Mortgage Rates Hit a 2026 High of 6.95% While Housing Inventory Piles Up
Freddie Mac's 30-year fixed rate hit 6.95% in the week of September 17, the highest print of 2026 and 65 basis points above the 6.30% reading from the same week last year. On the national median existing-home price of $410,700 (Census, Q2 2026), a 20% down payment now carries a monthly principal-and-interest payment of about $2,175. A year ago, the same house at 6.30% cost about $2,031. That is $144 more per month, roughly $1,730 a year, for a house whose price is essentially unchanged. The rate is doing all the damage.
Key takeaways: mortgage rates hit a 2026 high of 6.95% (Freddie Mac, Sept 17 week); the typical buyer's payment is up about $144 a month versus a year ago on a flat median pri…
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