Path to lower mortgage rates ‘highly uncertain’ after Fed hike
The Fed raised short-term rates by a quarter point today for the first time since July 2023. Mortgage rates, meanwhile, are expected to remain elevated.
September 16, 2026
Dave Gallagher
Director, News Reporting
Dave's journalism career spans 24 years covering business, the economy and real estate in Northwest Washington. He's also a numbers nerd, examining data to spot emerging trends in industries. Having started his career as a sports writer, he's a lifelong baseball and soccer fan and recently discovered pickleball. He grew up in Yosemite National Park and earned his journalism degree at Humboldt State University in northern California.
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- Investors, not the Fed, may influence where mortgage rates go nextIt’s a big week for the Fed, which could raise short-time rates for the first time in over 3 years, but mortgage rates may respond more to investor reactions.Updated September 15, 2026
- The industry is changing, but an agent’s core job is notWith the industry stuck in a years-long low-demand cycle, real estate agents from around the country say they are sticking to one key truism to make it through.September 12, 2026
- Perchwell completes ‘next-gen’ conversion for Alabama MLSThe full transition of Baldwin MLS’s legacy system to the Perchwell platform marks a new milestone for the company as it looks to expand to new markets.September 9, 2026
- Report counters ‘popular narratives’ of housing supply crisisA recent Zelman & Associates analysis suggests that while the nation’s housing supply is nearly in balance with demand, a shortage of affordable units remains.September 5, 2026
- Strong jobs report puts focus on inflation ahead of Fed meetingThe U.S. added 162,000 jobs in August and 55,000 more jobs than first reported in June and July — data economists say makes the Fed more likely to raise rates.September 4, 2026
- Odds of a rate hike now 50-50 following Fed governor's speechChristopher Waller said the Fed shouldn’t hike short-term interest rates unless inflation worsens. Mortgage rates, however, are still rising for now.September 3, 2026
- Mortgage rates approach 7% as Fed official floats rate hikeThe central bank “should act decisively to raise” short-term interest rates if inflation doesn’t start trending downward, Fed Governor Michael Barr said.September 1, 2026
- New listings inch up, but homebuyer demand has dropped offWhile inventory has continued to creep up in the final days of the month, less homebuyer competition is expected in the coming weeks as the summer winds down.August 27, 2026
- Buyers casting a wider net in search of their next homeAffordability is the main factor driving buyers to search for homes outside the metro where they already live, according to two new reports from Realtor.com.August 26, 2026
- Builders ‘changing what they sell’ to combat lagging salesPrices of new homes continued to fall in July as consumer demand remained weak, with Census Bureau data showing a 10.5% month-over-month drop in sales.August 25, 2026
- Home purchase breakeven point continues to riseIt takes about 15 years to save for a down payment and benefit financially from buying vs. renting, up from 11 years in 2019, according to a recent report.August 24, 2026
- CoStar enters ‘massive market’ with completion of Zonda dealThe $800M acquisition gives CoStar Group a foothold in the new home construction sector, adding established B2B and consumer marketplaces to its portfolio.August 21, 2026
- FTC, Zillow and Redfin gear up for courtroom showdownThe trial, which is scheduled to begin on Aug. 24, is about whether a Zillow-Redfin rental listings syndication deal is pro-consumer or violates antitrust laws.August 21, 2026
- Higher mortgage rates expected for the remainder of the yearWhile rates dipped slightly this week, bond market volatility could mean a bumpy road ahead, and Fannie Mae is now forecasting rates at 6.8% by year-end.August 20, 2026
- Appeals court upholds settlements in Sitzer/BurnettThe judges rejected each of the arguments made by the seven appellants, allowing the combined $876M in deals reached by NAR and major brokerages to stand.August 19, 2026
- Pending sales, housing starts fell in July as rates climbedSigned contracts were down on a monthly and annual basis in all U.S. regions, while single-family home starts slowed to the lowest level since November 2022.August 18, 2026
- Zillow RESPA case not over yet as amended filing narrows scopeThe portal said it “will continue to defend this case with the same confidence we’ve had throughout, regardless of how many times the plaintiffs refile.”August 17, 2026
- KW offers agent tools to navigate growing modular housing spaceModular construction has the potential to “bring greater efficiency, consistency, and predictability” to home building, KW Modular’s community leader said.August 17, 2026
