When mortgage rates eased from roughly 7% to around 6.25 % in October, homebuyers began re-entering the market—pushing existing-home sales up 1.7 % year-over-year even amid tight supply and persistent price pressure. According to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), this uptick suggests that affordability constraints are beginning to loosen and that broader market momentum may be returning. 

Insight
For REALTORS®, this shift signals a crucial pivot point: buyer motivation is coming back, but supply remains constrained and regional variation is significant. That means your role in educating buyers about tightening windows of affordability—and helping sellers understand the renewed competition—is increasingly valuable.
Secondly, while prices remain elevated and inventory is only modestly improving (up ~11 % year-over-year but still lean), the regions with the strongest rebound correlate with the most accessible housing stock or greater flexibility in price points. Agents who track local affordability trends and tailor strategies to regional strength will be best positioned. 

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Source:
Tracey, M. D. (2025, November 20). Buyers reemerge: Lower mortgage rates lift fall home sales. REALTOR® Magazine. https://www.nar.realtor/magazine/real-estate-news/economy/buyers-reemerge-lower-mortgage-rates-lift-fall-home-sales
© 2025 National Association of REALTORS®.