Mortgage rates fall for first time in weeks after US-Iran ceasefire
Average rate on the benchmark 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 6.37%, Freddie Mac says
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Mortgage rates fell this week after President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday.
Freddie Mac's latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey, released Thursday, showed the average rate on the benchmark 30-year fixed mortgage declined to 6.37% from last week's reading of 6.46%.
The average rate on a 30-year loan was 6.62% a year ago.
The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 6.37%, according to Freddie Mac. (Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
"The decrease in rates represents a positive development for prospective homebuyers and could spark a more favorable spring homebuying season than last year," said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's chief economist.
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The average rate on a 15-year fixed mortgage ticked lower to 5.74% from last week's reading of 5.77%.
Mortgage rates are affected by several factors, including the Federal Reserve and geopolitics. Though mortgage rates are not directly affected by the Fed's interest rate decisions, they closely track the 10-year Treasury yield. The 10-year yield hovered around 4.26% as of Thursday afternoon.
The decline in mortgage rates follows a two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, brokered with help from Pakistan, that was framed by the White House as a step toward broader negotiations. Defense officials said U.S. strikes on Iran had halted following Trump’s announcement Tuesday night.
"While the 10-year Treasury yield began to ease following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire, any relief to mortgage rates may prove short-lived – a temporary pause rather than a true turning point," said Jiayi Xu, Realtor.com economist. "Until a more permanent resolution emerges, the fog of uncertainty is unlikely to fully lift from the housing market."
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A real estate agent shows prospective buyers a new location. (Getty Images)
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Xu said rates could continue falling if the conflict in the Middle East moves closer toward a resolution.
"That timeline remains anyone's guess," she said. "In other words, mortgage rates don't just affect monthly payments – they shape buyer confidence, seller motivation and the entire rhythm of the market, making every uptick a potential reason for hesitation during the season that matters most."
Fox News' Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.