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How are mortgage rates affecting housing demand?

Housing Wire

It has been almost two months since mortgage rates spiked again, and my initial thought was this would tank housing demand. We had a positive 18-week period with purchase applications before mortgage rates started rising in September. Initially, the data showed more robust performance as mortgage rates approached 6%.

Mortgages 504
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Lower mortgage rates are spurring housing demand

Housing Wire

Mortgage rates recently hit a year-to-date low, coinciding with ongoing market disruptions from tariffs. In fact, if mortgage rates head toward 6%, we will have a positive year here. Last year, we saw mortgage rates increase from 6.63% to about 7.50%, leading to challenges in the purchase application data.

Mortgages 530
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Better mortgage spreads boost housing demand in 2025

Housing Wire

One of the lesser known storylines in housing economics is that the improvement in mortgage spreads since 2023 has contributed to a noticeable trend in purchase application data for 2025, which is now showing 15 consecutive weeks of positive year-over-year growth. A historical review of these spreads shows that they are currently elevated.

Mortgages 489
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Lower mortgage rates spark housing demand heading into spring

Housing Wire

Earlier this year, when mortgage rates soared to 7.26%, a cloud of worry hung over the housing market many feared that home sales would tumble in 2025, fueled by concerns about inflation and tariffs. But when it seemed doom and gloom would prevail, the 10-year yield dropped, pulling mortgage rates lower in a lovely slow dance.

Mortgages 534
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Rising mortgage rates zap builder confidence

Housing Wire

Todays housing starts data exceeded estimates; however, a closer examination of the report with the builder confidence reveals that the recent rise in mortgage rates , approaching 7.25%, has negatively affected builder sentiment. Since late 2022, our analysis indicates that mortgage rates in the 6%-6.5% This is 15.8 percent (14.4

Mortgages 466
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Mortgage rates fall after remarks by Fed President Waller

Housing Wire

The 10-year yield and mortgage rates have been on a wild ride lately, even testing my top-end forecast at 7.25%, but today, the 10-year yield fell after remarks by Fed President Chris Waller about whether the Fed would do even more rate cuts than the market was anticipating. It’s not booming. It’s not falling.”

Mortgages 500
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Mortgage applications nosedive 17%

Housing Wire

Mortgage applications decreased 17% from one week earlier as mortgage rates surged, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association ’s (MBA) weekly application survey for the week ending October 11, 2024. The refinance index decreased 26% from the previous week and was 111% higher than the same week one year ago.

Mortgages 514