Mortgage Rates at 2025 Low Give Homebuyers Momentum in New Year

Mortgage rates have reached their lowest point for the year, potentially injecting fresh momentum into a US homebuying market that spent much of 2025 in the doldrums.

The average for 30-year, fixed loans dropped to 6.15% this week, data from Freddie Mac showed Wednesday. That’s down from around 7% in January and “an encouraging sign for potential homebuyers heading into the new year,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist.

Many industry watchers are upbeat. In general, homes are expected to get cheaper in real terms: Wage growth is poised to far outpace gains in prices. That ...