Here's my honest read on where things stand, and what it actually means for buyers in this market.

Rates moved — but the window didn't close

After spending most of 2025 trending downward, mortgage rates have climbed back into the mid-6s over the past month or so. According to First American's Chief Economist Mark Fleming, the move is largely driven by geopolitical uncertainty and inflation concerns tied to broader global events — not something specific to the housing market itself.

That matters, because it's a different kind of rate pressure than what we saw in 2022 and 2023. And despite the recent move, buyers today are still in a meaningfully better position than they were a year ago.

What this means in our specific market

The Northern Colorado Springs, Monument, and Black Forest market has its own dynamics that don't always track with the national narrative. A few things worth keeping in mind:

• Inventory in 80132 and 80908 remains relatively limited, particularly for acreage properties and larger lots. Rate fluctuations don't change the supply picture — and the buyers who do pull back during uncertainty are often competing for the same properties you're looking at.
• Relocation demand from Peterson Space Force Base, Schriever Space Force Base, and Fort Carson continues to move on its own timeline — buyers with PCS orders don't have the luxury of waiting for rates to settle. That consistent demand is a floor for this market.
• In Black Forest and parts of Monument, the lifestyle factors driving purchase decisions — acreage, tree cover, views, proximity to trails — don't shift with mortgage rates. The buyers pursuing those properties tend to be motivated by life circumstances, not rate optimism.

Should you wait?

That depends on your situation, not on the headlines. If you're buying because your family is growing, you're relocating, or you've been waiting years for the right piece of land — those reasons don't become less valid because rates moved a half-point.

What does change in this environment is strategy. A few things worth discussing with your lender:

• Adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) can offer a lower rate upfront — worth understanding even if you ultimately don't use one.
• Seller concessions are more available now than they were at peak competition. In some cases, you can negotiate rate buydowns into the deal structure.
• On vacant land purchases — which don't always work with conventional financing anyway — the rate conversation looks different from the start.

The goal isn't to time the market perfectly

Rates are going to move. Economic headlines are going to keep coming. Trying to find the perfect window is a strategy that usually results in watching from the sidelines while other buyers move forward.

The better goal is to understand where things actually stand, put yourself in a strong position, and make a decision you can feel confident about — regardless of what rates do next month.

If you're thinking about buying in Monument, Black Forest, or Northern Colorado Springs and want to talk through what the math looks like at today's rates, I'm happy to have that conversation. No pressure — just a straight read on your situation and what the market is doing right now.

Brennan Wolff  |  Wolff Real Estate Group  |  80921 · 80132 · 80908