The average rate on a 30-year fixed rate conventional loan was around 3.5% in January 2022 but has ballooned to around 7% in the last 11 months. Prices are not rising as fast as they have over the course of the pandemic, but they are still higher than last year. What’s more, U.S. incomes are not growing nearly as fast as home prices and inflation.

If you’re hoping to buy a home in this climate, don’t lose hope. There are several strategies you can employ to be able to afford a house without earning six-figures. 

It's no secret that mortgage interest rates have risen this year. Rates have risen almost four percentage points in less than a year. That kind of rate increase can be stressful for home buyers? But what about home sellers? How do increasing rates affect would-be sellers?