There's real truth to that, though it doesn't hold for every buyer or every home. When rates are elevated, the monthly payment hurts more, so buyers who can still afford to purchase get pickier about what they'll stretch for. They gravitate to well-located, move-in-ready homes and pass on the compromised ones. The two-bed two-bath, the awkward layout, the busy street all sit longer. Homes that sit are where a patient buyer finds room to negotiate. So yes, in a higher-rate environment the overlooked homes often become the best opportunities, precisely because the pickier buyers skipped them. When financing is expensive, competition concentrates on the best homes and thins out everywhere else. That pattern is durable. Two cautions: - Make sure the home actually fits. A cheaper-because-nobody-wanted-it house is only a deal if it genuinely works for your needs and your time horizon. - Watch what happens when rates ease. Some buyers who waited will jump back in out of fear of missing out, and competition for those same overlooked homes can return quickly. We've watched people wait years for a rate that never came back and miss their window entirely. Being honest about what fits beats trying to time the perfect entry.