Today’s mortgage rates and home prices may have you second-guessing whether it’s still a good idea to buy a home right now. While market factors are important, there’s also a bigger picture to consider: owning a home in the long run.
Think of it this way. If you know people who bought a home 5, 10, or even 30 years ago, you’re probably going to have a hard time finding someone who regrets their decision. That’s because over time, home values usually grow – and that means a homeowner’s net worth does too. Here’s a look at how that can add up over the years.
Home Price Growth over Time
The map below uses data from the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to show how much prices have grown over the last five years. Since home prices vary by area, the map is broken out regionally to really showcase larger market trends:
You can see that nationally, home prices increased by over 57% in just five years.
Some regions are slightly above or below that average, but overall, home prices saw a big uptick in a short time. And if you zoom out even more, the benefit of homeownership — and the drastic gains homeowners made over the years — become even more clear (see map below):
The second map shows that, over a roughly 30-year span, home prices appreciated nationally by an average of more than 320%.
The typical homeowner who bought a house about 30 years ago saw it triple in value. That’s a major reason so many homeowners who bought their homes years ago are still happy with their decisions today.
Bottom Line
There’s no denying today’s market is complex. But if you’re ready and able to buy right now, connect with a licensed mortgage professional today to talk about how we can still make your move happen. That way you can take advantage of the long-term advantages of homeownership, like your ability to build wealth as your home value rises.
