, your monthly payment does two important things:
- It reduces your loan balance over time
- It allows you to benefit from appreciation as prices rise
When you rent, those dollars are gone once the check is written.
Even modest appreciation, combined with principal paydown, can create meaningful wealth over time. Buyers who delay often find that while they waited for prices to fall, values continued to climb—making the eventual purchase even more expensive.
Timing the Market vs. Timing Your Life
The most successful homebuyers rarely buy at the “perfect” moment in the market. Instead, they buy when their life is ready.
That means:
- Stable income
- Reasonable savings and a plan for a down payment
- A timeline that allows them to stay put long enough to ride out normal market cycles
Trying to time the market perfectly often leads to paralysis. Markets move, conditions change, and the goalposts keep shifting. Meanwhile, life goes on.
Affordability Still Matters—But So Do Fundamentals
Affordability concerns are valid, and buying a home should never be rushed. The better long-term approach is to return to fundamentals:
- Save consistently
- Improve credit where possible
- Understand your true budget
- Move when your household is ready—not when fear or speculation drives the decision
History shows that while markets fluctuate, long-term homeownership has remained one of the most reliable ways for households to build stability and wealth.
Final Thought
Waiting for prices to crash has rarely worked out for buyers. Focusing on preparation, discipline, and timing your purchase around your life—not the headlines—has proven to be the more reliable path.
If you’re unsure whether now is the right time for you, that’s not a sales conversation—it’s a planning conversation. And those are always worth having.
Michael J Archbold
Associate Broker, REALTOR, ePro
RE/MAX Results
8101 Coldwater Rd
Fort Wayne, IN 46825
c. 260-579-1516
e. Mike@MikeArchbold.com
w. www.MikeArchbold.com
Oh, by the way… if you know of someone who would appreciate the level of service I provide, please call me with their name and business number. I’ll be happy to follow up and take great care of them.
Why Does RE/MAX Results Stand Out Among the Competition?
Simply put: Relationships. We pride ourselves not only in our professional service but more importantly in the personal touch we bring to our business. Has an agent/lawyer/contractor/vendor ever treated you like you were just another paycheck? The reason our clients come back time and again and refer all their friends and family to us is because they know we are part of the family.
Genuinely caring about the people we serve enables us to do things other agencies can’t. Rest assured, we will ALWAYS have your best interest at heart and work vigorously to get you the best deal possible on your home or business. The relationships we build with our clients enable us to work 100% by referral.
The reason we are able to give top notch service to our clients is because our clients refer us a constant stream of quality family and friends to assist in their real estate needs. While other agents are out making cold calls and chasing “potential” leads, we are freed up by our referral base to service our clients like no other broker can. We are never too busy for your referrals!
Want to experience the difference for yourself? Call or text me today at 260-579-1516.
“Professional Service with a Personal Touch“
We’re Here To Help
Are you or someone you know considering a home purchase? Don’t hesitate to call or text me, Michael Archbold, at 260-579-1516 and I will connect you with the best mortgage professionals in the business who can get you your score, discuss ways to improve it if necessary, and put you on the path to home ownership. Click here to read more about our Buyer Services. Click here to browse listings NOW! Looking to sell your home? Call today to set up an appointment to begin developing your customized marketing plan. Click here to read more about our Seller Services.
Hoosier Home Listings by RE/MAX Results is a full service real estate Web site serving Northeast Indiana. We assist residential and commercial clients in locating, buying, and selling real property in the State of Indiana including but not limited to the counties of Allen, Huntington, Wells, Adams, Whitley, Wabash, Kosciusko, Noble, Dekalb, Lagrange, Steuben and cities including Fort Wayne, Decatur, Bluffton, Huntington, Warsaw, Columbia City, Butler, and Angola. RE/MAX Results is an Equal Housing Opportunity company.
Hoosier Home Listings – Insider Discussion – Will Home Prices Fall? …
… brought to you by Michael Archbold, Hoosier Home Listings, and RE/MAX Results.
The consummate professional, Michael Archbold (Associate Broker, REALTOR, ePro) brings a diversified background to the world of real estate. Born and raised in Fort Wayne, Mike graduated Wayne High School in 1992. He received bachelors degrees in Accounting in 1997 from Indiana University and Information Technology in 2005 from Indiana Wesleyan University. Mike comes to Re/MAX with more than 20 years of experience in sales and accounting. He began his career in real estate in 2000 as an investor.
