Weekly Housing Headlines

Mortgage rates fell below 6% for the first time in more than three years; mortgage applications increased 0.4% from one week earlier; annual home price growth ended 2025 at 1.3%, the weakest since 2011; Nearly 40,000 home-sale agreements nationwide were canceled in January, which is roughly 1 in 7 home sales; U.S. house prices rose 1.8% between Q4 2024 and Q4 2025; and there are currently 44% more home sellers than buyers – a near-record gap.

Mortgage rates fall below 6% for the first time in more than 3 years
CNN Business - 2/26/2026
On Thursday, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell to 5.98% for the first time since 2022, according to Freddie Mac.

Mortgage Applications Increase in Latest MBA Weekly Survey
Mortgage Bankers Association - 2/25/2026
Mortgage applications increased 0.4 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending February 20, 2026.

Annual home price growth ends 2025 at 1.3%, the weakest since 2011
Cotality- 2/24/2026
The 2025 housing market ended with the weakest annual appreciation since the market bottomed out in 2011 following the Great Recession.

Nearly 1 in 7 Home Sales Are Falling Through, a Record For This Time of Year
Redfin - 2/24/2026
Nearly 40,000 home-sale agreements nationwide were canceled in January, equal to 13.7% of homes that went under contract that month. That’s up from 13.1% a year earlier, and the highest January share dating back to 2017.

U.S. home price growth cools but streak stays intact
Mortgage Professional America - 2/24/2026
According to the Federal Housing Finance Agency, U.S. house prices rose 1.8% between the fourth quarter of 2024 and the fourth quarter of 2025.

It’s a Buyer’s Market: America Has 44% More Home Sellers Than Buyers — a Near-Record Gap
Redfin - 2/23/2026
Redfin reports that only five metro areas are seller’s markets, most of which are located in the Northeast. The South and West are home to the strongest buyer’s markets.

Lower rates hand U.S. borrowers rare $30,000 boost in buying power
Mortgage Professional America - 2/23/2026
Zillow's data showed that a median‑income borrower putting 20% down could now afford a home priced around $331,483. That's roughly $30,000 more than a year earlier and the highest affordable price point since March 2022.

Mortgage Application Payments Increased in January
Mortgage Bankers Association - 2/26/2026
Homebuyer affordability declined in January, with the national median payment applied for by purchase applicants increasing to $2,070 from $2,025 in December.

2025Q4 Cross-Market Demand Report: Out-of-Market Buyers Now Dominate 87 of the 100 Largest Metros
Realtor.com - 2/26/2026
In 2025Q4, 61.9% of online views for homes in the 100 largest metros came from out-of-market shoppers — up from 48.6% in 2019Q4, signaling a structural shift in demand.

Homebuying Affordability Improves As Mortgage Rates Fall to Lowest Level in Over 3 Years
Redfin - 2/26/2026
The weekly average mortgage rate has dropped to 6.01%, its lowest level since September 2022. That has pushed the median U.S. monthly housing payment down to $2,599, 2.6% lower than a year ago.