Should I Sell My House Now or Wait? 3 Questions for Utah Sellers
By Cory Salisbury, Realtor - Simple Choice Real Estate · helping Utah families since 2014
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Watch: the 3 questions in 80 seconds
Short answer: nobody can tell you where the market is going, so don't decide on a prediction. Answer three questions instead. Where are you moving next? What's your mortgage rate, and will you need a new loan? What would you actually walk away with? Answer those three and now-or-wait pretty much answers itself.
Sources: UtahRealEstate.com (Wasatch Front Regional MLS) Sales Per Month report for Utah County and Salt Lake County, August 2026, pulled September 17, 2026; UtahRealEstate.com monthly market reports for August 2026 (single-family), as reported by Homie; Utah Association of REALTORS® Monthly Indicators, August 2026; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, September 17, 2026; FHFA National Mortgage Database, first quarter 2026. Page last updated September 2026.
Why can't anyone tell you whether to sell now or wait?
Because nobody knows what prices or rates will do next, and anyone who says they do is guessing. I'm not going to pretend otherwise. What I can do is help you decide on the things you can see today. It's a lot like trading in a truck. What matters isn't what trucks are doing on the news. It's what you're driving next, what the payment will be, and what they'll give you for yours.
Question 1: Where are you moving next?
If your next home is here in Utah, you're buying in the same market you're selling in. A softer market helps you as a buyer about as much as it costs you as a seller. If you'd have to make concessions to sell, the sellers you buy from are likely making them too.
- Homes on the market: about 17,274 across Utah in August 2026, up 2.4% from a year earlier, per the Utah Association of REALTORS® Monthly Indicators.
- Buyers: with higher interest rates, fewer buyers are closing. Single-family closed sales in August 2026 were down about 24% from a year earlier in both Utah County and Salt Lake County (UtahRealEstate.com monthly market reports, as reported by Homie). Pricing and preparation matter more than they did a few years back.
Question 2: What's your rate, and will you need a new loan?
About half of the mortgages in the country are under 4%, per the FHFA National Mortgage Database for the first quarter of 2026. Freddie Mac's 30-year average was 6.95% on September 17, 2026. If you'd trade a low rate for a new loan, that gap is real money.
- At 3% on a $400,000, 30-year loan: about $1,686 a month in principal and interest.
- At 6.95% on the same loan: about $2,648 a month.
- The difference: about $961 more a month.
If you're downsizing or paying cash, the rate matters much less. I'm not a lender. A licensed lender confirms your real numbers, and they depend on your loan size, credit and the rate you're offered.
Question 3: What would you actually walk away with?
Count the sale price, not the list price. In August 2026, the typical home that sold in Utah County closed at about 98% of its first asking price after a median of 45 days on the market. In Salt Lake County it was about 97% after 42 days, per the UtahRealEstate.com Sales Per Month report (medians, all residential types).
Then take out what comes off the top:
- your mortgage payoff
- commissions, including anything you offer toward the buyer's agent
- title and closing costs
- any concessions you give the buyer
What's left is your walk-away number. Commissions are negotiable. The buyer's agent is paid under the agreement the buyer signs with that agent, and you decide what, if anything, you offer toward it. With my Smart Seller Program I list homes for as little as 1% plus a $495 transaction fee at closing, and you can cancel anytime.
When is waiting the right call?
Sometimes the honest answer is wait, and I'll tell you when it is. If there's no real reason to move, your home needs prep you can't take on yet, or your next step isn't sorted, waiting can be the right choice. A move without a reason behind it usually isn't worth the cost.
Does the season you list in matter?
A little. More buyers tend to shop in spring and early summer, and things quiet down around the holidays. But season is one factor, not the whole decision. A home that's prepped and priced right can sell any time of year.
Want your numbers? Send me a message and I'll run them with you. Cory Salisbury, Realtor with Simple Choice Real Estate.
General education, not mortgage, tax, or legal advice. Cory Salisbury is not a mortgage broker or lender; loan eligibility, rates, and terms are determined by a licensed lender. Market figures are the sources' reported numbers for the stated periods, not a prediction. Cory Salisbury, Realtor, Simple Choice Real Estate. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Frequently asked questions
Should I sell my house now or wait until 2027?
Nobody can tell you what prices or rates will do by 2027, so don't build the decision on a guess. Decide on three things you can see today: where you're moving next, what a new loan would cost you, and what you'd actually walk away with. If those line up, now is your time; if they don't, waiting is a fair answer.
Is it a good time to sell a house in Utah?
It depends on your situation more than the calendar. In August 2026 the typical home that sold in Utah County closed at about 98% of its first asking price after a median of 45 days on the market, and in Salt Lake County at about 97% after 42 days (UtahRealEstate.com). More homes were on the market than a year earlier, so pricing and preparation matter more than they did a few years ago.
How much more would a new mortgage cost if I have a 3% rate?
On a $400,000, 30-year loan, principal and interest is about $1,686 a month at 3% and about $2,648 at 6.95%, Freddie Mac's 30-year average on September 17, 2026. That's about $961 more a month. Your real number depends on your loan size, credit and the rate a licensed lender offers you.
How close to asking price are Utah homes selling?
In August 2026 the median home that sold closed at 98% of its first asking price in Utah County and 97% in Salt Lake County, across all residential types (UtahRealEstate.com Sales Per Month report). Use the sale price, not the list price, when you estimate what you'll walk away with.
Can I negotiate the buyer's agent commission when I sell in Utah?
Yes. What a buyer's agent is paid is set in the agreement the buyer signs with that agent. As the seller, you decide what, if anything, you offer toward it, and any difference is between the buyer and their agent.
When is it smarter to wait to sell?
When you have no real reason to move, your home needs work you can't take on yet, or your next home isn't sorted. A move without a reason behind it usually isn't worth the cost of selling.
Helpful next steps
General education, not mortgage, tax, or legal advice. Cory Salisbury is not a mortgage broker or lender; loan eligibility, rates, and terms are determined by a licensed lender. Cory Salisbury, Realtor, Simple Choice Real Estate. Equal Housing Opportunity.