Article
Should I Buy a House When Mortgage Rates Are High?
The short answer
The right question isn't whether rates are high — it's whether the payment works for you at today's numbers, without assuming a future refinance. If the payment is comfortable and you plan to stay a while, waiting for a rate isn't automatically better.
Decide on today's payment, not a hoped-for one
Any plan that only works if you refinance later is a plan built on something no one can promise. Qualify and commit based on the payment in front of you.
What can reduce the cost of a higher rate
- Seller or builder credits applied toward a buydown, where available.
- Points, when you plan to keep the loan long enough to recover the cost.
- A larger down payment, which reduces the loan amount.
- Choosing a home with lower dues, taxes, or insurance exposure.
The trade-off nobody can time
Lower rates often bring more competing buyers, which can affect price and negotiating room. Higher-rate periods can offer more room to negotiate. Neither dynamic is guaranteed, which is why your own numbers should drive the decision.
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About the Author
Tanesha Tomlinson
Florida Mortgage Loan Advisor, Hometown Financial Group, LLC DBA Modus Mortgage
NMLS #1540854 · Company NMLS #1028232
Tanesha Tomlinson is a 24-year Florida mortgage industry expert who has originated over $100,000,000 in mortgages. She works with homebuyers, homeowners, and Realtor partners across South Florida, Broward County, Central Florida, and the Orlando area. Her focus is qualification, income calculation, loan programs, down payment assistance, and cash to close — explained plainly, with the numbers in front of you. As a licensed Florida Realtor® with United Realty Group, she also understands the property and contract side of the same purchase.
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Hometown Financial Group, LLC DBA Modus Mortgage · Company NMLS #1028232 · Tanesha Tomlinson NMLS #1540854 · Florida Real Estate License #SL3524613 (United Realty Group) · Equal Housing Lender. Licenses can be verified on NMLS Consumer Access and the Florida DBPR license portal. Content is educational only and is not a commitment to lend.
Last updated August 31, 2026
Tanesha Tomlinson · Mortgage Loan Advisor | Realtor® · Hometown Financial Group, LLC DBA Modus Mortgage · NMLS #1540854 · Company NMLS #1028232 · 140 S. Arthur St. #600, Spokane, WA 99202 · United Realty Group · FL Real Estate License SL3524613
Information and tools on this website are educational only and should not be considered individualized financial, legal, or tax advice. Estimates are not a pre-approval, loan approval, or commitment to lend. Mortgage approval, rates, APRs, payments, taxes, insurance, closing costs, and loan terms are subject to borrower qualifications, property information, applicable loan-program requirements, and underwriting. This website disclaimer does not replace Modus Mortgage's official disclosures.
