Keep up to date on what's happening around the valley.
Short answer: yes — if you want to position yourself before the market takes off.
I've been selling real estate in Scottsdale and Phoenix since July of 2004. I've walked clients through the run-up, the crash, the boom, and everything in between. So when someone asks me whether now is a good time to buy, I don't give them a horoscope. I give them what I'm actually seeing on the ground, backed by data — and then I let them make the call.
Here's the honest read on our market right now.
Rates have been sticky. As of late July 2026, the 30-year fixed is hovering right around 6.6%, and I expect it to stay steady or tick up slightly before it starts coming down — which I believe happens in the early part of 2027. I don't have a crystal ball. If I did, we'd be in Vegas right now. But that's where the trend is pointing.
Inventory across the Valley has been elevated for a while, which has kept us in buyer-favorable territory — more than a quarter of recent listings have taken a price reduction, and homes are sitting longer than they did during the frenzy years. But over the last 60 to 90 days I'm watching that shift. Inventory is tightening, and the fall selling season is kicking into gear. That matters, and I'll explain why in a minute.
The market isn't moving as one block, either. It breaks down by price point:
Luxury is moving. The high end is selling fairly quickly.
The $600K–$1.5M range is the slow lane. These homes are sitting on the market longer than usual. That's frustrating for sellers — and it's opportunity for buyers.
Investors and flippers under $1.5M are in the toughest spot right now. The margins are tight and the competition is awkward. If that's you, be surgical.
The single biggest misconception right now is that rates are going to drop fast — and that it's smart to sit on the sidelines and wait for them.
Here's the problem with that thinking. There's a large group of buyers waiting on the sidelines, and an even larger group of sellers waiting too — because they won't list their home until they find their own perfect home first. That's a coiled spring. When rates do start to come down and that dam breaks, the frenzy will be real. Everyone who was "waiting for the right time" floods in at once, and the people who waited are suddenly behind the ball, competing against a crowd instead of negotiating from strength.
Buying now, while it's still a buyer's market and sellers are motivated, is how you get in front of that instead of chasing it.
If you want leverage, look at homes that have been on the market over 100 days — especially anything that's been listed through the summer heat. Those sellers are motivated and ready to make a deal. That's where I go to work for my buyers.
A recent one I'm proud of: I had a client who wanted a lot near the Cactus Corridor to tear down and build her dream home. I negotiated the price down and got it for her under appraised value. She's happy as can be, currently designing the house with an architect I recommended. That deal existed because we knew where to look and how to structure the offer — not because we overpaid to "win."
I'll be straight with you — sometimes the right move is not to buy. I have clients relocating from South Carolina looking for a very specific home. That home isn't on the market today. Rather than talk them into settling for something that isn't right for them, I told them to wait. The fall selling season tends to shake loose more sellers, and I expect something that fits their criteria to come up. Buying the wrong house to beat the clock is a mistake. Waiting for the right one, with a plan, is not.
That's the difference between an agent who's chasing a commission and one who's shooting you straight.
If you're selling, the most important thing you can do in this market is price it correctly from day one. Nothing else matters as much.
I had a seller call me after they'd listed with an agent who arbitrarily inflated the value of their home. They sat on the market for over six months and got nowhere. I gave them the true value, relisted with real marketing — personalized video, professional photography, the works — and we sold it quickly with no headaches.
The other tool that's working right now: incentives. Sellers offering to buy down the incoming buyer's interest rate or cover their concessions are the ones getting to the closing table. Priced right and marketed well, your home sells. Priced on hope, it sits.
Yes, if your goal is to position yourself before the market shifts. Rates are steady, sellers are motivated, and the leverage is still on the buyer's side of the table — for now. That window doesn't stay open forever.
But "now" doesn't mean "any house." It means the right house, bought the right way, with someone in your corner who knows how to find the deal and protect you in the contract. It's better to have that and not need it than to need it and not have it.
If you're a seller who wants an effective agent to sell your home — someone who'll shoot you straight instead of feeding you fluff — or a buyer looking anywhere in the Phoenix area, let's talk. I've got 20-plus years of history and expertise in this market, and I can help you find exactly what you're looking for, quickly and effectively.
Call me anytime. I typically work 7 days a week from 9am to 9pm, so you can reach me whenever works for you. There's no such thing as a dumb question.
Market figures reflect Phoenix-metro and Scottsdale conditions as of July 2026 and will change. This article is for general information and isn't financial advice — let's talk about your specific situation before you make a move.