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Perhaps you’ve been contemplating a move to a new home, but you currently are sitting on a nice 3 or 4% fixed rate mortgage and are not comfortable jumping to a new mortgage. A new home (size, amenities, community, customized finishes) is very appealing to your family, but the current interest rates and resulting monthly mortgage payment is unsettling.

Some quick facts to consider:

1. What is the impact of mortgage rates on monthly payments? Let’s use an example of a $600k home with a $150k down payment (or equity trade). At the current rate of 5.5%, the monthly payment would be $2,692. Using the same scenario at a 3.0% mortgage rate, the monthly payment would be $1,897. Roughly an $800 increase. Rate matters, but as we will note shortly, you may be losing out on that ‘dream home’ or unrealized equity gain waiting on the unlikely event of interest falling back to the early 202os rates.
2. It has been a buyers’ market, but that is shifting. Inventory is likely going down and pricing is expected to rise somewhat in 2026. Builders are looking to move homes so timing for buyers is considered good for first six months of 2026.
3. Your equity appreciation in a newer home may far outstrip the difference in monthly payment.

Consider these metro Atlanta data points. A home valued at $400k in 2021, would be an estimated $470k – $490k in 2025 – roughly 19% appreciation. Looking a bit further pre-Covid, a home in 2108 valued at $600k would have appreciated to a value of $950k – $1.05M, a jump of 55 – 75%.

What does that mean for Traditions of Braselton?

Recent neighborhood data for our area – the Braselton/Jefferson/Jackson County market indicates that homes purchased in late 2021 have typically appreciated approximately 15%–25% by 2025, with stronger performance for well-maintained homes and those with favorable lot positioning.

Based on these trends, a home purchased for $400,000 in 2021 would reasonably be expected to have a 2025 market value in the range of approximately $470,000 to $510,000, assuming average condition, no major structural issues, and no extensive renovations or significant deferred maintenance. Homes with meaningful interior upgrades, premium lots, or strong curb appeal could command values at or slightly above the top of this range, while homes with dated interiors or less desirable locations would likely fall toward the lower end.

Traditions of Braselton is a master-planned, golf-course community with a strong reputation for quality construction, amenities, and long-term desirability. Homes in the community range widely in size and price, from $500k to larger custom properties exceeding $1M. As a result, appreciation patterns within the neighborhood tend to be more stable than surrounding areas, though growth rates will vary by home size, lot location, and upgrade level.

Traditions of Braselton has generally outperformed nearby neighborhoods, supported by its’ extensive community amenities, options for new home buyers, limited resale inventory, demand for golf-course communities, and its proximity to I-85, and employment centers in Gwinnett and North Atlanta.

This projection is based on available real estate data and may or may not represent a specific home or sale. As always, we recommend you work with a qualified realtor and do your own due diligence.

Homebuying, Mortgage, tips