The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which became law this month, is arguably the most significant federal housing legislation in decades. Its primary goal is to increase the supply of homes, which policymakers believe is the key to making homeownership more affordable over time. Here are the highlights that
Absolutely! The Iran war is currently putting upward pressure on mortgage interest rates, although it’s not the only factor affecting them. Here’s the chain of events: The conflict has driven oil prices higher. Concerns over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have caused crude oil prices to jump sharply. Higher
The outlook for a great spring buying and even refinance season was very optimistic, beginning in early January. Mortgage Rates had dropped from the 6%’s to the high 5%’s, even getting close that elusive 5.5% in February for a 30 year fixed. Applications were up, buyers were active, sellers were
After mortgage rates gradually improved throughout 2025, the industry seemed to be optimistic that 2026 would continue the same path, with rates improving throughout the year. As we know, forecasts are not always accurate, and they can’t account for large-scale events that shake up the markets. Early in the year,
Over the past week, mortgage interest rates have moved slightly higher after previously declining for several weeks. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate increased to about 5.875% from roughly 5.625% the week before, ending a short downward trend. The recent uptick has been driven mainly by rising U.S. Treasury yields,
Heading into the 2026 housing market, there are some promising signs for prospective homebuyers and homeowners. Mortgage Rates and Financing: 2026 begins with the 30-year rate fixed mortgage 3/4% lower than it was in January 2025. If you purchased your home in 2023 or 2024 and have an interest rate at
The 30 year fixed mortgage rate since around the middle of September has been consistently hovering around 6.0%. I’ve had a few days where it bottomed at 5.75%, but a few days at 6.125% as well. This is both good news for mortgage rates and also bad news. The good
The Federal Reserve cut the federal funds rate by 0.25 percentage points (¼ %) yesterday. This marks its third consecutive rate cut this year, bringing the target range down to about 3.5 %–3.75 %. Fed officials cited a slowing labor market, inflation that remains somewhat above target, and evolving risks
It’s possible that mortgage rates could go down when the Federal Reserve (Fed) meets on December 9-10, 2025, but it’s far from guaranteed. I’d estimate a moderate chance (but not high probability) that mortgage rates will decline somewhat around the December Fed meeting — assuming the Fed cuts and long-term
Mortgage rates are likely to fall in October. Financial markets seem very sure that the Federal Reserve will reduce the federal funds rate at the end of its scheduled Oct. 28-29 meeting. Mortgage rates are likely to slip lower as investors gain confidence that the Fed will reduce short-term rates
