More Buyers Are Moving Forward Despite Affordability Challenges

For several years, many buyers have been waiting for the "perfect" time to purchase. They hoped rates would fall, prices would decline, or affordability would improve enough to make buying easier. A Bank of America Homebuyer Insights Report suggests that mindset is beginning to change. For the first time since 2023, more Americans say they prefer buying over renting or living with family. While affordability remains a concern, many buyers are adjusting expectations and choosing to move forward. Tami Price, REALTOR®, a San Antonio real estate agent and Air Force veteran with nearly two decades of local market experience, sees this shift reflected in the San Antonio market, where prepared buyers are negotiating favorable terms that the competitive peak years did not allow.

For buyers across San Antonio, Schertz, Cibolo, Helotes, Converse, Boerne, and New Braunfels, understanding what this national shift means locally helps frame the decision about whether 2026 is the right time to act.

What Is Driving the Shift in Buyer Confidence?

According to the Bank of America report, 53 percent of Americans now prefer homeownership over renting. That represents a meaningful shift in consumer confidence. Even though home prices and mortgage rates remain higher than many buyers would prefer, people are increasingly recognizing that waiting indefinitely may not improve their situation. The report also found that fewer prospective buyers are delaying purchases while hoping for lower rates or prices.

Instead, many are focusing on what they can control: improving finances, saving for down payments, adjusting price ranges, exploring different neighborhoods, and taking advantage of builder incentives or seller concessions. This shift from passive waiting to active preparation reflects a more realistic assessment of market dynamics than the indefinite deferral strategy that many buyers adopted when rates first rose from 2020-2021 levels.

• 53 percent of Americans now prefer homeownership over renting, according to the Bank of America report
• Fewer prospective buyers are delaying purchases waiting for lower rates or prices
• Buyers are focusing on controllable factors rather than market predictions

Q: Does waiting for lower rates actually guarantee a better deal?

A: Not necessarily. If rates decline significantly, buyer demand typically increases, which can lead to multiple-offer situations, reduced negotiating leverage, and upward price pressure. Buyers who purchase in a less competitive environment and refinance later if rates improve may achieve a better total outcome than those who wait and then compete for the same homes.

How Does Affordability Actually Work Beyond Interest Rates?

Higher home prices combined with rates above the historically low levels of 2020-2021 continue impacting monthly payments. However, affordability is not determined by interest rates alone. Multiple factors can significantly improve a buyer's affordability picture without requiring rates to change.

• Negotiating seller-paid closing costs reduces the cash required at closing
• Builder rate buydown programs reduce the effective monthly payment, sometimes making a new home more affordable than a comparably priced resale
• Adjusting the target price range to match a comfortable monthly payment rather than maximizing qualification produces a more sustainable purchase
• Exploring different neighborhoods and communities may reveal options that align better with the budget

Every buyer's situation is unique. A personalized planning conversation produces more useful guidance than general market timing advice. The homebuying guide covers the full readiness evaluation that helps buyers determine whether current conditions support their specific financial goals.

Q: What affordability tools are available to San Antonio buyers in 2026?

A: Builder rate buydowns, seller-paid closing cost contributions, VA loan zero-down-payment eligibility for military buyers, and incentive programs in new construction communities all reduce the effective cost of purchasing. The specific tools available depend on the property type and financing, and a lender consultation early in the process identifies which ones apply to the specific situation.

What Does This National Trend Mean for San Antonio Buyers Specifically?

San Antonio continues offering opportunities that many other major markets do not. Inventory has increased across many price ranges, giving buyers more choices and greater negotiating power than just a few years ago. Builders continue offering incentives in many communities including closing cost assistance, rate buydowns, and upgrade packages. For resale homes, motivated sellers may negotiate repairs, concessions, or other favorable contract terms.

Buyers who are well prepared can often negotiate a better overall transaction in San Antonio's 2026 market than during the highly competitive peak years. Military families relocating to JBSA benefit from the same favorable conditions alongside VA loan advantages that make homeownership accessible without a down payment. Move-up buyers find that the bilateral nature of their transaction, simultaneously selling in the same market they are buying in, often produces a net position similar to what it would have been under different rate or price conditions.

The practical takeaway is that San Antonio's current market rewards preparation and strategy more than market timing. Buyers who complete pre-approval, define clear criteria, and understand the negotiating tools available to them consistently achieve better outcomes than those waiting for conditions that may not improve the specific dimensions of affordability that affect their purchase.

Q: Is San Antonio more affordable than other Texas metros for homebuyers?

A: San Antonio has historically offered more affordable entry points than Austin, Dallas, and Houston for comparable home types and neighborhood quality. Combined with consistent demand from JBSA military relocation, population growth, and economic diversification, this relative affordability supports long-term value for buyers who purchase with sound financial planning.

Why Moving Forward With a Plan Often Outperforms Waiting for Perfect Conditions

The Bank of America findings reinforce what experienced San Antonio real estate professionals observe in practice: buyers who act on a sound plan within available conditions consistently report higher satisfaction than those who defer indefinitely. The "perfect" market, combining low rates, depressed prices, ample inventory, and low competition, is structurally impossible because the factors producing one dimension work against the others.

What exists in every market, including San Antonio's 2026 environment, is a set of conditions that prepared buyers can use to their advantage. More inventory means more selection and less competition. Builder incentives reduce effective monthly costs. Seller concession willingness provides negotiating opportunities the peak years did not offer. And the VA streamline refinance option means military buyers who purchase at current rates are not locked into those rates permanently if rates decline in the future.

Q: What is the first step for a buyer who is ready to move forward in San Antonio?

A: Begin with a lender consultation to confirm qualification, purchasing power at current rates, and the specific loan program that best serves the situation. Then schedule a buyer consultation with an experienced agent for market-specific guidance on where to search and what negotiating opportunities are currently available.

Expert Insight from Tami Price, REALTOR®

The shift in buyer confidence reflected in the Bank of America report matches what the San Antonio market is showing in practice. Tami Price, REALTOR®, a USAF veteran and top-producing San Antonio REALTOR® with nearly two decades of experience as a San Antonio real estate agent, helps buyers evaluate whether current conditions support their specific goals rather than applying general market predictions to a personal financial decision.

Recognized as a RealTrends Verified top agent, a 15-time Five Star Professional Award winner, and the recipient of 650+ five-star reviews and recommendations, Tami Price serves buyers across San Antonio, Schertz, Cibolo, Helotes, Converse, Boerne, and New Braunfels.

Three Key Takeaways

1. The shift from passive waiting to active preparation reflects a more realistic assessment of market dynamics. Buyers who focus on controllable factors, including financial readiness, price range adjustment, neighborhood flexibility, and available incentives, consistently achieve better outcomes than those waiting for rate or price conditions that may not materialize on a useful timeline.

2. San Antonio's 2026 market offers buyer advantages that the peak years did not, including more inventory, builder incentives, seller concession willingness, and negotiating leverage. These tools create affordability improvements within the current market that can partially or fully offset the rate differential from the historically anomalous 2020-2021 period.

3. The "perfect" market combining low rates, depressed prices, and low competition is structurally impossible because the factors producing buyer-favorable conditions on one dimension work against buyer interests on others. Moving forward with a sound plan within available conditions and refining later if rates improve produces better long-term outcomes than indefinite deferral.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Are San Antonio home prices expected to drop significantly in 2026?

A. San Antonio's consistent demand from population growth, military relocation, and economic diversification has historically supported price stability more than many other metros. Individual neighborhoods and price ranges may behave differently, and a current market analysis for a specific area provides more reliable guidance than metro-wide predictions.

Q. How are San Antonio builders helping with affordability in 2026?

A. Builder programs including rate buydowns, closing cost assistance, and upgrade packages reduce the effective monthly cost of new construction. In some price ranges, a new construction home with builder incentives produces a lower monthly payment than a comparably positioned resale alternative.

Q. Should military families relocating to JBSA wait for better conditions or buy now?

A. Military families whose timeline is defined by orders rather than market preference benefit most from evaluating whether current conditions support a financially sound purchase for the specific assignment length. The VA homebuying guide covers how to structure the evaluation for PCS buyers specifically.

The Bottom Line

Consumer confidence in homeownership is improving even as affordability challenges remain. Rather than waiting for perfect conditions, many buyers are moving forward with careful planning, realistic expectations, and strong negotiation strategies. San Antonio's 2026 market rewards this approach with more inventory, builder incentives, and negotiating opportunities than the peak years provided.

Buyers in San Antonio, Schertz, Cibolo, Helotes, Converse, Boerne, and New Braunfels are encouraged to book a consultation to evaluate whether current conditions support their specific financial goals and timeline.

Contact Tami Price, REALTOR® | San Antonio, TX

Tami Price, REALTOR®, serves buyers across San Antonio, Schertz, Cibolo, Helotes, Converse, Boerne, and New Braunfels with nearly two decades of market experience.

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Tami Price's Specialties

• Buyer and Seller Representation
• Military Relocations and PCS Moves
• VA Loan Guidance
• New Construction
• First-Time Home Buyers
• Move-Up Buyers
• Downsizing and Rightsizing
• Strategic Pricing and Market Analysis
• San Antonio, Schertz, Cibolo, Helotes, Converse, Boerne, and New Braunfels

Disclaimer

This blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or real estate advice. Market conditions, financing options, and individual circumstances vary. The Bank of America Homebuyer Insights Report findings referenced in this post are attributed to that source. Readers should consult qualified professionals before making real estate decisions. Tami Price, REALTOR®, is licensed in Texas and affiliated with Real Broker, LLC. Fair Housing principles apply to all content.