Mixed Mortgage Demand, But Lower Rates Should Help Next Week's Refi Numbers

Mortgage application activity was little changed last week, with only a fractional decline in overall volume. The Mortgage Bankers Association’s weekly survey showed a 0.5% decrease in the seasonally adjusted Composite Index for the week ending August 22, 2025. “Mortgage rates inched higher for the

Existing Home Market Still Crawling Along The Bottom Despite Modest Bounce

After sliding back in June, existing-home sales picked up in July. The latest update, released August 21, shows a modest rebound. Sales rose 2.0% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.01 million are now 0.8% higher than a year ago. As has been and continues to be the case, zooming out on the s

Mortgage Applications Inconsequentially Lower vs Last Week

Mortgage application activity eased last week, but not in a statistically significant way.  One might be inclined to note a very slight uptick in mortgage rates, but it's just as fair to say that rates held steady near longer-term lows.  The Mortgage Bankers Association’s weekly survey sho

Incentives Rise as Builder Confidence Matches 2022 Low

Builder sentiment remains deeply subdued, as the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and Wells Fargo’s Housing Market Index (HMI) dipped one point in August to 32—its 16th straight month below the key 50 mark, and matching the lowest level since December 2022. Current sales conditions