It’s been a tumultuous hurricane reason in the U.S. We want to say this right off the bat – when these tragedies strike, the last thing we should be worried about is real estate. The first response should prioritize people, not possessions – as painful as those losses can be, the loss of human life is far more devastating. We don’t want anyone to get the impression that we’re more concerned with passive income than the very real people affected by these storms.

Mortgage rates are the highest they’ve been since the Great Recession. Current 30-year fixed rates hover in the 6 to 7% range. Historically speaking, that’s nowhere near the highest they’ve been (that title belongs to the average in October of 1981 at a sickening 18.82%. Yikes!), but current rates are coming off all-time lows in 2020 and 2021. 

With home prices higher than ever, it is no surprise that homebuyers are waiting patiently for mortgage rates to come down and ease sticker shock. After all, the higher the asking price, the more the percentage matters.

But is it wise to wait for rates to drop?

We think not. As real estate investors, you risk more in the wait than in taking the chance in the market as it is. Here’s why:

If you’ve been keeping your finger on the pulse of the real estate market, you’ve noticed just how slow things are right now. The National Association of Realtors predicts that the housing market is on track for its slowest year since 2008. Reports say the average homebuyer must make $115,000 annually to afford the typical U.S. home. On average, American households are short of that benchmark by $40,000.

While high interest rates make investing in real estate more challenging, it remains a viable and profitable investment strategy. We also want to point out that real estate isn’t the only asset impacted by interest rates.

For some, the real estate market has been profoundly confusing. No one could anticipate, after all, the radical impact the pandemic would have on the market. It seems like real estate is frustratingly stubborn in the face of attempts to quell raging prices. The seeming unpredictability of the real estate market may deter some people from joining the fray as buyers and investors.

We’re well into the first month of 2023. Though it’s still too soon to know exactly how the year will shake out for real estate investors, there are some clear market realities we must contend with. Even buy-and-hold investors who don’t depend on day-to-day market fluctuations must keep their fingers on the pulse of the market.

The real estate industry has taken its fair share of lumps this year. We’re no strangers to the challenges brought by rising interest rates, inflation, recession, and big price tags. 

Refinancing it’s reserved for your primary residence. Investors can get a leg up on the competition by wisely refinancing their rental properties. 

Some people like to consider what some of the worst-sounding words in the English language are. While many would say moist is the most cringe-worthy word in our language, we’ve got to say that mortgage is right up there with it. The sound of the word is one thing, but the connotations that comes with it are another.

Mortgage originations jumped to over 30,000 in2012 (the latest year with data) and when 2013 numbers are released, they are expected to show another year with over 30,000.  That is almost 8,000 more originations than 2011 and the first time the city has gone over 30,000 originations since pre-2007.  This activity in the Memphis market is a very good sign as the cities normal real estate cycles begin to shift back into focus.