Mortgage rates drift lower ahead of Fed’s December meeting
Economists say the market “widely expects” another rate cut — but the central bank will be making its next decision without key jobs and inflation data.
December 4, 2025
By the Numbers
Making sense of the data that impacts residential real estate.
- Homebuyers have reasons for hope heading into the holidaysThough demand dropped off ahead of Thanksgiving, falling mortgage rates and an uptick in loan applications are good signs for the market’s slow season.November 26, 2025
- New, existing home costs nearly identical — will that last?In Q3 of 2025, there was only a $30 difference in the monthly payments for typical new and existing homes, a new report from Realtor.com suggests.November 25, 2025
- Buyers are stepping up, sellers are pulling backPending sales increased from September to October, but at the same time, delistings jumped as sellers feared taking a loss or settling for a lower price.November 25, 2025
More in By the Numbers
- What Fed officials are saying about a December cutThe BLS won’t be releasing any new inflation or jobs data before the Federal Reserve's final meeting of 2025, leaving FOMC members in the fog.November 24, 2025
- Home sales projections fall in revised 2026 forecastFannie Mae’s Economic and Strategic Research Group now expects home sales to rise 7.3% in 2026 — a downward revision from earlier forecasts published this fall.November 21, 2025
- Strong jobs report casts doubt on third rate cut in 2025A long-awaited jobs report beat expectations, but unemployment also ticked up. Meanwhile, existing home sales have increased as mortgage rates stabilized.November 20, 2025
- One benefit of the slower housing market? Less buyer regretHome maintenance, the costs of necessary household items and the impact of a home purchase on savings topped the list among recent buyers who did have regrets.November 20, 2025
- Most buyer-friendly market in a decade isn’t moving the needleSellers outnumber buyers by 36.8%, according to a new Redfin report, but affordability challenges remain. However, economists say the market may shift in 2026.November 19, 2025
- 2026 could finally be the year home sales reboundNAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun is predicting a 14% rise after three years of sluggish sales — but that largely depends on what happens with mortgage rates.November 15, 2025
- Will home sales see a post-shutdown bump?Transactions should pick up as delayed closings are completed, but economic uncertainty may keep demand subdued. Still, purchase applications jumped last week.November 14, 2025
- Closing the homeownership gap for service membersVeterans can afford far fewer homes than they could 10 years ago, but new programs — and savvy agents — can help more veteran buyers get to the closing table.November 11, 2025
- Homeownership still the ‘American Dream’ — but it comes at a costAmericans are putting off marriage, kids and careers until they can afford a home, according to a new report from Coldwell Banker Affiliates.November 10, 2025
- Buyers are ghosting the housing market — here’s whyCheaper loans aren’t enough to get consumers excited about a market shaken by layoffs, missing data and mixed signals.November 6, 2025
- Overpaying investors nudging out buyers in tight marketsInvestors accounted for 10.8% of all buyers in Q2 — and some are driving prices up by paying far above the median purchase price, a Realtor.com report found.November 6, 2025
- 'Great stay' persists as home turnovers sink to 30-year lowThe share of homes changing hands hasn't been this low since the mid-90s, Redfin economists report. The biggest culprit? Mortgage rates.November 3, 2025
- Mortgage rates jump after second Fed cutThis week’s rate adjustment was expected, but the Fed indicated a December cut isn’t guaranteed. Meanwhile, pending sales fell flat despite earlier rate drops.October 30, 2025
- Sales of new homes lose momentum, giving buyers an opportunityThe share of newly built homes for sale is at the lowest level in four years as builders scale back and existing home inventory rebounds.October 29, 2025
- Data ‘fog’ drops odds of lower mortgage rates despite Fed cutThe central bank’s short-term interest rate cut on Oct. 29 was already priced in, economists say, which means mortgage rates may not drop much more.October 29, 2025
- Fed rate cut still likely even as inflation ticks upWith the affordability strain already impacting real estate, higher inflation could further dampen buyer demand heading into the market’s slower time of year.October 24, 2025
- The shutdown’s main impact on housing so far? Buyer confidenceMortgage rates have dropped to 12-month lows, but pending sales have also fallen — an indication that buyers are cautious as the government remains shuttered.October 24, 2025
- Mortgage rates plunge to lowest level in over a yearThe 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has steadily inched closer to 6% over the past few months — but economists are warning buyers that rates may not drop much more.October 23, 2025
- Homeownership hasn’t been affordable in over 4 yearsHigher home prices, insurance costs and tax bills are countering the past few months of falling mortgage rates, which remain at relatively high levels.October 20, 2025
- We’ve seen this market cycle before — sort ofIn the 1980s, mortgage rates and home prices soared after a housing boom, then sales dried up — much like today’s market. Will our recovery look similar too?October 17, 2025
