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\n <\/div>\n \n Work With a Top Agent to Nail Down Your Offer<\/h3>\n
Most people only buy one or a few homes in their lifetime, but experienced agents help buyers all the time. When it comes to making a solid offer on your dream home, who you work with matters.<\/p>\n \n
As you consider this balancing act, here\u2019s what potential home buyers around the country can expect in the coming year:<\/p>\n
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- The National Association of Realtors\u00ae (NAR) predicts that existing home sales will increase 14%<\/a> in 2026.<\/li>\n
- NAR expects mortgage rates to ease to 6%.<\/li>\n
- Fannie Mae is also forecasting 2026 to end with mortgage rates at 5.9%<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
“[2026] is really the year that we will see a measurable increase in sales,” NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said. “Home prices nationwide are in no danger of declining.”<\/p>\n
However, real estate is a highly local game, explains James Strum<\/a>, a Richmond, Virginia-based agent with 20 years of experience. \u201cThere are so many variables. Is [the buyer] jumping into a beautiful, polished home with all the finishes in a hot market?\u201d Or are you shopping in a city where homes have been sitting on the market<\/a> for a while?<\/p>\n