Housing Market Slumps as Mortgage Rates Top 7%

The U.S. housing market is coming under renewed pressure, buffeted by mortgage rates that rose above 7% again and uncertainty over changes to the commission system for buying and selling a home.

The average rate on the standard 30-year fixed mortgage jumped by nearly a quarter percentage point to 7.1%, according to a survey of lenders released Thursday by mortgage-finance giant Freddie Mac. That is the highest level since late 2023 and the largest weekly increase in nearly a year.

Existing home sales in March, meanwhile, posted their biggest monthly drop in more than a year, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday. The 4.3% decrease from February was the largest percentage decline on a monthly basis since November 2022, NAR said.