Looking to buy or sell a home in 2019?
It will help to know what you’re up against. 
In many markets, the low-volume home market trend fueling rapid increases in home prices may lose steam.
Yet rising interest rates may cause more buyers and sellers to hold off on deals.
Interest rates are at their highest mark since 2011.
Higher rates are a sign of a good economy – especially compared with historically low unemployment rates.
The Federal Reserve hiked interest rates 3 times in 2018 with a 4th likely and may increase them more than once in 2019.
A marginally higher interest rate doesn’t necessarily add a significant amount to the total you pay for your mortgage. But in monthly payments you could see “a couple hundred dollar increase, and that can make a huge difference,” said Jim Murrett, president of the Appraisal Institute.
As a result, this is slowing the rise in home prices and increasing the number of days homes are on the market. 
“That higher cost is really driving the weakness in the housing market,” says Tian Liu, chief economist for Genworth Mortgage Insurance.
Increases in mortgage rates could add $100 to monthly payments.
Potential buyers don’t like to take a chance of home values dropping or being unable to make payments, explains John Pataky, executive vice president at TIAA bank.
“They might be able to afford it, but they elect not to because they feel it might be a risk they’re not willing to take,” he said.
The decline in active buyers will likely lead to slow growth of home prices. Home prices have outpaced wage growth in many markets for the last few years. That growth will slow and possibly flatline in smaller markets where price growth hasn’t been as fast.
Homeowners looking to sell may hesitate to put their home on the market. That also means finding and buying a new house, which often requires a new mortgage and higher interest rates. 
As a result, buyers can expect continued low inventory of houses.
Instead of selling, homeowners will build equity as they pay off their existing mortgage and improve their property to increase its value.
Home owners see alternatives to placing their homes on the market. The last few years have seen growth in the number of iBuyers, investment companies and home flippers who buy homes to renovate and resell them. 
Homeowners can contract with House Buyers of America, Opendoor and OfferPad to sell the house directly. 
Larger companies team with local investors who make the purchase and renovate.
While it’s unlikely this will replace the need for real estate agents, it’s becoming a popular option.
Sellers may find selling to a company rather than an individual buyer will speed up the sale although the sale price is often less than what the house would bring on the market.
Owners are looking for hassle-free ways to sell their homes.
Devon Thorsby is real estate editor of US News & World Report.