Mortgage rates dip after 10-year yield drops below 4%

Market Trends & Mortgage Rates - Yield fell below 4% for the first time in five months [1] - Mortgage rates saw a slight decrease of 2 basis points, reaching 6.27% [2] - The anticipation of a 25 or 50 basis points rate cut by the Fed next week may not significantly impact mortgage rates due to early pricing [4] Housing Market Affordability & Builder Strategies - Affordability is identified as the main headwind in the housing market, leading to mortgage rate buydowns [2] - 72% of builders are currently buying down mortgage rates [2] - Half of the rate buydowns exceed 100 basis points each, putting pressure on builder margins [3] - Builders are using rate buydowns to bring mortgage rates down to around 5% for buyers [4] - There's discussion around builders' preparedness and supply levels if rates decrease further [5] - Some builders are engaging in "spec building" (building without a buyer), while others prefer building on demand [5][6] - Concerns exist about builders potentially being stuck with unsold homes if affordability remains an issue [6] - New home supply is increasing, coinciding with a rising secondary supply [7] Housing Market Prices & Future Outlook - Predictions suggest that national housing prices may briefly go negative next year before rising again in 2027 [8] - Low-end buyers are struggling to enter the market, leading to high supply in that segment [9] - The luxury market sees more buyers but fewer homes available, pushing prices higher [10]