Mortgage rate-lock activity ended the year on a strong note in spite of seasonal trends, new industry data found. Processing Content Optimal Blue’s latest Market Advantage report showed total lock volume increased 2% from November and finished 30% higher than last December. The boost was driven primarily by rate-and-term refinances, which rose 13% on a […]
Lock activity increases in December, defying seasonal trends Read More »
Just 14% of the economists surveyed by Wolters Kluwer expect the Federal Open Market Committee’s next short-term rate reduction to take place at its January meeting. Processing Content Overall, the Blue Chip Economic Indicators panel consensus is for two cuts during this year to the Fed Funds Rate and none next year, with almost no
Economists forecast just 50 basis points of Fed cuts in 2026 Read More »
The Department of Justice served the Federal Reserve with grand jury subpoenas on Friday, threatening a criminal indictment over Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s Congressional testimony last summer, Powell said Sunday. The testimony was about the Fed’s $2.5 billion renovation of its D.C. headquarters, but Powell said in a video released on the Federal Reserve website
DOJ opens criminal investigation into Federal Reserve and Powell Read More »
Year-over-year housing inventory growth has slowed to single digits, from 33% at one point last year to 9.99%. 2026 is off and running, and we had another crazy week of housing headlines, from Trump announcing a ban on Wall Street investors buying single-family homes to directing the GSEs to buy mortgage-backed securities. But what caught
The impact of lower mortgage rates on housing inventory Read More »
Jobs Friday came and went without much reaction in bond yields because the labor market isn’t breaking, nor is it getting stronger. Mortgage rates dropped into the 5s for a short time on Friday as a result of Trump’s earlier announcement directing the GSEs to buy $200 billion in mortgage backed securities. The 10-year yield
December jobs data continues to support lower mortgage rates Read More »
Mortgage rates briefly fell below 6% on Friday for the first time in nearly three years — driven by President Donald Trump’s proposed $200 billion push in the secondary market. If they stay that low, they are expected to spur refinance activity. Historically, a 22–basis-point decline in the 30-year fixed mortgage rate, such as the
Sharp decline in mortgage rates revives hopes of a refi surge, LOs say Read More »
It finally happened today: We got mortgage rates under 6% for a short time. Can we get some traction for that level? Well, one aspect of the mortgage-rate story really improved today; we had a monster day in mortgage spreads, improving overnight to push rates down over 20 basis points without much help from the
Mortgage rates drop below 6% following Trump’s MBS announcement Read More »
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac quietly increased their purchases of mortgage-backed securities (MBS) in 2025, helping push mortgage spreads lower toward the year’s end. Most analysts, however, were not expecting further meaningful tightening in the near term — at least until this week. That changed Thursday after President Donald Trump posted on social media that
Trump directs GSEs to purchase $200B in mortgage bonds in 2025 Read More »
If it comes to fruition, President Trump’s call for a $200 billion purchase of mortgage-backed securities could further tighten MBS spreads in the near term. But with few details available, many market participants are skeptical about the longer-term impact. Processing Content In response to the president directing his representatives to purchase an equal amount of
Trump’s $200B MBS idea tightens spreads, raises doubts Read More »
Wondering what to expect from the housing market in 2026? You’re not the only one. For the past few years, affordability has been the biggest barrier standing between most people and their next move. And a lot of buyers and sellers have been holding their breath waiting for things to get better. The good news?
Expert Forecasts Point to Affordability Improving in 2026 Read More »