I'm Ian Alkire. You've heard me say marry the house, date the rate — here's what that actually means with the 30-year fixed sitting at 7.55%.
First, the math. On a $350,000 house with 0% down VA, the difference between 7.55% and 6.5% is roughly $200 a month. That's real money. But it's not a reason to sit on the sidelines.
Here's what I watched happen over and over: families wait two years for a rate that never comes while prices run away from them. The house you could've bought for $350K is now $390K, and that "savings" on rate never materialized.
The play: buy the house that fits the mission at today's numbers. If the payment works with your BAH and your budget, move. When rates drop — and they will, they always cycle — you refinance. That's dating the rate.
Three rules: (1) Never buy a payment you can't afford today hoping for a refi tomorrow. (2) Get pre-approved with a lender who actually understands VA. (3) Run the rent-vs-buy math honestly; in this corridor, buying still wins for anyone staying 3+ years.
Rates are a chapter. The house is the book.