Should You Wait to Buy in 2026? Bucks County Inventory + Rate Timing for Doylestown, Newtown, Yardley, New Hope & Levittown

If you’re asking “Should I wait?” you’re not alone — it’s the #1 classic buyer question, especially when rates feel stubborn and everyone’s got a hot take.

Here’s the straight answer: 2026 can be a good year to buy if the monthly payment works and the home fits your life. Trying to time the perfect bottom in rates or prices usually backfires — because you’re guessing on two moving targets: mortgage rates + inventory + prices.

Is 2026 a good year to buy a house?

Yes, it can be — but only if you buy based on payment, not headlines.
Most 2026 forecasts point to a market that’s steadier than the frenzy years: modest price growth, inventory improving, and rates easing only gradually (not falling off a cliff).

In Bucks County towns like Doylestown, Newtown, Yardley, New Hope, and Levittown, the “right time” is usually when:

• You can comfortably afford the payment and still live your life

• You plan to stay long enough that closing costs make sense (think 3–5+ years)

• You find a home you actually like (not a “starter home” you secretly hate)

Housing market forecast 2026

If you want a realistic baseline (not doom-scroll content), here’s what big forecasters are projecting nationally:

• Mortgage rates: Realtor.com forecasts ~6.3% average in 2026. Realtor

• Home prices: Realtor.com forecasts ~2.2% price growth in 2026. Realtor

• Inventory: Realtor.com forecasts for-sale inventory up ~9% year-over-year in 2026 (continued recovery). Realtor

• Home values: Zillow forecasts ~1.2% growth in 2026 (modest, not a crash).

• Home price growth (another major forecast): Fannie Mae ESR projected ~1.1% growth in 2026 (Q4/Q4 basis).

Translation: the mainstream outlook is “slow and steady,” not “prices collapse and rates magically return to 3%.”

When will mortgage rates drop?

The honest answer: no one can give you a date. Rates react to inflation, jobs data, Fed policy expectations, and bond markets — and they can move fast.

What you can use is the direction of credible forecasts:

• Fannie Mae ESR projected rates ending 2026 around 5.9%.

• MBA commentary has described a base case of rates staying in the low-6% range into 2026 (with dips here and there).

• Practical move: buy a home that works at today’s payment, and if rates improve later, refinance if the math is worth it.

Best month to buy a house (and what that really means in Bucks County)

There’s a tradeoff buyers need to understand:

Spring (typically March–June):

• More listings and more choices

• More competition (and often less negotiating power)

Fall/Winter (typically Oct–Feb):

• Fewer listings

• Often fewer buyers shopping → sometimes more negotiating power

NAR’s economist content consistently describes these seasonal patterns (activity tends to pick up in spring and slow in fall/winter).

And if you like data with your decision-making, ATTOM’s national analysis has found October tends to offer the lowest buyer premium overall and singled out December 24 as the “best day” in their 2025 report (based on lowest premium above an automated valuation model).

My Bucks County take:
If you need selection, shop spring. If you want leverage, late fall/winter can be your friend — as long as you accept fewer options.

Will home prices drop in 2026?

A price drop is possible in some markets — but the broader national forecasts for 2026 lean toward modest growth, not a major decline.

Here’s the key thing buyers miss: even if prices soften a bit, if rates rise, your monthly payment can still go up. That’s why “waiting for prices to drop” only helps if the payment drops too.

The “Should I wait?” decision checklist (the part buyers actually need)

1) Payment-first test

If the payment at today’s rates is comfortable (not scary), you’re not “overpaying” — you’re buying stability.

2) Time horizon test

If you might move again quickly, waiting can make sense. If you plan to stay, timing matters less than buying the right home.

3) Inventory reality test

If you’re picky (most people are), you need inventory. More inventory often shows up in spring — but so does competition.

4) The two-target rule

You’re trying to time both:

• rates (financing cost) and

• prices (purchase cost)

Getting both “perfect” is rare. Getting one good and the other “acceptable” is normal — and workable.

Quick FAQ (quotable answers)

Is 2026 a good year to buy a house?
Yes, if your monthly payment is comfortable and you plan to stay long enough for the purchase to make sense. Most forecasts expect a steadier 2026 with modest price growth and improving inventory.

When will mortgage rates drop?
No one can promise a date. Forecasts suggest rates may ease gradually into 2026, but you should buy based on a payment you can afford now and refinance later if it’s worth it.

Best month to buy a house?
If you want selection, spring usually has more listings. If you want negotiating leverage, late fall/winter can be better — with fewer homes to choose from.
Will home prices drop in 2026?
Some local markets might soften, but big national forecasts generally call for modest growth in 2026 rather than a broad decline.

Next step

If you tell me your target town (Doylestown, Newtown, Yardley, New Hope, or Levittown) and your comfort payment, I’ll help you build a simple “buy now vs wait” comparison using:

• expected inventory changes,

• realistic rate paths,

• and your monthly payment threshold.

Because guessing is expensive. Math is cheaper.

Sources

• Realtor.com — 2026 National Housing Forecast (rates ~6.3% avg, prices +2.2%, inventory +~9%).

• Zillow Research — 2026 Housing Market Predictions (home values forecast +1.2% in 2026).

• Fannie Mae ESR — Mortgage rates expected to move below 6% by end of 2026 (end-2026 ~5.9%). Fannie Mae

• Fannie Mae ESR — Mortgage rate & home price growth forecasts revised (home price growth ~1.1% in 2026, Q4/Q4). Fannie Mae

• National Association of REALTORS® — seasonality and market timing commentary (spring pickup, fall/winter slowdown patterns).

• ATTOM — Best Day/Month to Buy analysis (October lower premium; Dec 24 highlighted in 2025 report).

• Mortgage Bankers Association — 2026 commentary indicating a low-6% base case.