2026’s Housing Affordability Reset: What It Really Means For Relocating Employees

For three years, housing has quietly sabotaged otherwise great relocations: locked‑in low‑rate mortgages, impossible bidding wars, and rent levels that made “cost‑of‑living adjustments” feel theoretical.

In 2026, that pressure finally starts to shift—but slowly.

Analysts describe this year as the beginning of a housing affordability reset, not a sudden bargain market, with wage growth outpacing home‑price growth and mortgage rates easing just enough to unlock moves that were on hold.

A Reset, Not A Crash—And Why That Matters For Mobility

Forecasts for 2026 are surprisingly consistent:

• Home‑price growth is expected to be very modest, with some markets roughly flat.

• Wages are projected to grow faster than prices for the first sustained period in years, gradually improving payment‑to‑income ratios.

• Mortgage rates drift down from their peak but stay structurally higher than the ultra‑low era that created today’s lock‑in effect.

For mobility programs and relocating employees, this is huge. It means fewer people are “trapped” by an old ultra‑low mortgage, and more can realistically consider selling, buying, or resetting their housing strategy in the new city.

How The Reset Changes Employee Decisions

In an affordability reset, the decision frame changes:

• From “I can’t move without blowing up my mortgage” to “What trade‑offs am I willing to make in a 6% world?”

• From “There are no listings that fit us” to “Inventory is tight, but there are real options if we’re flexible on timing, neighbourhood, or tenure (own vs. rent).”

• From “We’ll wait for a crash” to “We’ll plan for gradual improvement and protect stability along the way.”

Mobility specialists are already talking about how modestly better affordability, slightly more inventory, and clearer pricing are enough to unlock relocations that were previously stalled. But they are also clear: every micro‑market behaves differently, and affordability gains are uneven.

Why Employers Can’t Just Assume “It’s Easier Now”

Even in a reset, relocations still run into real housing friction:

• Employees may face “dual housing” periods if the departure home takes longer to sell while they are renting or carrying a mortgage in the destination city.

• Rental markets in key job hubs can stay tight and expensive, even as ownership affordability slowly improves.

• Policy shifts and regional differences mean that two employees moving the same year can experience totally different levels of stress and risk.

Thoughtful programs are responding by expanding rental‑first options, extending temporary housing timelines, and building more flexible home‑sale and home‑purchase support rather than assuming everyone will buy quickly.

How AHOM Works Inside A Reset Year

In a year like 2026, the goal is not to promise the “perfect” transaction. It is to design a move that keeps housing from undermining performance, family stability, or financial health. That often means:

• Mapping the real affordability picture in both departure and destination markets before decisions are locked in.

• Stress‑testing scenarios—sell now vs. later, rent vs. buy, bridge or temporary housing—against the employee’s income, obligations, and risk tolerance.

• Coordinating timing so that home‑sale, temporary accommodation, and destination housing feel like one plan instead of three separate crises.

Housing affordability is slowly improving, but it is not simple. If your organization is moving people—or you are the one being asked to move—2026’s reset is a chance to do relocation differently: less improvisation, more structure.

Want clarity, guidance, and more than conversations? Connect with us at info@ahomrmc.com.