Mortgage rates rose again this week after the federal government shutdown ended, giving investors access to economic data to guide their decisions. Industry pundits and prognosticators today largely believe that, at least through the rest of 2025, nothing in the data is likely to move mortgage rates much. Even though it was compiled before […]
Mortgage rates likely to remain stable for the rest of 2025 Read More »
President Donald Trump suggested he would fire Scott Bessent if the Treasury secretary doesn’t help secure lower interest rates, expressing ongoing frustration with the Federal Reserve’s reluctance to cut rates more quickly. Trump’s remarks — made in a joking tone — come amid increased pressure on the administration from voters to lower the cost of
Trump quips he’ll fire Bessent if interest rates not lowered Read More »
Reports of a sub-1% mortgage rate are no exaggeration. D.R. Horton was offering that ultra-low rate last month on certain new homes, a salesperson confirmed this week. Today, the industry giant and its homebuilder peers are still promoting attractive terms, with fixed rates as low as 3.99% and with buydowns, down to 1.99%. Jeremy Schachter,
What’s behind homebuilders’ ultra-low rate deals Read More »
Consecutive weeks of mortgage rate increases suppressed refinance activity, causing a notable fall in mortgage applications, the Mortgage Bankers Association found. The MBA’s Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 5.2% on a seasonally-adjusted basis from one week prior for the week ending Nov. 14. On an unadjusted basis, the Index
Mortgage activity falls as rates tick up again Read More »
After several years of high mortgage rates and hesitation from buyers, momentum is quietly building beneath the surface of the housing market. Sellers are reappearing. Buyers are re-engaging. And for the first time in what feels like forever, there’s movement happening again. No, it’s not a surge. But it is a shift – and it’s
The Housing Market Is Turning a Corner Going into 2026 Read More »
Last week was a solid week for housing demand. Our weekly pending sales data increased by 15.36% year over year, and the Mortgage Bankers Association‘s purchase application data showed 31% year-over-year growth. In fact, if I average the last two weeks, purchase application data is up 28.5% year over year and our weekly pending home
Despite economic uncertainty, weekly housing demand up double digits over 2024 Read More »
The 2025 U.S. housing market has been marked by high mortgage rates, elevated home prices and economic uncertainty, but a new HomeLight survey of loan officers at 80 top lending companies found that despite the negatives, most lenders are optimistic about their near-term prospects. More than 85% of survey respondents expect mortgage originations to rise
HomeLight: Lenders optimistic about 2026 originations growth Read More »
After a year of easing mortgage rates and slightly improved affordability, the U.S. housing market heads into 2026 with expectations for steady, if uneven, progress. First American deputy chief economist Odeta Kushi said a broader reset remains gradual. “There are no quick fixes — recoveries take time,” she said. “The trends of 2025 will continue
First American’s 2026 housing market forecast points to better affordability Read More »
The U.S. residential housing economy growth will have slowed by 1.1% this year, from 2% in 2024, a result of cost pressures derived from higher tariffs on builder supplies like lumber, labor issues and weaker consumer and homebuilder sentiment about the sector, Fitch Ratings said. Over the next two years, it expects restrained growth rates
Fitch flags cooling housing market through 2027 Read More »
A lot of buyers are stuck in “wait and see” mode right now. They’re watching rates hover a little above 6% and thinking, I’ll buy once they hit the 5s. Because who doesn’t want a better rate? But here’s the thing: that 5.99% number might not save you as much as you think. Affordability is
Would You Let $80 a Month Hold You Back from Buying a Home? Read More »