Wait for Prices. Wait for Rates. Wait for Inventory

“I’ve been telling myself these things for over a year now.”

Like many of you, I’ve been sitting on the sidelines of Miami’s real estate market, watching the turbulence with a mix of anxiety and calculation. High mortgage rates, rapidly increasing prices, economic uncertainty — all of these factors left me hesitant to pull the trigger on buying a home.

But recently, I asked myself a simple question: What has waiting actually cost me?

When Building and Buying Collide

While I’ve been building Agent Mira and developing our AI tools to revolutionize real estate, I’ve simultaneously been a potential homebuyer myself, experiencing the same frustrations and uncertainties as our clients.

This isn’t just theoretical for me. Each month, I’ve wrestled with whether this is the right time to buy. I’ve watched properties I liked go up in price, some get purchased by others while I wait on the sidelines. I’ve tracked mortgage rates obsessively. I’ve done exactly what many of you are doing — waiting for better conditions, convinced that patience would reward me financially.

The irony wasn’t lost on me. Here I was, building a company to help homebuyers make better decisions, while my own decision-making was paralyzed by the same emotional factors affecting everyone else.

My Financial Reality Check

So, I decided to practice what I preach — to set emotions aside and analyze the data.

I conducted a detailed financial comparison between buying in March 2024 versus waiting until March 2025 (when I still hadn’t purchased). The analysis was straightforward, and for me, the results were honestly painful:

Had I purchased in March 2024, I would be significantly better off financially today.

This wasn’t just a minor difference. It was substantial enough to make me question my entire approach to the market.

Myth #1: “High Mortgage Rates Mean You Should Wait”

I had convinced myself that buying with rates above 6% was financial suicide. “I’ll wait until they drop back to 4-5%,” I kept saying.

But after running the numbers, I realized I was falling for the common mistake rather than looking at the data.

The truth is, as the saying goes, “marry the house and date the rate.” This contrarian wisdom exists for a reason, and I wish I’d embraced it earlier.

With the right strategy (like selecting a floating rate mortgage), I could have kept payments stable, reduced costs as rates fell, or simply refinanced later. Waiting didn’t save me — it cost me.

Myth #2: “High Home Prices Will Eventually Come Down”

This was perhaps my biggest miscalculation.

Like many buyers, I thought Miami’s prices had to fall. But when I looked at historical data, I realized home prices rarely crash by 10–20% outside of once-in-a-generation events like 2008.

Instead, they typically level during downturns. Meanwhile, Miami home values rose ~6.2% year-over-year as of March 2025. My waiting strategy left me missing out on appreciation and equity-building.

Myth #3: “Limited Inventory Means Fewer Options”

“I’ll wait until there are more homes to choose from,” I told myself.

What I failed to account for was that limited inventory also keeps many buyers out of the market — reducing competition.

Some excellent properties were sitting longer than they should have, but I missed them. With better tools and strategies (like those we’re building at Agent Mira), I could have found opportunities. Instead, I let perception blind me to reality.

The Personal Cost of Waiting

Here’s what my analysis showed:

  • The homes I was eyeing appreciated ~3.5% in value

  • Mortgage rates haven’t meaningfully decreased

  • I paid another year of rent without building equity

  • My down payment sitting in the S&P 500 didn’t offset these losses

Even with closing costs, I’d be tens of thousands of dollars better off had I purchased in 2024.

What This Means for You

My story reflects why most people aren’t buying:

  • Limited inventory (34%)

  • Waiting for rates to drop (18%)

  • Waiting for prices to drop (9%)

But the reality is clear: waiting rarely pays in Miami.

Learning From My Mistake

This isn’t just business — it’s personal.

I founded Agent Mira to build the service I wished I had: one that cuts through emotion and myths with data-driven insights, and one that puts the buyer’s interests first.

I’ve experienced the cost of waiting. Now I’m committed to ensuring no buyer makes decisions based on conventional wisdom.

The Bottom Line

Trying to time Miami’s real estate market based on emotion or conventional wisdom has been costly for me — and historically, for most buyers.

I’ve stopped trying to predict “perfect conditions.” Instead, I’m focused on finding the right property at the right price, using the tools and data-driven approaches we’re building at Agent Mira.

We are putting together a tool that will help you do the same analysis. DM me on LinkedIn or email anil(at)agentmira.ai for early access.

I founded Agent Mira to be the advocate I wish I’d had in my own journey — one whose AI technology and pricing model are designed to protect buyers, not push them.