Core Viewpoint - Mortgage rates have remained stable in a narrow range of 6.2% to 6.3%, with expectations that they will not change significantly in the near future [1][5]. Economic Context - The current economic situation features a weakening labor market alongside persistent inflation, complicating the outlook for mortgage rates [2][4]. - Government shutdowns have disrupted the release of key economic reports, limiting the ability to assess trends affecting mortgage rates [2][3]. Federal Reserve Actions - The Federal Reserve has been cutting benchmark interest rates, but inflation remains above the 2% target, leading to a divided outlook among committee members regarding future interest rate direction [4][5]. - Economists predict only minor fluctuations in mortgage rates due to the mixed economic and policy environment [5][6]. Market Expectations - The Mortgage Bankers Association forecasts mortgage rates to remain between 6% and 6.5% over the next few years, while other economists expect rates to average around 6.3% by 2026 [5]. - There is a consensus that substantial drops in mortgage rates are unlikely unless significant economic changes occur [6]. Market Dynamics - Mortgage rates typically begin to decline before the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates, as seen in the past summer when rates fell despite the Fed's rate cuts [7].

Core Insights - The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) decreased to 6.18% as of December 24, 2025, down from 6.21% the previous week and significantly lower than 6.85% a year ago, indicating a positive trend for homebuyers [1][3] - The 15-year FRM increased slightly to 5.50% from 5.47% last week, but is lower than the 6.00% average from a year ago, suggesting mixed trends in shorter-term mortgage rates [3] Industry Overview - Freddie Mac's mission is to enhance liquidity, stability, and affordability in the housing market, having assisted millions of families in homeownership since 1970 [2] - The Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) focuses on conventional, conforming, fully amortizing home purchase loans for borrowers with excellent credit who make a 20% down payment [1]

Joining us now is Bill Smei. He's the chief investment officer at Sme Capital Management. Bill, it's great to see you again.Welcome. >> Hey, great to be with you. >> Jump in here.You can pick the housing piece first if there's anything in that last discussion that you know you wanted to chime in on. >> Well, I I I don't want to pick on your prior guest too much, but somebody once said if you put all the economists end to end, you'd never get anywhere. >> Understood.But where so do you come down as as in thi ...

Joining us now here at Post9 is John Lvalo, senior US home building and building products equity research analyst at UBS. Uh John, any any thoughts on kind of what we could see from this this big new plan that could impact affordability. >> Thanks Leslie.Yeah, so I think there's a few things. It could be short-term, intermediate, and then housing emergency. In the short term, we could utilize the GSC's to subsidize mortgages, to buy more NBS for their portfolio, and to reduce G fees.G fees could be 60 basis ...

Core Insights - Mortgage rates for both purchase and refinance are currently stable, with the average 30-year rate at 6.04% and the 15-year rate at 5.44% [1][13] Mortgage Rates Overview - The national average mortgage rates are as follows: - 30-year fixed: 6.04% - 20-year fixed: 5.89% - 15-year fixed: 5.44% - 5/1 ARM: 6.13% - 7/1 ARM: 6.05% - 30-year VA: 5.52% - 15-year VA: 5.17% - 5/1 VA: 5.44% [4] Refinance Rates - Refinance rates are generally higher than purchase rates, with the current averages being: - 30-year fixed: 6.15% - 20-year fixed: 6.01% - 15-year fixed: 5.60% - 5/1 ARM: 6.37% - 7/1 ARM: 6.49% - 30-year VA: 5.67% - 15-year VA: 5.36% - 5/1 VA: 5.45% [4] Comparison of Mortgage Types - 15-year mortgage rates are typically lower than 30-year rates, but monthly payments are higher due to the shorter term [6] - For a $400,000 mortgage at 6.04% over 30 years, the monthly payment is approximately $2,409, resulting in $467,059 in interest paid over the term. In contrast, a 15-year mortgage at 5.44% would have a monthly payment of about $3,256, with total interest of $186,010 [7] Future Rate Predictions - Economists do not anticipate significant drops in mortgage rates before the end of 2026, with the Federal Reserve signaling potential rate cuts in 2026 and possibly 2027 [12] - The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) forecasts the 30-year mortgage rate to remain around 6.4% through 2026, while Fannie Mae predicts a slight decrease to 5.9% in Q4 2026 [14] - For 2027, the MBA expects rates to average 6.3%, with Fannie Mae estimating rates near 5.9% for the year [16]

Millions of homeowners are still locked into ultralow mortgage rates they don’t want to give up https://t.co/DXWGLTOgUN ...

Core Viewpoint - Home Depot's stock is under pressure due to high interest rates, despite some improvement in home sales in recent months [2][3][4] Group 1: Market Conditions - Home sales showed improvement in October and September, with 4 million existing homes sold in both months, but many potential buyers remain hesitant [3] - Mortgage rates have decreased from 7% at the beginning of the year to around 6.2%-6.3% for 30-year loans, yet buyers are still waiting for more favorable conditions [3][5] - The stabilization of the 10-year Treasury yield around 4.15%-4.2% is not expected to provide support for the housing market [4] Group 2: Company Performance and Outlook - Home Depot's recent earnings report presented a more optimistic outlook, but analysts are skeptical about the feasibility of their best-case scenario, which predicts a 4-5% increase in comparable sales [8][9] - The company has successfully integrated acquisitions in the professional contractor segment, which now accounts for 50% of its sales [10] - Analysts suggest that Home Depot may not be the best investment at this time, recommending Lowe's as a better option for those interested in the home improvement sector [10] Group 3: Investment Strategy - A cautious approach is advised, with a "wait and see" strategy recommended for Home Depot until there is more evidence of improving home sales and lower mortgage rates [7][11] - A proposed trading strategy involves selling cash-secured puts at a $340 strike price, with a potential profit of $4.50 per share, reflecting a neutral to bullish outlook [14][15]

Core Insights - Mortgage rates are currently stable, with the 30-year fixed rate at 6.03% and the 15-year fixed rate at 5.42% [1][18] - The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) forecasts that the 30-year mortgage rate will remain around 6.4% through 2026, while Fannie Mae predicts a slight decrease to 5.9% in Q4 2026 [20] Current Mortgage Rates - The national average for various mortgage types includes: - 30-year fixed: 6.03% - 20-year fixed: 5.95% - 15-year fixed: 5.42% - 5/1 ARM: 6.03% - 7/1 ARM: 6.18% - 30-year VA: 5.46% - 15-year VA: 5.05% - 5/1 VA: 5.16% [5] Mortgage Payment Insights - For a $300,000 mortgage at a 30-year term with a 6.03% rate, the monthly payment would be approximately $1,804, resulting in $349,599 in interest over the loan's life [8] - A 15-year mortgage at a 5.42% rate for the same amount would lead to a monthly payment of $2,439 and total interest of $138,936 [10] Adjustable-Rate Mortgages (ARMs) - ARMs typically start with lower rates than fixed mortgages but can increase after the initial period [11] - The 5/1 ARM has a fixed rate for the first five years, after which it adjusts annually [11] - Recent trends show that ARM rates can be similar to or even higher than fixed rates, necessitating careful comparison when choosing a mortgage type [13] Factors Influencing Mortgage Rates - Lenders offer lower rates to borrowers with higher down payments, excellent credit scores, and low debt-to-income ratios [14] - Options for reducing interest rates include paying for discount points at closing or utilizing temporary buydowns [15]

Why can’t the government drop ALL mortgage rates to 2% for every single family home as the primary residence ONLY.Wouldn’t that solve the housing crisis?Grant Cardone (@GrantCardone):America should have the lowest interest rates in the world! Trump will fix it!It makes no sense the wealthiest country with the dominant currency has interest rates higher than 34 other countries. ...

Millions of homeowners are still locked into ultralow mortgage rates they don’t want to give up https://t.co/r0icQffqJa ...