"Should I Buy Now or Wait?" — The Colorado Springs Buyer's Market Pivot

If you're PCSing to Colorado Springs this summer, or you're a local family who's been sitting on the fence for two years waiting for "the right time" — I want to talk straight with you about where this market actually stands right now, not where the headlines say it stands.

I'm Clint Jordan. Retired Air Force firefighter, 21 years in. My team and I sell homes to veterans, active duty families, and civilians across Colorado Springs and beyond. I'm not going to tell you to buy just because I sell houses. I'm going to tell you what I'm seeing on the ground, because that's the only way this works.

For the last few years, Colorado Springs buyers have been getting squeezed. Low inventory, bidding wars, sellers holding all the leverage. If that's the picture still in your head, it's time to update it. Inventory here is up more than 20% compared to last year, homes are sitting on the market longer in a lot of neighborhoods, and sellers are back to offering real concessions — rate buydowns, closing cost credits, repairs — instead of just taking the highest offer and running. That's not a small shift. That's a market that's handing some leverage back to buyers for the first time in years.

At the same time, VA loan rates have settled into the mid-6% range on a 30-year fixed, down meaningfully from the highs we saw not long ago. Rates aren't at rock bottom, and I'm not going to pretend they are. But "waiting for rates to drop" has a cost most people don't run the math on: if prices keep climbing even modestly while you wait, the equity you lose sitting on the sidelines can easily outweigh what you'd save from a slightly lower rate later. A lower payment on a higher price isn't automatically a win.

There's also something bigger happening at the federal level that directly affects this conversation. In July 2026, Congress passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act — the first major federal housing package in decades, and it passed with serious bipartisan support. Two pieces of it matter most for buyers here: first, it puts new limits on large institutional investors buying up single-family homes at scale, which takes some of the competition out of the entry-level market that veterans and first-time buyers compete in hardest. Second, it's aimed at boosting housing supply and cutting through regulatory red flags that have slowed new construction. Neither of those changes things overnight, but they point in the same direction as what we're already seeing locally: more inventory, less pressure, more room to negotiate.

For military families specifically, there's one more piece of good news. BAH rates increased again in 2026, which changes what you can actually afford compared to last year's numbers. If you ran the math on a home purchase twelve months ago and walked away thinking it didn't pencil out, it's worth running it again — your housing allowance may have moved more than you think. And if you're using a VA loan, the funding fee is now tax-deductible for eligible borrowers, which is a new wrinkle in 2026 that can meaningfully change your total cost of ownership.

So — buy now or wait? Here's the honest answer: it depends on your situation, not on trying to time a national headline. If you're PCSing on a set timeline, waiting isn't really a choice you get to make freely — you need a plan either way, and right now that plan comes with more negotiating power than it has in years. If you're a local buyer with flexibility, the question is less about the "perfect moment" and more about whether your financial footing is solid today. Markets shift. Your ability to actually afford the payment, cover the down payment, and sleep at night with the mortgage — that's the thing that doesn't shift with the news cycle.

What I tell every client, veteran or not, is the same thing: run your own numbers against today's real conditions, not last year's fear or next year's hope. That's what my team is here for — not to push you into a decision, but to make sure you're making it with real information.

FAQ Section

Is Colorado Springs a buyer's market in 2026?

It's trending that way. Inventory has risen significantly compared to last year, and homes are taking longer to sell in many neighborhoods, giving buyers more room to negotiate on price, concessions, and repairs than in recent years.

Should I wait for VA loan rates to drop before buying?

Not necessarily. VA rates are currently in the mid-6% range, and while they could move either direction, waiting carries its own risk — if home prices continue rising even modestly, the equity lost by waiting can outweigh the savings from a slightly lower rate later. The better question is whether your finances are ready today.

What is the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act and does it affect me?

It's a major federal housing law passed in July 2026 that restricts large institutional investors from buying up more single-family homes and aims to increase overall housing supply. For everyday buyers, especially veterans and first-time buyers, it means less competition from large-scale investors in the entry-level market over time.

Did BAH go up in 2026?

Yes. BAH rates increased again in 2026, which may change your buying power compared to calculations you ran last year. It's worth re-running your affordability numbers with current rates.

Is the VA funding fee really tax-deductible now?

For eligible borrowers, yes — this became effective in 2026. It's a new factor that can improve the overall cost picture of a VA loan compared to previous years, though eligibility depends on individual circumstances, so it's worth confirming with your lender or tax professional.

How do I know if now is the right time for me specifically?

Look at your own timeline, savings, and stability — not the news cycle. If you have a PCS date, a plan matters more than perfect timing. If you're flexible, focus on whether you can comfortably afford today's payment rather than trying to predict where rates or prices go next.

Whether you're PCSing this summer or you've just been waiting for the market to make sense, let's run your numbers together — no pressure, no sales pitch. Visit clintjordan.com or reach out to The Jordan Group directly, and let's figure out what "now or later" actually means for your situation.