If you're a potential homebuyer who's wondering whether it really makes sense to buy a home in today's tough housing market, you certainly aren't the only one. For starters, home prices remain elevated due to a mix of limited inventory and persistent demand. And, ongoing inflation issues have led the Federal Reserve to keep its benchmark rate paused at a 23-year high.
Inflation, though it's showing signs of easing, has proven stubborn over the past couple of years, and there's no guarantee that this downward trend will continue. If inflation were to climb again unexpectedly, the Federal Reserve might respond with more aggressive rate hikes, leading to higher mortgage rates. And, that's not just a theoretical.