Mortgage rates fall again, but high home prices persist
A drop in mortgage rates has helped housing demand, but elevated prices are still causing buyers to balk
Housing prices could drop alongside interest rates in 2024: Amy Nixon
DFW housing and macro econ analyst Amy Nixon discusses the future of the housing market on Making Money.
Mortgage rates continued their descent this week in a trend accompanied by an uptick in home-purchase demand, but elevated home prices remain a barrier to many would-be buyers.
Freddie Mac's latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey released Thursday showed that the average rate for the benchmark 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell to 7.03% this week, down from 7.22% last week but up from 6.33% a year ago.
A for sale sign is posted in front of a home for sale on Feb. 20, 2023 in San Francisco. Mortgage rates have been on the decline for several weeks, but home prices remain stubbornly high. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images / Getty Images)
The rate for a 15-year fixed mortgage also declined, averaging 6.29% after coming in last week at 6.56%. One year ago, the rate on a 15-year fixed note averaged 5.67%.
THESE HOUSING MARKETS ARE EXPECTED TO SEE DOUBLE DIGIT SALES GROWTH IN 2024
Although mortgage applications have risen for five straight weeks, high mortgage rates have dampened consumer demand over the past year and severely limited inventory. That is because sellers who locked in a low mortgage rate before the pandemic have been reluctant to sell with rates continuing to hover near a two-decade high, leaving few options for eager would-be buyers.
Homes in Rocklin, California, on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022. Many would-be sellers are opting to stay put as interest rates and home prices remain elevated. (Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
As low inventory persists, home prices remain high, rising for the eighth straight month in September according to the latest S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller index released last week.
PENDING HOME SALES FALL TO RECORD LOW AS HIGH MORTGAGE RATES TAKE A TOLL
Data from Redfin shows U.S. home prices were up 3.4% year-over-year in October, while the number of homes for sale fell 9.98%. According to the realty group, the median home price in October was $413,504.
A "For Sale" sign outside a home in Atlanta on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023. The median price for a home in the U.S. in October was $413,504, according to Redfin data. (Dustin Chambers/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Many economists expect rates to continue to decline, but do not anticipate a quick remedy to the home affordability crisis.
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"Looking ahead, we predict that sustained improvement in inflation will bring the mortgage rate down to 6.5% by the end of 2024," Realtor.com economist Jiayi Xu said in a statement. "Nonetheless, as mortgage rates stay elevated, ongoing high housing costs indicate that the cooling trend in the nationwide housing market is likely to persist."
FOX Business' Megan Henney contributed to this report.