Mortgage rates fall for second straight week, lowest since October

Published On Dec 5, 2024, 12:22 PM

Mortgage rates have fallen for the second consecutive week, with the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage now at 6.69%, the lowest since October. This decline has led to an increase in purchase applications, indicating potential demand in the housing market. Most mortgage holders still have lower rates, adding to the hesitance among buyers and sellers waiting to see if rates will drop further.

Stock Forecasts

The continued decline in mortgage rates could lead to increased activity in the housing market, as potential buyers take advantage of lower borrowing costs. This may benefit companies in the real estate and mortgage sectors.

As mortgage rates are declining, the affordability for new homebuyers may improve, which can uplift homebuilder stocks as demand potentially rises.

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Realtor.com's 2025 housing forecast released Wednesday indicates mortgage rates will come down next year -- but not as much as potential buyers and sellers would like.

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The conforming loan limit (CLL) for mortgages backed by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae will rise by 5.2% next year to over $800,000, the Federal Housing Finance Agency announced Tuesday.

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