Despite some reports showing lower trends in inflation, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation measure continues to remain elevated ahead of possible complications from geopolitical tension, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index grew 0.3% in January, with annual inflation at 2.8%. This is a…
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,…
When the Federal Reserve began aggressively raising interest rates in 2022, many analysts expected home prices to fall. But they didn’t. Instead, they soared. A new analysis from the Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) at Harvard University helps explain why—and the answer is summed up in mortgage rate locks. From the start of 2021…
Inflation appeared to once again be on the right track for the Federal Reserve’s 2% goal, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). However, economists are feeling uncertain about whether the trend will continue as the economy faces potential fallout from geopolitical issues—most notably, the war in Iran. The BLS’s…
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…
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…
Texas-based megabrokerage Keller Williams kicked off its annual “Family Reunion” this past weekend, bringing thousands of agents together from around the world for what is billed as an all-purpose conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Featuring everything from a pickleball tournament and lip-sync battles, to panel discussions on deeply technical topics, the event has long been billed…
Economic data appears to be affirming that an interest rate is not coming for a few months as the Federal Reserve’s favorite inflation measure heated up despite a winter freeze, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index increased 0.4% in December, putting annual inflation…
At the January 2026 Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, the voting body chose to leave interest rates unchanged. The Federal Reserve’s dual mandate of price stability and maximum employment have been at crossroads the past few months; inflation has trickled up, but the labor market shows signs of softness. At the January meeting, concerns…
As inventory challenges persist in some markets and have improved in others, economists generally point to a Spring market with increased buyers, provided average mortgage rates remain at their recent years-long lows. The latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), released by Freddie Mac Thursday, shows the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaging 6.01%, down from 6.09%…
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