Martini Mortgage Group: 5 Smart Ways to Buy a Home

Raleigh mortgage rates just dipped to their lowest level in almost a year. Yet most buyers will snooze right through it.

Don’t make that mistake.

If you’ve been waiting for “perfect timing”—for rates to drop even more, or for a housing crash in Raleigh—you might miss the window that’s open right now.

As a Raleigh Mortgage Broker and Certified Mortgage Advisor, I’ve helped thousands of families create generational wealth through homeownership. At the Martini Mortgage Group, our fiduciary approach isn’t about selling loans. It’s about giving you clarity, strategy, and the lowest lifetime cost of borrowing.

And right now, with rates in the low to mid-6s, you have leverage. The kind of leverage you’ll look back on and say, “I’m glad I moved when I did.”

Here are 5 smart ways to buy a home while mortgage rates are at 11-month lows.

1. Lock Your Raleigh Mortgage Rate Before the Bounce

Mortgage rates move like a roller coaster. They drop, bounce, and take opportunities with them.

Here’s the Kevin Martini translation: if you like today’s rate, lock it in.

Locking with the Martini Mortgage Group protects you if rates rise. If they drop lower before closing, many programs allow a “float down.” But if they rebound higher, you’re stuck paying more—potentially tens of thousands over the life of the loan.

It’s like airfare: wait too long, and the ticket price soars. Except this isn’t a vacation—it’s your future wealth.

2. Leverage Seller Concessions While You Still Can

When rates were over 7%, sellers got creative. They offered:

• Closing cost credits
• Seller-funded rate buydowns
• Extra flexibility in negotiations

Here’s the secret: those concessions are still available. But as buyers flood back into Raleigh real estate, sellers will stop offering them.

Today, you can pair lower Raleigh mortgage rates with seller contributions to reduce upfront costs and monthly payments. That’s rare leverage—and it won’t last long.

3. Buy the Payment, Not the Rate

Everyone obsesses over interest rates. “Is it 6.5% or 6.7%?”

But you don’t live in the mortgage rate. You live in the payment.

At the Martini Mortgage Group, we guide you to define two numbers:

• Your ideal monthly payment
• Your maximum comfort ceiling

Then we run scenarios to show what fits your lifestyle, budget, and wealth goals.

The truth? Owning a home—even if rates shift slightly—is more impactful than chasing a “perfect” rate that never comes.

4. Explore Creative (But Safe) Financing Options

Lower rates open new financing doors. Some smart strategies include:

• Temporary Buydowns – Start with a reduced payment that gradually increases.
• Down Payment Assistance Programs – Especially valuable for first-time buyers in Raleigh.
• A Fiduciary Style Loan Structures – Focused on your lowest lifetime cost of borrowing.

But beware: some shiny-object loans look cheap in year one and sting in year five.

That’s why partnering with a Raleigh Mortgage Lender that takes a fiduciary approach like Martini Mortgage Group matters. Our strategies are designed to fit your life—not just a sales quota.

5. Stop Waiting for a Crash That Isn’t Coming

Let’s be clear: the housing crash buyers hope for isn’t coming.

Here’s why:

• Over 40% of U.S. homeowners don’t even have a mortgage. They’re not panic-selling.
• In Raleigh, housing demand surges every time rates dip.
• Even modest appreciation means waiting costs you equity, tax benefits, and stability.

The real “crash” isn’t in home prices. It’s in the opportunity cost of sitting on the sidelines.

The Bigger Picture: Why Now Matters by Kevin Martini

Here’s what’s happening right now in Raleigh real estate:

• Mortgage rates are at an 11-month low.
• Sellers are still flexible.
• Creative financing strategies exist to reduce your lifetime borrowing cost.

This isn’t about catching the perfect rate. It’s about using today’s window of leverage before it closes.

Because six months from now, if rates rebound, inventory tightens, and prices tick higher, you don’t want to be the buyer saying, “I missed it again.”

Final Thoughts from Kevin Martini

At the Martini Mortgage Group, we believe buying a home isn’t about timing the market. It’s about timing your life.

Here’s how to buy smart while rates are at 11-month lows:

1. Lock your rate before the bounce.
2. Leverage seller concessions.
3. Focus on the payment, not the rate.
4. Explore creative, safe financing.
5. Stop waiting for a crash that isn’t coming.

If you’re ready, my team—led by myself, Kevin Martini, and my son Logan Martini—is here to help. As your trusted Raleigh Mortgage Broker and Raleigh Mortgage Lender, we’ll build a strategy around your goals.

👉 Schedule your private strategy session
👉 Listen to Episode 226 of the Martini Mortgage Podcast

Because the most brilliant move isn’t about predicting rates. It’s about making the right move for your life, right now.

FAQs: 5 Smart Ways to Buy a Home While Rates Are at 11-Months Lows

Q1: Who is Kevin Martini and why is he trusted in Raleigh real estate?

Kevin Martini is a Certified Mortgage Advisor and co-founder of the Martini Mortgage Group in Raleigh, NC. Since 2006, he has helped thousands of families buy and refinance homes using a fiduciary approach—meaning his advice is focused on your best interests, not selling a product. Kevin is also the host of the Martini Mortgage Podcast, a top resource for homebuyers and Realtors in Raleigh.

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Q2: What makes Martini Mortgage Group different from other Raleigh mortgage brokers or lenders?

Most lenders are transactional—they sell a loan and move on. At the Martini Mortgage Group, we operate as fiduciary mortgage planners. That means we:

• Focus on the lowest lifetime cost of borrowing, not just the lowest rate today.
• Provide education and clarity so you know every option, not just the easy one.
• Deliver a stress-free process with on-time closings (a huge plus for Realtors).
• Offer personalized strategies like seller concessions, rate buydowns, and down payment assistance.

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Q3: Who is Logan Martini, and how does he work with Raleigh homebuyers?

Logan Martini is a Mortgage Strategist at Martini Mortgage Group. He partners with Kevin Martini to guide homebuyers—especially first-time buyers—through creative financing strategies. Logan is known for simplifying complex loan options like temporary buydowns and down payment assistance, ensuring buyers feel confident and informed.

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Q4: Why should I lock my mortgage rate now instead of waiting?

Mortgage rates are at an 11-month low, but they’re unpredictable. Locking today protects you if rates rise. If they fall further before closing, many programs allow you to “float down” to the lower rate. Think of it as insurance—you secure the savings now while keeping flexibility later. Waiting could cost you tens of thousands of dollars over the life of the loan.

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Q5: What exactly are seller concessions in Raleigh real estate?

Seller concessions are financial incentives offered by the seller to attract buyers. Examples include:

• Covering some or all of your closing costs
• Paying points to buy down your interest rate
• Offering repair credits so you don’t have to pay out of pocket

In today’s market, buyers in Raleigh can often negotiate thousands of dollars in seller concessions—but once competition heats back up, sellers rarely give them.

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Q6: Why should buyers focus on the payment, not the rate?

Because you don’t live in a rate—you live in a payment. Whether the rate is 6.5% or 6.7% doesn’t matter as much as whether the monthly payment fits your lifestyle, budget, and long-term wealth goals. At Martini Mortgage Group, we help buyers set a comfort range for payments, then design strategies around that number instead of chasing perfect rates that may never come.

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Q7: What creative financing options are available in Raleigh right now?

Some popular strategies include:

• Temporary Buydowns: Start with a lower payment for the first 1–3 years, then step up gradually.
• Down Payment Assistance Programs: Available to qualifying buyers in Raleigh, reducing upfront costs.
• Custom Loan Structures: Fiduciary-designed plans to minimize the lifetime cost of borrowing.

Important: not all creative loans are safe. That’s why it’s essential to work with a fiduciary-focused lender like Martini Mortgage Group, which evaluates every option with your future in mind.

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Q8: Will the housing market in Raleigh crash in 2025?

Highly unlikely. Over 40% of U.S. homeowners are mortgage-free, which means they’re not being forced to sell. Combine that with steady demand in Raleigh real estate, a growing job market, and limited supply, and you get resilience—not collapse. Prices may flatten or grow modestly, but a “crash” like 2008 isn’t expected. Waiting for one could mean missing out on years of equity and tax benefits.

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Q9: How does working with a Raleigh mortgage broker help me compared to a bank?

Banks only offer their own loan products. A Raleigh mortgage broker like Martini Mortgage Group has access to multiple lenders and programs, which means:

• More options tailored to your needs
• Competitive rates and strategies beyond one bank’s offerings
• A fiduciary partner who works for you, not a single institution
• Local expertise in Raleigh real estate and connections with Realtors, attorneys, and inspectors

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Q10: How can I get started with Martini Mortgage Group?

It’s simple:

1. Schedule a complimentary private strategy session with Kevin or Logan Martini → Book here.
2. Explore educational resources like the Martini Mortgage Podcast.
3. Apply online securely and in a mobile-friendly environment with Logan Martini

We’ll review your goals, run personalized scenarios, and craft a plan to help you buy smarter—not just cheaper.