Georgia’s Housing Market Is More Stable Than the Headlines

By Susie Uhlich

Susie has been serving the Metro Atlanta real estate market since 2015, bringing nearly a decade of experience and a deep understanding of the communities she calls home.

Prices are about to crash. Rates will keep everyone frozen on the sidelines. It’s the perfect moment to buy. All three of those takes ran somewhere this week, and none mentioned your neighborhood. That’s the trouble with reading the market through headlines. They describe something national, and you’re making a decision on one street, in one price range.

So here’s what I’m actually seeing, and what people keep asking me.

1. What’s happening with home prices? They’ve been relatively stable, though that varies area to area and neighborhood to neighborhood. You may be seeing true appreciation this year in that 3% to 5% range we’re expecting in Georgia, or a little bit of a decline, depending on where you are. What we’re not seeing is the rapid appreciation from 2020 to 2022. Completely different market. I never use the term normal market, because I don’t think any market is normal. I’d say it’s more balanced, with buyer and seller activity meeting in the middle rather than one side running the table.

That stability is good for both sides. Sellers can still expect an offer, multiple offers in some areas, and real interest in their home. Buyers get to actually shop, to look at houses instead of running into one and feeling like they have to write an offer on the spot. Some areas are still heavily seller-favored, so when the right home checks all your boxes, you do need to hop on it.

2. What are mortgage rates doing? Rates have improved since this time last year. They’ve been a little volatile, up and down, due to macroeconomic factors, which is always the case. But rates being what they are, it’s not a bad time to lock one in, because none of us has a crystal ball. We look at economic data for indications, and at the end of the day, we just don’t know where rates land next year.

For anyone curious about financing, I always recommend a local lender. Each company offers different programs, and one may better fit your situation than the others.

3. Are buyers finally getting more options? Generally, yes. Inventory has increased, buyers are seeing more houses when they’re shopping online, and they have a little more breathing room. It varies area by area, so it’s worth checking your specific market. But the flexibility is real.

4. How is real estate holding up despite the economy? People always need to buy and sell homes. Macroeconomic noise can pause a buyer working on a loan or a seller deciding whether to list. The market keeps moving anyway. What changes the outcome is information. Talk to a lender, talk to an agent, talk to the people who do this every day, and the decision stops feeling like a coin flip and starts looking like math.

The market is much more stable than the headlines would have you believe. Prices are holding steady, rates have improved from last year, buyers have more options, and homes are still selling every day.

But what matters most isn’t what’s happening nationally. It’s what’s happening right here in your neighborhood, and how it applies to your situation.

If you’re wondering whether now is the right time to buy or sell, or you just want to understand your local market, I’d be happy to help. Call or text me at 470-748-3349, email me at susie@susieuhlich.com, or visit blog.susieuhlich.com. We’ll look at the numbers together, and you can make a decision based on facts instead of headlines.