Tag Archives: Mortgage Rates

High mortgage rates have pushed consumer housing sentiment even lower, according to Fannie Mae's latest Home Purchase Sentiment Index, as more Americans are now pointing to mortgage rates rather than home prices as the primary obstacle to achieving housing affordability.

“While continued mortgage rate increases challenge affordability across U.S. housing markets, home price growth is in line with typical seasonal averages, reflecting strong demand bolstered by a healthy labor market, strong wage growth and supporting demographic trends,” said Selma Hepp, Chief Economist for CoreLogic.

A new survey from LendingTree revealed that in addition to rising mortgage rates and housing costs, approximately 39.79% of respondents cited rent increases as the primary reason why they felt pressured to move, followed by landlords not making repairs and living in unsafe neighborhoods.

"The dynamics influencing the U.S. housing market appear to continuously work against everyday Americans, potentially to the point where they could start to have a significant impact on home prices," said Rob Barber, CEO for ATTOM.

NAR reports that pending home sales dropped in all four U.S. regions month-over-month and compared to one year ago, as mortgage rates above 7% continue to impact homebuying.

Mortgage application payments increased slightly in August to $2,170, according to MBA's Purchase Applications Payment Index, while overall homebuyer affordability declined, as homebuyers’ budgets continue to be impacted by high home prices and mortgage rates above 7%.

According to a new Redfin survey, discrimination drove roughly 1 in 10 Black, Hispanic, and LGBTQ+ respondents away from their previous residences. In addition, some 32% of Black and Hispanic respondents reported facing discrimination during their recent home search, while 22% of LGBTQ+ respondents reported feeling the same.

Fannie Mae announced the unveiling of HomeView en Español, a new resource available to help Latino communities and further address the homeownership gap in America.

According to a new LendingTree study, the nation’s most expensive towns are often found in popular vacation spots; however, such homebuyers may further deplete the already limited housing supply, driving up home prices and making housing difficult to afford for locals.

A new Zillow study revealed that total U.S. housing value has surged more than $2.6 trillion over the past year, an estimated 49% higher than before the pandemic, with new home construction continuing as the primary driver of housing market growth.