Ask Tim Tepes Tips & Tricks: November 2026 Lehigh Valley Real Estate Q&A

The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 7.18% for the week ending November 5, 2026, according to the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, down from 7.24% the week before and its third straight weekly decline. The reliable answer is that no one can time the market: rates move on national economic news that no local agent can predict. Buy when the full monthly payment fits your budget and your life is ready, and treat a future refinance as a bonus, not the plan.

See the financing guide for how pre-approval and rate locks work.

For the right buyer, yes. Fewer homes come on the market in November and December, but far fewer buyers are out competing for them, and a home listed before the holidays is usually priced to sell before spring. Pre-approved buyers can often negotiate from a quieter field and close while the calendar is still light.

See the buyer guide for the buying process step by step.

The most recent Greater Lehigh Valley REALTORS report, for September 2026, shows the median sale price at $375,000, up 6.8% from a year ago, with homes receiving about 100.8% of list price and averaging 20 days on market. Pending sales were down 7.7% and active inventory rose 10.8% to 963 homes, so buyers have a little more to choose from while prices have held firm. GLVR typically releases the October report in mid-November.

See the Lehigh Valley market update for the local numbers in plain language.

Winter sellers face less competition, because a large share of homeowners wait for spring, and the buyers who are out in November and December are usually serious and ready to move. September homes sold at about 100.8% of list price in about three weeks, so the market has not softened at the price level. If your timeline says sell before spring anyway, listing now rather than joining the spring crowd can work in your favor.

See the seller guide for pricing and preparation that protect your sale.

The checklist that protects a Lehigh Valley home before a freeze: disconnect and drain outdoor hoses and shut off exterior spigots, have the furnace or boiler serviced, clean gutters and downspouts after the leaves drop so water drains away from the foundation, and test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Once snow arrives, watch the roofline for ice dams and keep the heat at a steady temperature during cold snaps so pipes do not freeze.

See the fall home maintenance checklist for the full seasonal routine.

An appeal is an option, and many owners are weighing one this year. Lehigh County's first countywide reassessment since 2013 is rolling out for 2027, and on October 28, 2026, the county commissioners adopted the 2027 budget with a 16.7% county property tax increase, raising the county millage from 3.78 to 4.41 mills, about $441 per $100,000 of assessed value. The deadline to appeal a reassessment notice is printed on the notice itself, and it is firm, so check the date immediately. Appeals go through the county Board of Assessment Appeals with evidence and filing fees. This is general information, not tax or legal advice, so start with the Lehigh County Assessment Department and consider a licensed tax or legal professional for your own situation.

See the property tax appeal guide for the deadlines and forms for each county.

It is a proposal, not a final bill, as of November 2026. The county executive's proposed 2027 budget includes a 43.5% county property tax increase, from 10.8 to 15.5 mills. County Council is reviewing the budget with meetings through November, a public hearing is set for December 3, and final adoption is expected in December; council can amend the plan first. County tax is only one layer of the bill, which also includes your municipality and school district.

See the property tax watch for the full picture of the 2027 county budgets.

The rate matters, but the property's own numbers matter more. Near 7.18%, financing costs eat deeper into cash flow, so the discipline is to verify what similar homes actually rent for in that town, then compare that rent against the mortgage, taxes, insurance, maintenance, and a vacancy cushion before you offer. Properties that cash flow in a higher-rate market are harder to find, and that is exactly why the ones that pencil out are worth holding.

See the investment properties guide for the due-diligence numbers behind a rental that works.

That depends on where the build stands, not on the calendar. Closing happens when construction reaches the finish stage and passes the municipal inspections, so a home that is not through its inspections will not close by a date made up on the sales contract. If a year-end closing matters to you, ask the builder for the written construction schedule and each inspection milestone before you sign, and keep your own licensed inspector involved.

See the new construction guide for every question to ask a builder before you sign.