If there’s one piece of info to take away from today’s guest, it’s that there’s no "perfect" moment to buy a home. It's about timing your life, not the market. In today’s episode, I sat down with repeat guest Daryl Fairweather –– Chief Economist at Redfin and author of Hate the Game: Economic Cheat Codes for Life, Love, and Work. We got into the real, updated math on buying a home in 2026: mortgage rates, whether prices have already peaked, the climate risk nobody's pricing in correctly, and the creative paths (co-buying, ADUs, house hacking) more people are turning to because the old rules just don't work anymore. If you've felt priced out, behind, or like homeownership might not be "in the cards" for you, this episode will change how you think about the whole decision.
Daryl’s Links:
Website: https://www.redfin.com/
Hate the Game book: https://www.hatethegamebook.com/
Daryl's IG: https://www.instagram.com/fairweatherphd/?hl=en
Learn the exact strategies to save money, pay off debt, improve your money mindset, and increase your net worth. Get your personalized plan: https://herfirst100k.com/ffpod.
00:00 Intro
01:06 Is it too late to buy a home?
03:00 What winning looks like when the system feels unwinnable
04:27 Smart next moves for stuck renters and would-be buyers
06:34 Why housing may get more affordable over the next decade
08:21 Climate change and the coming insurance crisis
11:22 When does buying actually make sense? (the 5-year rule)
14:53 How job stability and housing go hand in hand
17:05 Preparing to buy: talk to a lender early
19:58 Rethinking the 20% down payment
21:16 Creative paths to homeownership: co-buying, ADUs, house hacking
25:07 Starter home vs. waiting for the dream home
27:39 How housing costs will reshape households and family life
28:58 Will the housing market crash?
32:29 Misconceptions keeping people stuck
35:54 What to do if you're priced out right now
37:24 The mindset shift: timing your life, not the market
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