One question on the minds of many homeowners is “Should I sell now, or wait until rates come down?”
It’s a fair question; here’s the honest answer: for most people in the Kansas City market, your personal situation matters far more than where rates (or prices) are going (or not going) in the near future.
Let me explain what I mean.
Where Rates Actually Stand Right Now
The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate is sitting around 6.25–6.50% as of late April 2026. That’s lower than a year ago (rates were closer to 6.8% in spring 2025), and it’s lower than the nearly 8% peak we saw in late 2023.
Will rates drop significantly from here? Probably not fast, and probably not far. Most forecasters expect the 30-year rate to hover in the 6–7% range for the foreseeable future. There are no guarantees in real estate, but rates in the 2–4% range aren’t coming back without a major economic crisis. Recessions come and go; a once-in-a-generation collapse is a different thing entirely. You may see national headlines about markets crashing, but Kansas City plays by different rules. More on that later.
If you make your life choices based on trying to time rates or the market, you’re likely missing out. Most people waiting for the “perfect” change in prices or rates over the last decade either wish they hadn’t waited or are still on the sidelines. Many first-time buyers who never bought for these reasons are priced out of the market now.
The Kansas City Market Is Doing Just Fine
Here’s what the data shows right now:
Kansas City Metro
- Median sale price: ~$325,000 (up over 8% year-over-year as of March 2026)
- Inventory: only 2.2 months of supply (a seller’s market starts at 6 months)
- Closed sales up 11% year-over-year in March
Johnson County, KS
- Median sale price: ~$470,000 (up just over 1% year-over-year, but new construction can skew these figures)
- Inventory: only 1.8 months of supply (a seller’s market starts at 6 months)
- Closed sales up 20.4% year-over-year in March
In Johnson County and other high-demand areas, correctly-priced homes are still going under contract the first or second weekend, often with multiple offers. It’s not the feeding frenzy of 2021–2022, but it’s a strong, healthy market for sellers who price it right.
Kansas City isn’t Austin, TX, where builders have been frantically overbuilding for over a decade. Nor is it a vacation market like Florida. We don’t get the dramatic swings. Values don’t rocket up 40% in two years, and they don’t crater when the music stops. What we have in Kansas City is a diverse economy, steady demand, and slow, durable appreciation. Average home prices have climbed from around $200,000 in 2016 to over $388,000 today. That’s simply a market built on fundamentals.
The Real Question Isn’t About Rates
Here’s what I tell every homeowner who asks me this:
Rates are a factor. Your life is the factor.
The people with the most to gain right now are often sellers who want to downsize. If you’ve been in your home for 10+ years, you’re likely sitting on substantial equity. You present as a strong buyer in the price range you’re moving into. Much stronger than a first-timer or an investor competing for the same home. You may be in the best position you’ll ever be in.
At the same time, I see a lot of downsizers who keep waiting. It makes sense…comfort is sticky. The house you’ve lived in for 25 years works. Until it doesn’t. The stairs become an issue. The yard becomes a burden. Monthly expenses on a larger house can add up. Many people don’t make the move until they have to, but by then they have fewer options and more stress.
If the house fits your life perfectly right now, that’s a real reason to stay. But if you’ve been putting off making a move because you think rates might drop, that’s not sound strategy. It’s postponing.
What About Move-Up Buyers?
The same math that makes moving down easy can make moving up harder. If you’re selling a $300,000 home to buy a $500,000 home, you’re not just dealing with a higher price, rates are likely higher too. That can mean a payment that’s 1.5–2x what you have now. That’s a real affordability challenge.
If that math doesn’t work comfortably for your income today, then waiting for rates or incomes to improve is a reasonable call. But keep in mind: if rates drop, prices tend to rise as more buyers enter the market. You may not come out ahead by waiting.
My Take
Kansas City is a stable, resilient market. That’s actually the point. It means panic-selling doesn’t make sense, but neither does indefinitely waiting for a “perfect” rate that may never arrive.
The best time to sell is when it makes sense for your life: your finances, your family, your next chapter. The market right now gives sellers a real advantage. Whether you take it depends on where you’re going (not what the Fed might do next).
If you’re on the fence, let’s talk. I’ll walk you through what your home is worth today, what your options look like, and whether right now is your moment.
Justin Rollheiser is a licensed REALTOR® serving the Kansas City metro area, with a focus on Johnson County and surrounding communities.
Justin Rollheiser – Real Estate Agent
REALTOR®
Keller Williams Realty Diamond Partners, Inc.
13671 S Mur-Len St, Olathe, KS 66062
Cell 913-800-7653
Office 913-322-7500
www.JustinRollheiser.com
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