The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate increased for the fifth consecutive week, rising to 6.46% as the ongoing war in Iran continues to roil financial markets, economists said. The average mortgage rate ticked up 8 basis points to 6.46% this week, according to the latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), released by Freddie Mac Thursday,…
Signs of a spring bloom in the housing market are finally at hand, but the potential for that growth could be curtailed by looming geopolitical headwinds, according to the latest data. Realtor.com®’s March 2026 Monthly Housing Trends Report found that both active and new listings grew month-over-month and year-over-year, despite rises in mortgage rates and…
With mortgage rates climbing to their highest point since August recently, the role of steadily increasing home purchase application and refinance activity has reversed, with both indexes by the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) showing sharp decreases this week. According to the latest Market Composite Index from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA)—its measure of mortgage loan…
While conflict continues to brew in the Middle East, mortgage rates continue to rise due to the war’s effect on oil prices, according to the latest Freddie Mac data. Freddie Mac’s latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey found that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 6.38% as of March 26, 2026, up from last week when…
While many across the industry were predicting interest rate cuts and a transition to a more balanced economy in 2026, the year so far has been shaping up a bit differently. Inflation remains elevated, mortgage rates are facing difficulty due to rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, and the Federal Reserve has yet to…
While mortgage rates hit a high for the year so far, reflecting escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, analysts point to average rates still remaining below year-ago levels and offering some improvement to buyers purchasing power. The average mortgage rate ticked up 11 basis points to 6.22% this week, up from 6.11% last week,…
New data from the Mortgage Bankers Association shows applications for both home purchases and refinances fell significantly this week following increased mortgage rates and other market volatility in the wake of the conflict in the Middle East, economists said. According to the latest Market Composite Index from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA)—its measure of mortgage…
Pending home sales saw a slight uptick in February, continuing an optimistic trend ahead of a long-awaited spring boom, according to the latest data from the National Association of Realtors® (NAR). However, this spring boom may now be delayed due to geopolitical tensions, economists warn. NAR’s Pending Home Sales report found that sales grew 1.8%…
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…
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