mortgage rates: Why There are More Homes for Sale Right Now (and What It Means for You)
- 10/14/26 09:00 AM
Mortgage rates being back above 7% isn't exactly the news most people wanted. But it’s changing the market in ways that matter whether you’re buying or selling.
The number of homes for sale is growing faster than it was this time last year. And interestingly, the main reason isn’t a flood of new listings. It’s because homes aren’t selling as quickly.
Here’s why – and what that means if you’re thinking about buying or selling.
Inventory Growth Is Picking Up SteamAccording to HousingWire Data, after inventory growth slowed down for most of the past year, it’s accelerated again in recent weeks. You can see … (3 comments)
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mortgage rates: Why Most People Are Still Glad They Bought a Home
- 10/13/26 09:24 AM
With everything going on, it’s understandable if you’re wondering if you’d regret buying right now.
Everyday expenses cost more. Mortgage rates are higher than you’d like. And when the economy feels uncertain, taking on a mortgage can feel like a much bigger leap. But here’s some perspective that may help…
Most people who already made that leap would do it again.
According to a recent survey from NerdWallet, the vast majority of recent buyers (74%) were glad they bought their current home. Only a very small 3% of people regret it:
And here’s a big reason why so many people feel it was worth it, … (3 comments)
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mortgage rates: The Mortgage Rate You See Online Isn’t Necessarily the One You’d Get.
- 09/28/26 09:00 AM
You may have seen the headlines saying mortgage rates have climbed to the highest point since January 2025. And if that's left you reluctant to buy a home, here's what you need to remember…
That's not necessarily the number you'd get.
It's a common misconception that the rate you see in the headlines is the same one you'd get when you buy. The truth is, mortgage rates shift often, and the rate you actually end up with can vary a lot from what you may see or hear about.
What Determines Your Real Rate? Advertised rates and “real rates” aren’t always the same. That’s because … (1 comments)
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mortgage rates: 3 Things You Can Actually Control About Your Mortgage Rate Right Now
- 09/21/26 08:50 AM
If you're trying to buy a home, affordability is probably what keeps you up at night. And as you watch mortgage rates tick up again lately, it’s fair to wonder if you should just hit pause and wait for them to go down.
For now, though, they’re headed the other way. Mortgage News Daily data shows how rates have risen this year (see graph below):
And if you’re wondering why? There are actually a number of reasons.
Mortgage rates are impacted by the situation overseas, economic data, inflation numbers, oil prices, and even decisions from the Federal Reserve (who recently decided to hike their … (5 comments)
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mortgage rates: The Best Time To Buy a Home in 2026 Is Almost Here
- 09/16/26 07:09 AM
Want to buy a house this year, but not sure if the timing’s right? Seasonally, it may actually be a better time to buy than you expect.
Yes, mortgage rates have been ticking up lately – and that’s creating some real challenges with affordability. No one’s arguing that. But there are also predictable trends that happen this time every year that can put some wind back in your sails.
According to research coming out of Realtor.com, nationally, the week of September 27 – October 3 will be the best time to buy this year for this very reason:
“The week of September 27–October 3 … (1 comments)
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mortgage rates: Waiting on a Lower Rate That May Not Come
- 09/15/26 07:36 AM
Waiting for mortgage rates to come down may feel like the only way to make buying a home possible.
But 41% of buyers who waited wish they'd bought sooner – before rates and prices rose again.
Right now, factors like inflation, the economy, and global events are all having an impact on rates – and it’s not in the direction you’d hope.
So, for a lot of buyers, waiting might not pay off. Sometimes it just means putting your life on hold for what feels like too long.
Before you decide to hit pause on your move, talk to a trusted lender. They’ll go over … (2 comments)
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mortgage rates: Why Buyers Shouldn't Overlook a Fall Move
- 09/03/26 07:38 AM
You've been waiting for something to change before you buy. It just might not be the thing you expected…
While everyone’s paying attention to mortgage rates, only the savviest buyers know that the changing season can start tipping things in their favor.
Because every fall, buyers tend to get more to choose from, better prices, and more room to negotiate. And that’s why Hannah Jones, Senior Economist at Realtor.com, says:
“We always see that the best time to buy window usually falls in the early fall around October.”
And that’s exactly why, if you've been waiting for a better moment to buy, this season may … (0 comments)
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mortgage rates: The Relative Stability of Today’s Housing Market
- 08/28/26 07:27 AM
Quick question: what's the one word you'd use to describe this year so far?
For a lot of people, it's stressful. And when everything feels shaky, it’s easy to second-guess the move you were ready to make. But the truth is, the housing market is one thing that’s been remarkably stable.
Home prices have been relatively steady for about 4 years now. The number of homes for sale is right about where it was last year (up 2%). And mortgage rates have held in the same general 6-7% range since late 2022.
A steady market comes with a perk. You can actually plan. What … (2 comments)
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mortgage rates: Worried About a Housing Crash? The Numbers Tell a Calmer Story.
- 08/26/26 06:50 AM
A recent survey from Talker Research asked Americans to pick one word to describe how 2026 has felt so far. The winner? Stressful. And honestly, there’s been a lot going on.
So, it’s understandable if you've been putting off buying or selling a home until things settle down. But you may be waiting on something that's already happened. While everything else has felt shaky, the housing market has become one of the steadiest things out there. Look at the data.
Home Prices Have Leveled OutAfter years of fast increases, data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows home prices have been remarkably … (0 comments)
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mortgage rates: Expert Forecasts for Rates and Prices
- 08/25/26 07:19 AM
A lot of people are hoping for the same thing. Lower mortgage rates. Lower home prices.
The problem? Forecasts show that’s probably not what’s in the cards. At least, not right now.
Mortgage rates aren’t expected to fall dramatically. And at the same time, home prices should keep rising at about the same pace they have been.
Now, that’s not what you wanted to hear, but it doesn’t mean you’re out of options.
Sometimes the best move isn't waiting for the market to change. It's exploring what's still possible right now.
Other people are still making it happen even with rates and prices where they are. … (1 comments)
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mortgage rates: Rates Are Lower Than They Could Be
- 08/22/26 08:32 AM
Mortgage rates aren’t random. They’re affected by 2 numbers.
The 10-year treasury yield and something called "the spread." That's the gap between the 10-year treasury yield and mortgage rates, and it usually sits around 1.76 percentage points.
Back in 2023, the gap in the spread ballooned up to 3.19 in response to economic uncertainty. If it were still that wide today, rates would be pushing almost 8%.
But the good news is the gap has narrowed to 2.01 (a lot closer to the long-term norm). And that’s a big positive for rates. It’s why today’s mortgage rate is in the upper 6s instead of … (4 comments)
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mortgage rates: Higher Rates Could Actually Help Housing Supply – Here’s How.
- 08/19/26 07:53 AM
You may have heard the number of homes for sale isn’t growing like it was. And maybe that has you worried you won’t find a home you love when it’s time to make your move.
But that may be about to change. Here’s why your pool of options may actually start ticking back up again.
Growth Has Slowed, But It Hasn’t StoppedActive listings were up 2.1% year-over-year in July, according to Realtor.com. Back in January, inventory was up 10%. And in May of 2025, it was up 31.5%. So, growth has cooled off a lot over the last year.
The past 3 months, though, … (1 comments)
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mortgage rates: Here’s Why Mortgage Rates Are What They Are Right Now
- 08/12/26 11:02 AM
If you're waiting for mortgage rates to fall a lot before you buy, you may be waiting a while. But before you get discouraged, there's a number working behind the scenes that's actually good for you right now. It's called the spread, and once you understand it, you may see today’s rates in a whole new light.
The Pattern That’s Held for 50+ YearsFor starters, mortgage rates don't move on their own. They tend to follow the 10-year treasury yield, a number tied to how investors feel about the economy.
It’s not an exact science, since plenty of other factors can move it … (2 comments)
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mortgage rates: The Case for Putting 20% Down on Your Next Home
- 08/10/26 08:23 AM
If you’re planning to buy your next home soon, you’ve probably heard the old rule about saving 20% for your down payment.
The truth is, you usually don’t have to. Plenty of loan options let qualified buyers put down much less. But a lot of repeat buyers are choosing to put down 20% anyway.
So, why are they if they don’t have to?
Two reasons. They know a bigger down payment pays off, and after years in their current house, they’ve built up enough equity that it’s finally possible.
Repeat Buyers Put More Money DownAccording to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the typical repeat … (0 comments)
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mortgage rates: More Homes Are Going Under Contract Than the Last 2 Years
- 07/17/26 06:59 AM
One of the biggest seller myths floating around right now is that buyers have disappeared. The headlines certainly make it feel that way.
But here's what the data actually says.
More homes are going under contract right now than they were at this point the last two years.
And here's how that's possible. Life doesn't wait for perfect mortgage rates. People still get married. Families grow. Jobs change.
At some point, waiting becomes harder than moving. So serious buyers still take the plunge.
So, if you've been wondering whether there are still buyers out there...
There are.
The key is knowing how to position your house to stand … (1 comments)
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mortgage rates: Think Nobody's Buying Homes Right Now? Think Again.
- 07/15/26 08:53 AM
If you've been thinking about selling, you've probably seen plenty of headlines suggesting buyers have just about disappeared. But there's a big difference between a slow market and a stalled one.
Yes, mortgage rates are still higher than most people would like. Homes aren’t selling as fast as they were. And every week seems to bring another headline about buyers sitting on the sidelines. But here's what you haven't heard.
Despite everything going on, buyer demand has been remarkably resilient.
In fact, more sellers are getting to put up the “pending sale” sign now than during the last two years. What's even more surprising … (2 comments)
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mortgage rates: What To Expect from the Housing Market in the Second Half of 2026
- 07/09/26 09:03 AM
If the first half of this year has left you feeling stuck, you're not the only one. Mortgage rates stayed higher than people wanted. Affordability remained tight. And uncertainty overseas added another layer of pressure nobody saw coming.
That's why so many people are asking the same question: Will the second half of the year be any better for the housing market?
While nobody has a crystal ball, there are a few encouraging signs things could start moving in a better direction. Here's what to watch.
Mortgage Rates Could Be Near a Turning Point One of the biggest reasons mortgage rates haven't come down yet … (2 comments)
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mortgage rates: Down Payments Are Smaller Than They’ve Been Since 2021
- 07/02/26 07:21 AM
Saving for a down payment can feel like the hardest part of buying a home. And with affordability as tight as it’s been lately, it’s fair to wonder how anyone manages it right now. Here’s something you may not have seen coming.
Some people are getting their foot in the door with a smaller down payment.
According to Realtor.com, the typical buyer put down about $23,400 in early 2026 – that's around $5,000 below what was typical the year before (a 19% drop year over year). That’s the lowest down payments have been since 2021 (see graph below):
So why are buyers putting less … (2 comments)
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mortgage rates: The Housing Market Is Stronger Than You Think
- 07/01/26 07:38 AM
You've probably heard plenty of doom and gloom about the housing market lately. High rates. Stretched budgets. Headlines that make buying or selling sound like a terrible idea. But the data tells a very different story.
This isn't 2020 or 2021. It was never going to be. Those were the "unicorn years" – historic low mortgage rates, bidding wars on everything, homes flying off the market in days. That kind of market was a once-in-a-generation anomaly, not a baseline. So, when people compare today to that, of course it looks rough.
But compared to almost any other housing market in modern history? This … (1 comments)
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mortgage rates: The Mid-Year Housing Market Update: Why Forecasts Changed in 2026
- 06/03/26 07:00 AM
If the housing market feels confusing right now, you’re not alone.
Mortgage rates have risen. Home sales haven't picked up like expected. And many buyers and sellers are wondering when things are going to feel easier or be more affordable.
The truth is: a lot changed over the first half of this year.
Back at the end of 2025, economists were forecasting a much stronger housing market for 2026. They expected mortgage rates to come down, affordability to improve more dramatically, and home sales to rebound.
But lingering inflation, economic uncertainty, and growing geopolitical tensions overseas pushed mortgage rates higher than expected. And because rates … (2 comments)
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Mortgage rates being back above 7% isn't exactly the news most people wanted. But it’s changing the market in ways that matter whether you’re buying or selling.
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