A Lesson on Housing from the 80's
Doing nothing may be a lot more costly than doing something. With rates twice what they were in 2021 and the first half of 2022, many buyers are sitting on the sideline. For some, it has to do with not being able to afford the home they want at today's mortgage rates and for others, it is not willing to accept that the low rates that were available are not only gone, but may never be available again. In the late 70's, rates were around 10% and in the early 80's went up to 18%. Interestingly, many buyers went ahead and purchased at those record level highs and refinanced a few years later when rates came down. By the end of the decade, prices had continued to increase so that buyers had a significant equity in their home. Tenants who waited for the rates to go down didn't see savings because the price of homes had gone up. More importantly, they missed the opportunity to build equity in their home through amortization and appreciation. I...