Luxe Austin Homes - mortgage rates

"Delayed Jobs Data Drops Surprises as Housing Market Gains Momentum"

Realtor.com reports, "After weeks of delayed data, we finally have an update on the labor market—and it’s not exactly what most people expected.

Data that was delayed by the federal government shutdown is starting to trickle out. We learned that hiring was more robust than many expected in September, with 119,000 jobs added in the month—largely in the health care, food services, and social assistance industries. Still, some sectors saw job declines, including transportation and warehousing and the federal government.

Although government data on unemployment insurance claims has been remarkably stable, private data shows a jump in layoff announcements in 2025. Against this hiring and separations backdrop, the unemployment rate trended up to 4.4%…

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"More homes will hit the market in 2026. Here's the pricing outlook."

Austin Business Journal shares, "More homes are going to hit the market in 2026 — but don’t expect home prices to drop in the near future.

A new report by the National Association of Realtors predicts existing-home sales will jump by 14% in 2026. That’s because of a combination of dropping mortgage rates and improving market stability after several years. 

But, despite the number of new homes hitting the market, prices are still projected to go up by 4% in 2026, as demand remains steady and supply remains lower than normal. 

“Next year is really the year that we will see a measurable increase in sales,” said NAR National Economist Lawrence Yun. “Home prices nationwide are in no danger of declining.”

Mortgage rates are projected to go down…

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"Texas scores No. 1 city in US for homebuyers, report shows"

MYSA.com writes, "If you're looking for a new home, one Central Texas city just might have exactly what you need. Texas' capital city was recently recognized for having the strongest market in America for homebuyers, according to a new Redfin report.

The online real estate brokerage crowned Austin with the No. 1 spot on its top 10 list of the strongest buyers markets of September 2025. All but two of Redfin's best buyers markets were in Florida or Texas, with major cities like San Antonio, Houston and Dallas also in the mix.

To determine the rankings, Redfin analyzed the 50 most populous U.S. metropolitan areas using proprietary data on the typical time from a buyer’s first tour to close of purchase, MLS data on active listings and pending sales.…

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"Mortgage Applications Today: New Home Loans and Refinancing Slows Despite Lower Rates For Now"

Realtor.com reports, "Mortgage applications decreased 1.9% from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA). It's an about-face from the week prior when home loans saw a 7.1% increase.

This comes as mortgage interest rates dipped to 6.17% for the week ending Oct. 30, according to Freddie Mac. That's the fourth straight week of declines after the Federal Reserve cut interest rates for the second time this year.

The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 1.9% on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier.

On an unadjusted basis, the Index decreased 3% compared with the previous week. The Refinance Index decreased 3% from the previous week and was 151% higher…

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"Falling Mortgage Rates Boost Housing Market for Now—as Government Shutdown Enters Second Month, Clouding Outlook"

Realtor.com reports, "Mortgage rates just hit 6.17%—their lowest in more than a year. Also this week, the Fed cut rates again. Together, this could provide some real momentum for the housing market. 

But with an economy sending mixed signals and the government shutdown clouding the data picture, uncertainty is creeping in.  

That’s this week’s big story: Momentum meeting uncertainty. Lower rates are trying to push the housing market forward, and macro risks are pulling it back.

On one side, momentum: Since May, mortgage rates have fallen by 70 basis points, saving a typical buyer about $150 a month—that’s nearly $2,000 a year in payments. 

On the other side, uncertainty: Without the usual labor market data, Fed Chair Jerome Powell compared…

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"Homebuyers are backing out of deals at record rates. Here's why and what it means for the housing market."

Austin Business Journal reports, "Residential real estate purchase agreements are being canceled at record rates — upwards of 20% in some major metro areas — as sellers struggle to maintain the upper hand and buyers suffer from cold feet.

That's according to an analysis of MLS pending sales data in 50 large metro areas by real estate analytics firm Redfin.

Nationally, about 56,000 home-purchase agreements were canceled in August, which translates to 15.1% of homes that went under contract during the month.

That's the highest rate of cancellations in August since Redfin started tracking the metric in 2017. In August 2024, the rate was 14.3%.

The increase represents another obstacle for an evolving housing market already challenged…

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"Mortgage Rates Hit Lowest Level in Over a Year as Fed Eyes Possible Rate Cut"

Realtor.com writes, mortgage rates dipped yet again. The Freddie Mac 30-year fixed rate fell to 6.19%, its lowest level in more than a year. That’s a meaningful drop, and it comes as markets fully price in another possible Federal Reserve rate cut after it meets next week.

While this gives buyers some breathing room, it’s worth noting that further declines may be limited. That’s because there’s still uncertainty around a potential December policy move, and inflation expectations remain sticky.

After delays from the government shutdown, we finally got the report everyone’s been waiting for. The consumer price index, or CPI, showed inflation running at 3% year over year, a slight increase compared with 2.9% the previous month.

Meanwhile, core…

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"Homebuyers are gaining leverage — but the minimum income to buy is surging"

Austin Business Journal writes, "Americans now need to earn $114,000 per year to afford a median priced home.

That's an increase of 70.1% above the $67,000 required to afford that same mid-range home in 2019, according to data from Realtor.com. It's an increase driven by sky-high appreciation, persistent supply constraints and stubbornly high interest rates, among other factors — and the dynamic continues to weigh heavily on the housing market, even as buyers gain leverage.

The data looked at median home prices each April for the past six years.

“Even with today’s affordability hurdles, meaningful changes in the market could give buyers a better shot at finding a home,” said Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com. “The number of homes…

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"Austin homebuyers gaining negotiating power"

Austin Business Journal writes, "Homebuyers in the Austin area are gaining the advantage as competition heats up among sellers.

The metro's housing inventory continues to hover around the six-month mark and new listings have increased 43.6% year-over-year to 17,662 active home listings, according to Unlock MLS’s latest market report. However, the median sale price of a home in Austin in June was flat at $450,000 compared to the same time last year.

“We’re not 100% in a buyer’s market, but we’re pretty close,” said Brandy Wuensch, 2025 Unlock MLS and Austin Board of Realtors president. “Buyers definitely have more power to negotiate and get a lot more favorable terms from sellers in terms of closing costs.”

Sellers are having to become more…

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"Buyers Are Gaining Market Power as Mortgage Rates Dip Another Week"

Realtor.com writes, "The sour outlook from consumers, and the consistent "wait-and see" policy from the Federal Reserve, helped push interest rates lower, including mortgage rates dipping to 6.77% for a 30-year fixed home loan. The dip was housing-friendly but small, so its impact will be modest.

Inflation, which showed the Fed’s preferred gauge, rose 2.3% in the year even as the index excluding food and energy prices edged a bit higher. Consumer confidence slipped in June, and while consumer sentiment improved, both measures remain at a concerningly sluggish level. 

The April Case-Shiller home price index showed regional divergence, with price gains strongest in Northeast and Midwest markets, like New York City, Chicago, and Detroit. Southern…

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