Weekly Housing Headlines

The average rate on 30-year fixed home loans decreased to 6.15% for the week ending Dec. 31; annual growth held steady at 1.4% in October; U.S. house prices rose 0.4% in October; mortgage applications decreased 5.0% from one week earlier for the week ending December 19, 2025; and pending home sales in November jumped by 3.3% from the prior month and 2.6% year over year.

Mortgage Interest Rates Today: Rates Drop to 6.15% — the Lowest Level of 2025
Realtor.com - 12/31/2025
The average rate on 30-year fixed home loans decreased to 6.15% for the week ending Dec. 31, down from 6.18% the week before, according to Freddie Mac. This marks the lowest mortgage rate for 2025.

October YOY home price growth stays flat
Cotality - 12/30/2025
Annual growth held steady at 1.4% in October, according to the S&P Cotality Case-Shiller Index. Month-over-month, the non-seasonally adjusted index declined -0.2%, marking the fourth consecutive monthly drop.

FHFA House Price Index Up 0.4 Percent in October; Up 1.7 Percent from Last Year
FHFA - 12/30/2025
U.S. house prices rose 0.4 percent in October, according to the U.S. Federal Housing seasonally adjusted monthly House Price Index. House prices rose 1.7 percent from October 2024 to October 2025.

Home prices are getting slightly more affordable, but down payments are still holding buyers back
CNBC - 12/30/2025
Mortgage rates are lower, home prices are easing and there is more supply. All of that adds up to improved affordability for today’s homebuyers. Saving for a down payment, however, is still the biggest hurdle for first-time buyers.

Trump promised ‘aggressive’ housing reform next year. Here’s what to expect for home prices in 2026
CNN Business - 12/26/2025
After several years in a deep freeze, with high borrowing costs and soaring prices locking many Americans out of homeownership, economists say conditions may begin to shift in 2026.

Mortgage Applications Decrease in Latest MBA Weekly Survey
Mortgage Bankers Association - 12/24/2025
Mortgage applications decreased 5.0 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending December 19, 2025.

Existing-Home Sales Edge Higher In November
National Mortgage Professional - 12/26/2025
Mortgage rates are driving cautious buyer reentry, lifting existing-home sales modestly in November, while limited inventory and affordability pressures continue to constrain origination volume.

NAR Pending Home Sales Report Shows 3.3% Increase in November
National Association of Realtors - 12/29/2025
Pending home sales in November jumped by 3.3% from the prior month and 2.6% year over year, according to the National Association of Realtors Pending Home Sales Report.

Here’s How Long It Now Takes To Save for a Down Payment on a Home
Realtor.com - 12/29/2025
Realtor.com data show U.S. homebuyers now need about seven years to save for a typical down payment — an improvement from 2022, but still roughly double pre-pandemic norms, with sharp regional disparities persisting.

Top Posts – Inadequate Shelter: Millions of U.S. Homes Fail to Meet Standards
Eye On Housing - 12/29/2025
In 2023, nearly 6.45 million homes were classified as inadequate. While this reveals ongoing issues in nation’s housing conditions, it signals probable market growth for remodeling and home improvements in the year ahead.