The past two years have brought us a wildly unpredictable world. Let’s be honest, a lot of us are still on edge! The pandemic has stoked public health concerns, wild political debates, financial turmoil, and an unpredictable – if surprisingly high-performing – real estate market.

Every real estate investor is actively or acutely aware of their market conditions, be it in their specific investment markets or in the United States as a whole.

As we near the last quarter of 2021, the real estate market seems no more certain than it did a year ago. Between a frenzy of buyer demand, the pandemic-spurred recession, and skyrocketing home prices, the state of the market seems like a hodgepodge of thrill and anxiety.

While the word “recession” dominated economic discussion throughout 2020 and 2021, “inflation” is the new buzzword among economists. You can’t throw a rock without hitting a report about the U.S. inflation problem.

The pandemic housing boom is over.

Although COVID-19 still poses a threat to public health, vaccination rates and the lifting of mask mandates have given American life a renewed sense of normalcy.

The summer is sweltering, and real estate has long needed a cooling touch — with an extreme inventory squeeze bringing sticker shock to American homebuyers. 

While many factors have contributed to surging real estate demand over the past year, lumber costs have been at the forefront.

If you’re like anyone trying to buy in today’s real estate market, you’re likely tired of the current state of affairs. While there’s some excitement in the frenzy of it all, the intensity and frustrations of the real estate market have outworn their welcome.

If you’re holding out for the real estate market to simmer down into something more “normal,” there are a few things that have to happen first.

With the real estate market experiencing sky-high home prices and unprecedented buyer demand, real estate investors have to ask themselves: is getting involved even worth it right now?

Recently, The Atlantic suggested sitting out of the housing market frenzy, at least for now. There’s some wisdom in this strategy for would-be homebuyers. Non-investors can afford to wait when they may not be able to afford the premium prices on the market.