Some offers on this page are from advertisers who pay us, which may affect which products we write about, but not our recommendations. See our Advertiser Disclosure . Want to buy a house before the end of 2026? Follow these crucial steps. E. Napoletano Contributor Hal Bundrick, CFP Senior Writer Updated Fri, July 10, 2026 at 11:44 AM PDT 9 min read Ready to buy a house before the end of 2026? Now's the time to make a plan. Here's a look at the current market, some key updates to how mortgage lenders view credit scores, and prep tips to help your home-buying dreams reach the closing table. Read more: See today's lowest mortgage rates Why 2026 could be your year to buy a house Mortgage rates have settled into a narrow range near 6.5%. "Mortgage rates move up and down with the 10-year bond yield. Bonds are inflation-sensitive," Melissa Cohn, regional vice president of William Raveis Mortgage, said in a statement. "The initial reaction in the bond market and in resulting mortgage rate movements may be upward, but if the Fed is strident in its goal of bringing inflation back down to 2%, that will ultimately be good for mortgage rates." One thing working for potential home buyers: Real estate markets are becoming more balanced, and some are even moving to buyers' markets . That means sellers are being more realistic about listing prices and offering more seller concessions . "Asking prices fell again at a record pace [in June] down 2.5% year over year," Jake Krimmel, senior economist at Realtor.com , said in an analysis. "That's the steepest annual drop in Realtor.com data since 2017 and the eighth straight month of declines. List prices per square foot fell 2.1% and are declining in 33 of the top 50 metros." If you want to buy in the next couple of months, your best bet is to get preapproved for a mortgage now so you can make your move when you find the right home, rather than waiting for the perfect rate. Read more: Discover how inflation affects mortgage rates. Credit score qualifying has changed Part of the pre-approval process includes a credit check. Your credit shows whether you've made good on your past and current debt obligations. It also shows your credit score, and the way lenders look at that score has changed in 2026. For years, a single number usually a FICO score of around 620 served as a hard line between who could and couldn't qualify for a conventional mortgage , a home loan that isn't backed by the federal government and instead follows rules set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. New underwriting standards supported by those agencies have moved away from rigid score minimums and toward a broader picture of a borrower's financial behavior. Instead of focusing so heavily on one score, lenders can now look at your financial patterns, such as how consistently you pay your bills, how your debt balances change over time,...
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