Reasons to Buy a Home Before Spring

If you’re planning to buy a home this year, you may be focused on the spring market, and hoping that you’ll see:

• Mortgage rates drop a little more.
• More homes hit the market.

However, buying just a few weeks earlier could mean paying less, dealing with less stress, and feeling less rushed. Here are three reasons why accelerating your timeline could be a better play.

1. Holding Out for Lower Rates May Not Pay Off 

A lot of buyers are hoping mortgage rates will fall even further. However, experts say rates are expected to stay roughly where they are.

Forecasts throughout the industry point to the same thing: rates are projected to be in the low-6% range this year: 

That’s not a bad thing, especially if you consider how much rates have already come down. Over the past 12 months, they’ve dropped roughly a full percentage point. And for many buyers, that means affordability has already improved more than they may realize.

2. Spring Means More Competition + More Stress

Speaking of competition, the spring market is popular, but with popularity comes pressure. With more buyers active at that time of year, you’ll have to move faster once you find a home you like, and no one likes feeling rushed on one of life’s biggest purchases.

Buy now and you have more time to find the home you love. Fewer people are looking, so homes sit longer.

You can see this play out in the data from Realtor.com. In winter months, it takes an average of about 70 days for a home to sell. In spring? That drops to about 50 days. That’s a 20-day swing – and that pace is going to be more stressful.

3. Prices Tend to Rise When Competition Heats Up

Prices usually respond to demand. So, when demand is higher, prices are too. Bankrate explains: “Spring and early summer are the busiest and most competitive time of year for the real estate market . . . home prices tend to be steeper to reflect the increased demand.”

In fact, data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows that in 2025, buyers who purchased in the beginning of the year saved roughly $30,000–$35,000 compared to those who bought when prices peaked in the spring or early summer.

Bottom Line

Buying a few weeks before spring is choosing to be ahead of the curve and knowing you want more leverage, less stress, and meaningful savings.

If you’re ready and want to get the ball rolling, let’s chat!