Mortgage & Housing Market - High mortgage rates suggest readiness to refinance [1] - Renting could save over $1,000 per month compared to buying [1] - Renting offers freedom that homeownership may not [1]

Are you a homeowner and looking to tap into your home’s equity? You might want to consider a HELOC (home equity line of credit) to fund your goals. What’s nice about a HELOC is that it’s a secured loan backed by your home, so you’ll get a lower rate than with other types of loans. Yet today’s real estate and interest markets are unique, and depending on your circumstances, a HELOC might not be the way to go right now. It all depends on your financial situation. Learn more: The best HELOC lenders right no ...

Economic Outlook - Mortgage rates are projected to end 2025 at 6.4 percent and 2026 at 6.0 percent, revised down from previous forecasts of 6.5 percent and 6.1 percent [1] - Annual home price growth is now forecasted at 2.8 percent for 2025 and 1.1 percent for 2026, down from earlier projections of 4.1 percent and 2.0 percent [1] - Total home sales are expected to reach 4.85 million units in 2025 and 5.35 million units in 2026 [1] Research Group Insights - Fannie Mae's Economic and Strategic Research Group analyzes current data, historical trends, and conducts surveys to inform economic and housing forecasts [4]

Core Insights - Mortgage rates have remained high, but improving credit scores can significantly lower rates, potentially saving over $55,000 in interest on a $300,000 loan [1] - As of October 2025, credit scores are a major factor in determining mortgage rates, alongside debt levels and down payment sizes [2] - Changes in credit scoring systems are expected to help approximately 5 million Americans qualify for better mortgage rates [7][8] Mortgage Rates and Credit Scores - Sample average national mortgage APRs vary by credit score tier, with a FICO 800 score earning a 6.83% APR for a 30-year fixed mortgage as of October 3, 2025 [9] - A credit score of 620 is typically required for a conventional loan, while FHA loans may allow scores as low as 500 with a 10% down payment [10] Factors Influencing Mortgage Rates - Besides credit scores, mortgage rates are influenced by debt-to-income (DTI) ratios, loan-to-value (LTV) ratios, down payment amounts, and loan terms [4][5] - VA loans often have the lowest mortgage rates among various loan types [6][7] Future Changes in Credit Scoring - Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will start considering VantageScore 4.0 in addition to traditional FICO scores, which may improve access to mortgages for many [7] - FICO's direct provision of credit scores to lenders could reduce costs for borrowers if savings are passed on [8] Current Market Conditions - The average 30-year mortgage rate is reported at 6.34% as of October 2, 2025, with a good mortgage rate being in the 7.30% range or lower [12]

From tariff and mortgage rate news to the end of Amazon Prime Day, here's some news that could impact your finances and what you should do about it. https://t.co/ohGLkwjWsi ...

Check our interactive map to find today's 30-year mortgage rate average for any U.S. state. Right now, the cheapest states are New York and California. https://t.co/waN75ckzQ1 ...

Mortgage Rate Trends - Interactive map provides access to today's 30-year mortgage rate averages for each U S state [1] - New York, California, and Massachusetts are currently the states with the cheapest mortgage rates [1]

Mortgage Rate Trends - Interactive map provides access to today's 30-year mortgage rate averages for each U S state [1] - New York, California, and New Jersey are currently the states with the cheapest mortgage rates [1]

Mortgage Rate Trends - Interactive map provides access to current 30-year mortgage rate averages across U S states [1] - New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey are identified as the states with the cheapest mortgage rates currently [1]

Check our interactive map to find today's average 30-year mortgage refinance rate for any U.S. state. Right now, the cheapest refi states are California and New York. https://t.co/qGAOEaXXNX ...