Weekly Housing Headlines

Mortgage applications increased 11.0% from one week earlier; the average 30-year fixed mortgage was 6% for the week ending March 5; the U.S. housing supply gap widened to 4.03 million units as new construction faltered last year; a new report shows that the typical homeowner hangs onto their house for 12 years; 67% of Gen Z adults struggle to cover housing costs; and the housing market continues to shift in a buyer-friendly direction.

Mortgage Applications Increase in Latest MBA Weekly Survey
Mortgage Bankers Association - 3/4/2026
Mortgage applications increased 11.0 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending February 27, 2026.

Mortgage rates hit 6% as Iran war spooks bond market traders
CNN Business - 3/5/2026
U.S. mortgage rates didn’t stay below 6% for long. The average 30-year fixed mortgage was 6% for the week ending March 5, according to Freddie Mac – after war with Iran rattles financial markets.

Housing Supply Gap Exceeds 4 Million Homes in 2025
Realtor.com - 3/3/2026
The U.S. housing supply gap widened to 4.03 million units as new construction faltered last year, fueling a vicious cycle of displacement that has essentially erased an entire generation from the market.

The Typical U.S. Homeowner Hangs Onto Their House for 12 Years. In Los Angeles, It’s 20 Years.
Redfin - 3/3/2026
Redfin reports homeowner tenure peaked at 13.4 years in 2020, roughly doubling the average tenure from 2005. It then declined marginally for four years before ticking up in 2025.

Gen Z Hit Hardest As Housing Costs Squeeze U.S. Households
National Mortgage Professional - 3/2/2026
A new Redfin survey finds that 67% of Gen Z adults struggle to cover housing costs as high prices and mortgage rates outpace incomes.

Weekly Housing Trends: U.S. Market Update (Week Ending Feb. 28, 2026)
Realtor.com - 3/5/2026
The housing market continues to shift in a buyer-friendly direction, even as buyers seem reluctant. Active inventory is up, prices are down and homes are spending more time on the market than they were at this time in 2025.

House Hunters Stayed on Sidelines As Rates Dipped Below 6%, Iran War Adds to Market Uncertainty
Redfin - 3/5/2026
Redfin reports high prices and economic uncertainty kept demand muted; now, rates are already rising again and global tensions could add to homebuyer hesitation.

Fear, pressure and economy drive rising buyer remorse
Mortgage Professional America - 3/4/2026
In a new survey, 66% of buyers reported second thoughts about their purchase, including 76% of first-time buyers. Paying too much (21%) and not negotiating more (20%) topped the list of regrets.

House-buying power surge lifts hopes for spring 2026 market
Mortgage Professional America - 3/2/2026
Spring 2026 is set up to be the first home-buying season in three years where typical buyers arrive with more room in their budgets than sellers are asking, according to new analysis from First American.

U.S. home price insights — March 2026
Cotality - 3/3/2026
Cotality’s latest Home Price Index showed U.S. single‑family home prices up just 0.74% year over year in January 2026, down sharply from the 3.43% pace seen at the start of 2025. Month over month, prices slipped 0.1%.