” Despite the modest uptick, purchasers are responding to rates in this variety, with existing‑home sales increasing 1.7% in February. Purchase applications likewise increased this week, a welcome indication as purchasers go into spring homebuying season with rates down majority a percentage point compared to the exact same time in 2015,” Sam Khater, primary economist at Freddie Mac, said.
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported a 1.7% month‑over‑month rise in existing home sales to a yearly rate of 4.09 million, beating lots of economists’ expectations.
Applications for home loans, meanwhile, increased 3.2% in the week ending March 6, 2026, according to the Home mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Home Mortgage Applications Survey. Purchase activity increased more sharply than refinances.
Markets continue to face the financial fallout from the Iran war, which has driven oil above $100 a barrel and pressed the 10‑year Treasury yield back over 4.2%, reversing part of the bond rally that pulled home mortgage rates under 6% just two weeks back.