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Mortgage rates decline to 6.33% after Fed rate cut

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  Published in House and Home on Tuesday, September 23rd 2025 at 18:55 GMT by HousingWire
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Mortgage Rates Fall, but the Housing Market Still Faces Headwinds – What 2025 Might Hold

HousingWire’s recent feature on the trajectory of U.S. mortgage rates and the broader housing market lays out a cautiously optimistic yet ultimately restrained outlook for 2025. Drawing on the latest data from the Federal Reserve, Freddie Mac, the National Association of Realtors (NAR), and other industry sources, the article traces how a sharp decline in mortgage rates in the first half of 2024 is already reshaping buyer behavior, inventory dynamics, and expectations for the next year.

1. Mortgage Rates Take a Dip

The centerpiece of the story is a sharp, market‑wide slide in mortgage rates that has pushed the 30‑year fixed‑rate down from the high‑7% range it hit in early 2024 to a new low near 7.1% as of the week of June 10. The decline follows a series of indications from the Federal Reserve that the U.S. central bank will begin a gradual pace of rate cuts in 2025. The article links directly to the Fed’s policy statement and minutes, which describe a “balanced” approach to easing that should help temper inflation without triggering a recession.

A quick glance at the U.S. Treasury yield curve—another linked source in the article—shows the 10‑year Treasury yield has hovered around 4.1% over the past month, comfortably below the 4.5% to 4.6% level that typically coincides with a 7.5% mortgage rate. The Fed’s signal, coupled with this yield movement, has helped drive the current decline.

2. Why the Drop Matters

The drop is not just a headline; it has tangible implications for home buyers, lenders, and the economy at large. The article cites Freddie Mac’s “2025 Mortgage Market Outlook” (link included) to note that a 0.5‑point reduction in mortgage rates could increase the number of households that qualify for a loan by roughly 150,000 on a national scale. The Outlook further estimates that the number of homes sold in 2025 could rise by 4–5% from the 2024 total of 5.4 million, but that the jump will be uneven across regions, with the Sun Belt and the West seeing the biggest uptick.

On the other side of the equation, the article points out that the decline in rates has not yet fully offset the high inventory levels that are still plaguing many markets. NAR’s “2024 Housing Market Report” (linked in the piece) indicates that home‑sale inventory remains 20% above the 5‑year average, a ratio that still makes it difficult for buyers to find suitable properties. The report also warns that rising home prices—up 12.6% year‑over‑year in August—could dampen the impact of lower rates, especially for first‑time buyers.

3. The Rental Market – A Rising Tide

While the article focuses heavily on mortgage rates, it also turns to the rental market, which offers a useful counter‑balance to the housing supply issue. The linked NAR report shows that rents increased 8.6% year‑over‑year in July, a pace that is expected to persist through 2025. The article interprets this as a sign that the rental sector is continuing to tighten, which in turn could keep home‑ownership attractive for some.

4. Economic Forces in Play

The article draws on a broader set of macro‑economic data, including employment numbers and consumer spending. With the U.S. labor market still showing resilience—unemployment remains near 3.9%—the piece argues that demand for housing, both for purchase and rent, will continue to be buoyed. However, inflation is still above the Fed’s 2% target, and the “Inflation Outlook” linked in the article indicates that price pressures could keep mortgage rates high enough to temper a full‑blown rebound in 2025.

5. 2025 Forecast – A Balancing Act

The article culminates in a sober forecast for the housing market in 2025:

These numbers, largely sourced from Freddie Mac’s Mortgage Market Outlook and NAR’s housing statistics, paint a picture of gradual recovery. The article stresses that while mortgage rates are expected to ease, the inventory problem and price trajectory will still create friction.

6. Practical Take‑Aways for Buyers and Lenders

For potential homebuyers, the article highlights a few key take‑aways:

1. Act Quickly – Even a small drop in rates can translate to a significant savings on a $400,000 loan (about $3,000 per year).
2. Look Beyond the Sun Belt – Regions like the Midwest are showing more favorable price-to-income ratios.
3. Consider Adjustable‑Rate Mortgages – With rates set to decline further, ARMs could lock in lower initial payments.

For lenders, the piece advises a cautious approach: maintain rigorous underwriting standards to avoid a rise in defaults if the economy slows unexpectedly. Freddie Mac’s own “Loan Performance Outlook” warns that “current borrower quality is high, but the risk of a rate spike could erode this position.”

7. The Bottom Line

HousingWire’s article provides a nuanced view of the U.S. housing market as it stands on the cusp of 2025. The recent decline in mortgage rates is a positive headline, but it does not yet solve the inventory and price challenges that keep many buyers on the sidelines. With the Fed’s anticipated cuts and a modest rise in home sales, 2025 should see a gradual, if uneven, rebound. However, both buyers and sellers will need to stay attuned to the latest Fed policy moves, Treasury yields, and regional market trends to navigate the evolving landscape.

For a deeper dive into the data that underpins these predictions, the article offers direct links to Freddie Mac’s “2025 Mortgage Market Outlook,” the NAR’s “2024 Housing Market Report,” and the Federal Reserve’s policy documents—all of which provide the granular statistics that drive this cautious, yet hopeful, forecast.