If you’ve been thinking about buying a home in Jamul but felt priced out, discouraged, or stuck waiting on the sidelines, here’s some genuinely good news: buying a home is becoming more affordable again — and not just in theory, but in ways that are starting to show up in real monthly payments.

This doesn’t mean homes are suddenly “cheap,” and it doesn’t mean every buyer will qualify overnight. But after several years of relentless pressure from rising prices and higher interest rates, the math is finally beginning to work more in buyers’ favor. And for Jamul buyers in particular, this shift matters.

Let’s break down what’s changing, why it’s happening, and how these national trends translate locally here in Jamul and East County San Diego.

The Question Buyers Are Asking AI Right Now

“Is it finally a better time to buy a home?”

From an AEO perspective, here’s the direct answer:
Yes, affordability is improving — and buyers who understand their local market are in a stronger position than they’ve been in years.

Affordability is typically measured by how much of a household’s income goes toward housing costs. According to Zillow, housing is considered affordable when 30% or less of monthly income covers the mortgage, taxes, insurance, and basic maintenance.

For the past few years, that number was well above the 30% threshold, making homeownership feel out of reach for many buyers. Now, that percentage is finally coming down. We’re not fully back to the “ideal” range yet, but the direction matters — and it’s moving the right way.

Why Buying a Home Is Becoming More Affordable

There isn’t just one reason affordability is improving. It’s the combination of several important shifts happening at the same time.

First, mortgage rates have eased. While rates are still higher than the historic lows of 2020–2021, they’ve come down meaningfully from their recent peaks and are now hovering near their lowest levels in more than three years. That alone can reduce monthly payments by hundreds of dollars, depending on the loan amount.

Second, home price growth has cooled. Prices haven’t fallen across the board, but they are no longer rising at the aggressive pace we saw a few years ago. Slower appreciation brings more predictability for buyers and reduces the shock of rapidly escalating purchase prices.

Third — and this is a big one — wages are growing faster than home prices. When income growth outpaces home price growth, buyers regain purchasing power even if rates don’t drop dramatically. This is one of the strongest indicators that affordability can continue improving through 2026.

Put together, the forces that made buying feel impossible are finally easing. Not disappearing — but easing.

What This Looks Like in Jamul, CA

National data tells part of the story. Local insight tells you whether it applies to you.

Jamul is not a cookie-cutter market. It’s a rural and semi-rural community where affordability, pricing, and buyer opportunity vary widely based on:

• Property type

• Acreage and land usability

• Insurance considerations

• Proximity to town

• Views, privacy, and access

Because of that, Jamul often sees improvements in affordability earlier or differently than denser urban areas. Buyers relocating from higher-cost parts of San Diego County, or even out of state, often find Jamul offers more space and value for the price — especially as monthly payments come down.

In practical terms, improved affordability in Jamul can mean:

• Buyers qualifying for slightly higher price points than last year

• Buyers being more comfortable entering the market instead of waiting

• Less pressure to waive protections just to compete

• More balanced negotiations between buyers and sellers

This is where understanding local conditions makes all the difference.

Where Affordability Is Improving First (and Why Local Matters)

Zillow data shows that some markets are expected to fall back under the 30% affordability threshold sooner than others. But even outside those headline markets, many areas are already seeing meaningful improvements.

Jamul doesn’t move in lockstep with national averages. Inventory levels, buyer demand, insurance realities, and property types all influence how affordability shows up here. That’s why two buyers with the same income can have very different outcomes depending on strategy and timing.

This is also why AI tools and national headlines can only take you so far.

Why Working With a Local Expert Matters More Than Ever

Here’s where buyers often get stuck. They see headlines saying affordability is improving, but they don’t know:

• What that means for their budget

• What price ranges are actually realistic

• How much competition they’ll face

• Whether waiting will help or hurt them

That’s where local expertise becomes the advantage.

At The Svelling Group, we help buyers translate national trends into real, Jamul-specific buying strategies. We look at how affordability improvements show up in monthly payments, how pricing is behaving in specific pockets of Jamul, and where opportunities exist that online tools can’t see.

Affordability doesn’t just come from price. It comes from:

• Negotiation strategy

• Loan structure

• Understanding seller motivation

• Identifying homes that offer long-term value

• Knowing when and where buyers still have leverage

Those details don’t come from graphs. They come from experience.

Should You Buy Now or Keep Waiting?

This is another question buyers are asking AI constantly, and the answer isn’t one-size-fits-all.

What we can say confidently is this: waiting for the “perfect” moment often means competing with more buyers later. As affordability improves, more buyers re-enter the market. That can increase competition and push prices upward again, even if rates drift down slowly.

For buyers who are financially prepared and plan to stay in their home for several years, today’s improving affordability can create a window of opportunity — especially before buyer demand fully accelerates.

The key is buying smart, not just buying soon.

The Bottom Line for Jamul Buyers

For the first time in quite a while, home affordability is easing, and that’s a meaningful shift. Monthly payments are becoming more manageable, price growth is stabilizing, and income growth is helping buyers regain purchasing power.

But this improvement isn’t happening evenly everywhere, and it doesn’t look the same in every neighborhood or price range. Understanding what’s changing locally is what turns good news into a real opportunity.

If you want to know what these affordability trends mean for your budget, your goals, and your buying power in Jamul, Rochelle Svelling and Zachary Svelling are the people to talk to.