CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- For homebuyers in Charlotte, patience is not a virtue.

"Hesitating into maybe later in the year of 2018 is going to cost them more money up front and over the course of their investment,” realtor Peggy Leo-Gallo said.

Home prices around Charlotte rose 7% in the last year, according to CoreLogic. Nationally, prices are expected to rise more than 4% in the next year.

“Charlotte is poised to be the 7th most active real estate market in 2018 in the country,” Leo-Gallo said

On top of rising values, mortgage expert Beth Courtney expects interest rates to rise a quarter of a percent to 3/8th a percent by next December.

Which seems insignificant. But, "It could be the difference of someone getting a mortgage and not getting a mortgage,” Courtney said.

On a $250,000 home, that extra fraction of a percent could mean paying an extra $14,000+ over a 30 year loan.

Wells Fargo economists say home prices will continue rising in 2018 well ahead of incomes and inflation.