Q1 2026 Housing Market Forecast: Rates, Prices, and Buyer Power (Sacramento Area)

Home prices, interest rates, and the overall buying environment are shifting as we head into the first quarter of 2026 and this may be the best buying environment home buyers have seen since 2019.

Read the full blog here: https://blog.amydebuskhomeloans.com/2...

In this video, Amy DeBusk, Certified Mortgage Planner, breaks down what to expect with interest rates, why stability matters for your pre-approval payment, and how the market is moving toward more of a buyer’s market with more homes available and more negotiating power.

You’ll also hear local market stats for Sacramento, Elk Grove, and Placer County including days on market and average or median home prices so you can plan your next move with confidence.

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Timestamps

00:00 Intro
00:41 Q1 2026 market forecast: prices, rates, buying environment
00:57 Best buying environment since 2019
01:09 Are rates going back to the 2’s?
01:34 Rate expectations: high 5’s to low 6’s
01:46 FHA/VA vs Conventional rate ranges
02:09 Why stability matters
02:25 Stable rates help your pre-approval payment stay consistent
03:10 What happens when you go under contract and lock
03:32 More homes on the market = more negotiating power
03:54 Taking your time house hunting in a slower market
04:50 Easier to buy when there’s less competition
05:02 Peak season: April, May, early June
06:09 Sacramento market stats
06:21 Placer County market stats
06:29 Elk Grove market stats
07:24 TalkingWithAmy.com