The average mortgage rate remaining at or around the low 6% range continues to spur buyer activity, but economists warn it may not be enough to create a much-needed market shift in the face of ongoing economic uncertainty and wartime market volatility. The average mortgage rate ticked up 11 basis points to 6.11% this week,…
With the war in Iran causing market volatility this past week including an average mortgage rate increase from below and back up over 6%, home purchase application activity increased for the fourth straight week. According to the latest Market Composite Index from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA)—its measure of mortgage loan activity volume and includes…
Ahead of the much-awaited spring season, existing-home sales have seen a modest improvement that has been characterized as a “potential” sign of increasing demand, according to the latest data from the National Association of Realtors® (NAR). NAR’s Existing-Home Sales Report saw a 1.7% increase in sales to a rate of 4.09 million in February, a…
Recent months have seen reason for buyer optimism in the housing market, especially due to falling mortgage rates. The National Association of Realtors® (NAR), in its quarterly affordability report in February 2026, found moderating price growth, while the association has since found existing-home sales ticked up in February as well. Will these positive signs hold? …
As inflation and economic challenges continue to put pressure on the housing construction industry, rising construction costs may point to continued affordability challenges for homebuyers, according to the latest data. The Producer Price Index (PPI) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released last week found that construction costs for single-family homes were up by 3.2%…
After a brief dip into the fives, mortgage rates ticked back up this week and will likely continue to rise if the conflict with Iran escalates into a prolonged war, economists cautioned this week. “The launch of the conflict in Iran over the weekend and its subsequent escalation has stoked fears of wartime inflation that…
Housing construction has faced a plethora of challenges in recent years, as the country falls further behind in the number of homes needed to meet demand. The latest data from Realtor.com® has found these challenges once again widened the “housing supply gap,” with the future looking uncertain without “meaningful” policy changes. Realtor.com’s 2026 Housing Supply…
Just in time for the spring buying season, average mortgage rates crossed “into the fives,” this past week, their lowest level in years, and one economists describe as a “psychological barrier and numeric threshold” that could bring more buyers into the market despite concerns over the economy. The latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), released…
Home loan application activity increased this past week, up slightly from the previous week and following the trend of steady average mortgage rates hovering around 6%, even dipping below for a few days this past week. According to the latest Market Composite Index from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA)—its measure of mortgage loan activity volume…
New-home sales picked up sharply in November and December, according to the latest release from the U.S. Census Bureau, in a somewhat surprising—and welcome—indicator that housing demand remains persistent against macro uncertainty. New-home sales were up 12.3% year-over-year in November and jumped 3.8% in December during what is normally a slower time for transactions. Single-family…
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