Your Castle Real Estate | Denver Real Estate Experts

Buyer Activity Is Up Despite Higher Mortgage Rates

Dated: May 12 2023

Views: 268

If you’re a homeowner thinking about making a move, you may wonder if it’s still a good time to sell your house. Here’s the good news. Even with higher mortgage rates, buyer traffic is actually picking up speed.

Data from the latest ShowingTime Showing Index, which is a measure of buyers actively touring homes, helps paint the picture of how much buyer demand has increased in recent months (see graph below):

 

As the graph shows, the first two months of 2023 saw a noticeable increase in buyer traffic. That’s likely because the limited number of homes for sale kept shoppers looking for homes even during colder months.

To help tell the story of why the latest report is significant, let’s compare foot traffic this February with each February for the last six years (see graph below). It shows this was one of the best Februarys for buyer activity we’ve seen in recent memory.

 

In the last six years, we saw the most February buyer traffic in 2021 and 2022 (shown in green above), but those years were highly unusual for the housing market. So, if we compare February 2023 with the more normal, pre-pandemic years, data shows this year still marks a clear rise in buyer activity.

The uptick in buyer traffic is even more noteworthy considering the increase in mortgage rates this February. The Freddie Mac 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose from 6.09% during the week of February 2nd to 6.50% in the week of February 23rd. But even with higher rates, more buyers were looking for a home.

Jeff Tucker, Senior Economist at Zillow, says the increased buyer activity could continue:

“More buyers will keep coming out of the woodwork. We always see a seasonal uptick in home shoppers in March and April . . .”

If you’re looking to sell your house, seeing buyers still active in the market this year should be encouraging. It’s a sign buyers are out there and could be looking for a home just like yours. Working with a real estate professional to list your house now will help you get your home in front of eager buyers today.

Bottom Line

Rising foot traffic is a bright spot for this year’s housing market and indicates that buyers are looking to purchase this year, even with higher mortgage rates. If you’re ready to sell your house, let’s connect.

We use reasonable efforts to include accurate and up-to-date information. The real estate market changes often. We make no guarantees of future real estate performance, and assume no liability for any errors of omission in the content.

Latest Blog Posts

August 2026 Denver Real Estate Newsletter

A Market Moving at the Speed of LifeJuly gave us a clear look at the Denver Metro market as it is: measured, patient, and increasingly shaped by life circumstances. Moves are happening less because

Read More

August 2026 Your Castle Real Estate Newsletter

A Market Moving at the Speed of LifeJuly gave us a clear look at the Denver Metro market as it is: measured, patient, and increasingly shaped by life circumstances. Moves are happening less because

Read More

July 2026 Denver Real Estate Newsletter

Buyers Are Looking Beyond the Price TagAs summer settles in, the Denver Metro market is becoming increasingly divided. Detached and attached homes continue to tell different stories, while

Read More

July 2026 Your Castle Real Estate Newsletter

Buyers Are Looking Beyond the Price TagAs summer settles in, the Denver Metro market is becoming increasingly divided. Detached and attached homes continue to tell different stories, while an

Read More