Mortgage rates started 2026 on with a mild uptick, according to the Primary Mortgage Market Survey from Freddie Mac (OTCQB: FMCC).
The 30-year fixed-rate averaged 6.16% as of Jan. 8, up slightly from last week when it averaged 6.15%. A year ago at this time, it averaged 6.93%.
The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.46%, up from last week when it averaged 5.44%. A year ago at this time, it averaged 6.14%.
“In the first full week of the new year, mortgage rates remained within a narrow range, hovering close to the 6% mark,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “The combination of solid economic growth and lower rates has led to improving momentum in for-sale residential demand, with purchase applications up over 20% from a year ago.”
Separately, a new data report from Redfin found the median monthly housing payment fell to $2,365 during the four weeks ending Jan. 4, down 4.7% from one year earlier and the lowest level since the start of 2024. However, Redfin noted this will not speed an increase in either sales or listings.
“The housing market is in its holiday hangover season,” said Chen Zhao, Redfin’s head of economic research. “Prospective homebuyers are focused on getting back into work and school mode rather than hunting for houses—and in some parts of the country, snowy or wet weather is an obstacle. With mortgage rates and housing payments meaningfully lower than they were a year ago, we may see some buyers emerge in the coming weeks—and if buyers come, sellers are likely to follow.”
