Understanding 2026 Housing Pressure Points and Finding Your “Enough” Number for Retirement

See what 2026’s housing costs and mortgage rates might mean for your homebuying plans and learn when you can safely coast on retirement savings.

How is the housing market reshaping homebuying going into 2026? When can you stop saving for retirement and still feel confident about your future? Hosts Sean Pyles and Elizabeth Ayoola discuss Coast FI and long-term retirement planning to help you understand when “enough” might truly be enough. But first, senior news writer Anna Helhoski joins Sean and Elizabeth to discuss the year in housing with mortgage writers Holden Lewis and Kate Wood. They review how ultra-low pandemic mortgage rates helped fuel today’s affordability crisis, why rising climate risks are driving up home insurance and escrow costs for owners, and how shifting trends like older first-time buyers and fewer buyers with kids are changing what “normal” looks like in the housing market.

Then, Sean and Elizabeth discuss Coast FI with listener Paul, who wonders if his roughly $3 million nest egg means he can finally ease off saving for retirement. They discuss how Coast FI differs from traditional FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early), ways to manage retirement anxiety even when the math says you’re on track, and how a certified financial planner can use tools like Monte Carlo simulations to pressure-test a plan. They also explore balancing long-term security with near-term goals like travel, buying a home, or upgrading a car, strategies for diversifying investments and accounts for tax efficiency, and how to gently transition from aggressive saving to actually enjoying more of your money today.

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In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: housing market 2026 forecast, housing affordability crisis, mortgage rates 2026, climate change home insurance, rising home insurance premiums, escrow costs increase, home buying budget, when to buy a house, renting vs buying a home, age of first time homebuyer, delaying homeownership, property taxes and insurance costs, Coast FIRE, how much is enough to retire, retirement anxiety, financial independence, living below your means, high savings rate, couples financial planning, Monte Carlo simulation retirement, certified financial planner, balancing saving and spending, money fears, money stories, currency risk in retirement, travel in retirement, and multiple savings goals.

To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com.

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