By John F. Lawrence | Premiere Capital Mortgage
October 14, 2026

AI-generated illustration; not actual clients or a property listing.

Waiting for a lower mortgage rate can feel sensible. But if a suitable home is available now, the asking price, seller’s flexibility and your own financial readiness deserve a closer look, too.

In an October 13 Fox Business interview, analyst Mitch Roschelle argued that slower housing activity gives buyers an opportunity to make aggressive offers. He also acknowledged that those offers will not always succeed and that a property may need more work than expected. That is a useful starting point for negotiation, rather than a promise that every seller will accept a discount. Watch the interview.

What Riverside County’s numbers actually show

C.A.R.’s August 2026 report, released September 16, puts Riverside County’s median sold price for existing single-family homes at $632,990. That was 2.5% below July and 1.3% above August 2025. The county’s unsold inventory index was 4.0 months, with a median time on market of 40 days. Those measures were 3.8 months and 39 days in July, versus 4.3 months and 46 days a year earlier. See C.A.R.’s county tables.

That mixed picture does not establish a uniform buyer’s market across Murrieta and Temecula. Countywide medians also cannot tell you the value of a particular home. Use them as background, then investigate the neighborhood, price bracket, property condition and competing listings.

Look for leverage you can document

Ask your real estate agent for comparable recent sales, active competition, listing history and any price reductions. A longer marketing period can be a reason to ask questions, but it does not prove that an owner must sell or will accept a particular price.

Build the offer around evidence and your budget. Your priorities might include:

• A lower purchase price: Compare your offer with relevant closed sales and the property’s condition.

• Seller-paid closing costs: Ask the lender what the program permits and whether the proposed credit can be used in full.

• Repairs or a repair-related credit: Use inspection findings and qualified estimates, while confirming loan and property-condition requirements.

• A workable timeline: A closing date that helps both parties may matter alongside price.

Choose the combination that improves your actual position. A large advertised concession can be less useful than it looks if the price is higher, the credit cannot be fully used, or repairs remain your responsibility.

Compare buying now with waiting, without predicting rates

Have your loan professional model both paths. For a purchase now, use the actual price, available financing, cash to close and complete housing budget. For waiting, consider additional savings and rent alongside several possible future price-and-rate combinations. Include a scenario where rates do not fall.

Lower rates could improve affordability, while renewed competition could change negotiating conditions. Prices could also decline, remain steady or rise. No one can promise which combination you will face.

Make the current payment work on its own. Refinancing later would require qualifying again, acceptable property value and available loan terms, and may involve new costs. It should be a possible future option rather than the condition that makes today’s purchase affordable.

Use a complete local ownership budget

In addition to principal and interest, allow for property taxes, homeowners insurance, mortgage insurance when applicable, HOA dues, maintenance and utilities. Review any special assessments, including Mello-Roos where applicable, for the specific property. Obtain an insurance quote early rather than assuming the seller’s premium will become yours.

The CFPB notes that taxes and insurance can change your total payment even with a fixed-rate mortgage. Leave room for those changes and an unexpected repair. Use the CFPB’s mortgage closing checklist.

Frequently asked questions

Should I make a very low offer?

Use comparable sales, condition and your maximum comfortable cost to choose the number with your agent. A dramatic discount from asking price is not automatically a good value, and the seller may decline it.

Should I wait until rates fall?

Waiting can make sense if you need stronger savings, more stable income or time to clarify your plans. If you are ready and find a suitable home, compare its full cost with realistic waiting scenarios instead of using a single rate target.

Can a seller credit make a home affordable?

It may help with permitted upfront costs, subject to program limits and transaction details. Ask for a written comparison of cash to close, ongoing payment and remaining savings. A credit cannot fix a payment your budget cannot sustain.

Start with your numbers

Shopping with a clear financing plan helps you recognize a worthwhile opportunity and walk away from an unsuitable one. Contact John F. Lawrence at Premiere Capital Mortgage to review your purchase budget and financing scenarios. Call (951) 634-9284 or email [email protected].

Educational information only; not individualized financial, legal or tax advice or a commitment to lend. Loan approval and terms depend on underwriting and program requirements. Market conditions change. Future rates, refinancing, seller concessions and property appreciation are not guaranteed.

About the author and licensing

Premiere Capital Mortgage

Premiere Capital Investments Inc. | California DRE #01864769 | NMLS #366413

John F. Lawrence | California DRE #01150844 | NMLS #257726