Should I Sell My House in 2026? Factors to Help You Decide

Pros of selling your house in 2026

If you’re considering selling in 2026, several factors could work in your favor. Rising home sales, steadily growing prices, and stable mortgage rates, combined with strong demand in affordable areas and active equity-rich and cash buyers, make it a promising market for sellers. Here are the pros of putting your home on the market next year.

A projected double-digit increase in home sales means more buyers are ready to make a move

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) forecasts that existing-home sales may rise about 14% in 2026, marking a strong rebound after three consecutive years of historically low sales, the lowest since 1995. This surge is being fueled in part by solid job growth, with the economy expected to add 1.3 million new jobs next year. More employment means more buyers have confidence and financial stability to enter the housing market.

This surge in sales volume should compel sellers to make the move. A larger volume of buyers actively searching for properties means your home could attract multiple offers, giving you leverage in negotiations. The increased competition may also push offers higher, so you can sell for more money than expected. Your home is likely to spend less time on the market, which takes a lot of the stress out of selling.

Growing home prices create opportunities for sellers to maximize gains

With home prices projected to rise about 4% in 2026, it could be an excellent time to sell. Even a moderate increase like this can significantly boost your potential profit. For example, a $400,000 home could gain an extra $16,000 just from the price increase.

Buyers often act quickly when they expect prices to keep climbing, so you could expect more aggressive buyers with competitive offers. You may also gain an upper hand on negotiations, from price to contingencies.

Mortgage rates are expected to dip slightly

Mortgage rates have been steadily declining, dropping from around 7% at the start of 2025 to the mid-6% range by year’s end. Experts predict rates will stay near 6% throughout 2026, making financing more attractive for buyers.

According to HomeLight’s Q3 2025 Lender Insights Survey, 37% of lenders report that some buyers are waiting for rates to drop to 5.75%, while the second-largest group — 23% of lenders — says their clients are ready to make a move if rates fall to 6%.

“Buyers think that if they wait to buy, some miraculous interest rate fairy is going to float down and give them a 3% rate again,” says Peter Derry, a top agent in Charleston, South Carolina. “The best thing to do is buy ASAP, within your means, as you start to pay off the home sooner.” This mindset, combined with more accessible financing, could pull more buyers into the market, benefiting sellers.

Increased buyer activity means higher chances of receiving multiple offers and potentially selling faster. Even if some buyers are still waiting for rates to dip further, the overall pool of motivated buyers is growing. Listing your home now allows you to take advantage of the improving market before competition increases.

Affordable areas nationwide see heightened buyer demand

If your home is in one of the hottest markets in 2026, those affordable, high-demand areas where buyers are actively searching, it’s a great time to sell. Many of these cities combine reasonable home prices with strong job growth, attracting a wide range of buyers.

Limited housing inventory in these regions fuels competition, often resulting in faster sales and higher offers. Compared to higher-priced coastal markets, these areas offer solid value and tend to attract buyers who are actively looking.

Equity-rich and cash buyers keep sellers in control

Cash buyers and repeat homeowners with significant equity dominate the market. In 2025, cash buyers accounted for 26% of all home sales, while 30% of repeat buyers paid entirely in cash, often using equity from their previous homes to fund their purchases.

This trend is expected to persist in 2026, as many repeat buyers will continue leveraging home equity and cash reserves to secure properties quickly. For sellers, this creates a favorable environment: buyers who can pay cash or put down substantial amounts are more competitive, often leading to faster sales and stronger offers. Limited financing hurdles also reduce the risk of deals falling through.

Overall, the dominance of equity-rich and cash buyers gives sellers more leverage and confidence when listing their homes.

If selling for cash is your priority, consider HomeLight’s Simple Sale, a platform that lets you request a cash offer for your home. It features one of the largest networks of cash buyers in the U.S. With this tool, you can close the home sale in as little as 7 days and avoid common selling headaches. Explore how HomeLight’s Simple Sale can work for you today.

>>Learn more: Curious what a cash offer could look like for your home? Use HomeLight’s Cash Offer Calculator to get an instant estimate and see how much you could sell.

Cons of selling your house in 2025

Despite a few bright spots, today’s market poses notable challenges for home sellers, including higher fall-through rates, frequent price reductions, limited affordable inventory, and moderate inflation.

While these realities may tempt some homeowners to hold off and wait for the “perfect” seller’s market, that could be a gamble.

Recognizing this, top real estate agent Dinara Sammartino of Lyndhurst, New Jersey, offers a word of caution: “[Some] think the seller’s market will get better, they keep holding on, and it’s going in the other direction,” she says. “They are holding out for more, but it may never come, and they may miss the best time now.”

A smarter approach is to recognize the risks ahead of time and plan accordingly, rather than delaying your sale. Let’s break down each of these challenges so you know what to watch for.

Limited inventory could make buying your next home tougher

While overall inventory is improving, affordable homes are still in short supply. So even if your home sells quickly, finding your next place, especially in a popular price range, might take longer or feel more stressful than you expected.

You could run into bidding wars, rising prices, or homes that go under contract before you even get a chance to tour them. Timing becomes tricky, too, since selling first might leave you scrambling to secure a new place.

If you’re worried about that gap, HomeLight’s Buy Before You Sell program is one option to explore since it allows you to line up your next home before putting your current one on the market. Having this financial tool can give you more breathing room and make the whole process smoother, even when affordable housing options are limited.

HomeLight’s Buy Before You Sell program lets you unlock your home’s equity so you can secure your next place before putting your current one on the market. They help you make a strong, non-contingent offer using that equity, giving you a competitive edge against other buyers. After you move into your new home, HomeLight works with your agent to list and sell your old one, making the entire transition much smoother.

More deals could fall through, adding uncertainty for sellers

According to HomeLight’s Top Agent Insights for Q3 2025, 62% of agents reported an increase in home sales collapsing compared to the previous year, with 22% seeing “significantly more” deals fall through. The biggest reason is home inspections uncovering problems buyers aren’t willing to take on.

Heading into the new year, buyers remain cautious but active. Inspection issues will continue to be a major cause of cancellations, especially for homes with deferred maintenance or sellers insisting on “as-is” terms.

Even if mortgage rates ease slightly in 2026, affordability challenges persist, and many buyers avoid properties with expensive repair needs. Under this outlook, the elevated fall-through rate seen in 2025 carries straight into 2026.

Bob Weibrecht, a top real estate agent in Arnold, Missouri, advises sellers to stay flexible to avoid pushing potential buyers away.

“Sellers are listing their homes as ‘as-is’ and are unwilling to perform local occupancy inspections,” says Weibrecht. “Additionally, they are informing buyers [that] they will not make any repairs or provide concessions after the buyer inspections. By doing this, these sellers are limiting their buyer pool to individual investors and investment companies who wish to buy and flip.”

To sell successfully, consider addressing minor repair issues before listing your home. Being open to reasonable concessions after inspections can help keep buyers engaged and reduce the risk of a deal falling through.

Overpricing could lead to more price cuts

In 2025, 82% of agents noticed homes requiring more frequent price reductions than the previous year, particularly in the Mountain and Pacific regions. Even with lower mortgage rates attracting buyers, homes priced above what the market will bear may sit longer and lose momentum.

Sellers who overestimate rising demand risk multiple price cuts, which can make your listing look less appealing and scare off potential buyers. The best way to avoid this is to price realistically from the start and keep an eye on comps or what similar homes are selling for in your area. Being smart about your listing price helps you sell faster and keeps buyers interested.

Richard McKinney, a top agent from ​​Port St. Lucie, Florida, with 27 years of experience, says he’s seen prices coming down in higher price ranges, and in some cases, properties are taking months to sell. He advises, “Sellers and agents need to be out in front of price, marketing, and staging.”

Moderate inflation may limit how much your home can sell for

Forecasts indicate inflation is likely to stay around 2.5% to 3% in 2026, which could help keep mortgage rates stable and buyers engaged. While home prices are projected to rise, as mentioned above, they’re unlikely to soar, so sellers should temper expectations for huge windfalls.

Homes are likely to sell near fair market value, so pricing aggressively could backfire. Be realistic about what buyers are willing to pay and focus on preparing and marketing their home well. Even in a healthy market, moderate inflation can cap your potential gains.

Strategies to sell your house in 2025

Work with a top agent for a faster, more profitable sale

“What clients truly require is a seasoned real estate agent who has navigated fluctuating markets, offering tangible data and expertise that novice agents lack,” says Christine Peyton, a top agent in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, who has sold 100% of the listings she’s taken on.

Partnering with an experienced agent can help you better understand the conditions in your local market and determine whether it’s a good time to put your house up for sale. HomeLight’s agent matching platform is free to use and connects you with multiple top agents so you can choose the professional who best suits your needs.

An agent will guide you through the sales process, including pricing and marketing your home, negotiating with buyers, and connecting with contractors to make repairs and provide various services.

Invest in budget-friendly upgrades to get your sale moving

“Taking care of even the most minor of things can have a big impact on the psyche of a buyer as they walk through a property,” says Carlos Lobato, a top agent in Miramar, Florida, with 21 years of experience.

Even if you don’t have the budget to replace your garage doors, you can improve curb appeal by updating the mailbox or house numbers, or simply laying down a new doormat.

A well-maintained yard and attractive curb appeal can increase the value of a median-priced home by as much as $7,900.

When it comes to your home’s interior, Deidre Quinn, an award-winning agent in the Philadelphia area, suggests giving your space a fresh coat of paint before putting it on the market.

“It’s one of the least expensive and one of the top things I recommend to my clients,” she says. Choose one neutral color so prospective buyers can envision the home with their own furnishings. Updating your walls with new paint can boost a home’s worth by more than $12,000.

Other quick and budget-friendly upgrades include replacing old showerheads, painting kitchen cabinets, and installing a smart thermostat.

Declutter and deep clean to make your house shine

Quinn advises sellers to pack up a lot of their belongings so buyers can visualize themselves and their possessions in the house. Rooms also photograph better when they aren’t overflowing with furniture and knick-knacks.

Begin decluttering by sorting through closets and cabinets. Box up what you don’t need on a daily basis and donate clothing you haven’t worn in years. Throw out expired cans or packages of food that have been hiding in the corners of your pantry. You’ll be amazed at how much extra space you’ll have once you’re finished.

Top agents say neglecting a deep clean and deodorizing is the second biggest mistake sellers make that can hurt a sale. To avoid this costly blunder, give your house a thorough cleaning to make it sparkle. Don’t forget to wipe down light switches, door handles, and outlet covers. Take out a broom to sweep storage areas such as the attic, basement, or garage.

If you’re too busy or can find a million excuses not to clean, hire a professional cleaner for a rate of $25 to $80 per hour.

Sell if it aligns with your goals

While market challenges may keep some homeowners from selling in 2026, others may have to move for various reasons. Maybe you scored a new job in a different city or require a bigger house to accommodate your growing family.

If you’re in a similar situation and need to move into a new place quickly, consider HomeLight’s Simple Sale program to connect with investors who can make an instant cash offer on your home. You’ll receive offers within 24 hours, and once you accept, the sale can close in as little as seven days, allowing you to buy your next home without delay and skip the usual hassle of a traditional sale.

For those who are still on the fence about selling their homes, Quinn recommends asking yourself these questions: Why are you moving? Is moving in line with your goals and the quality of life you want to achieve?

Your responses will help determine the answer to the question, “Should I sell my house in 2026?”

And once you’ve decided, use HomeLight’s Agent Match tool to connect with top local agents who can guide you through the process and help you get the best results.

Writer Julie Guthmann contributed to this article.

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