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Technically a Breakout, But It Could Have Been Worse

8/31/2026 4:00 PM

Technically a Breakout, But It Could Have Been Worse 10yr yields closed just under 4.74 at the end of July and just over 4.75% today. That"s the highest close since January 2025 which, at first glance, sounds pretty gloomy. But it"s worth noting that several days have ended just a bp or two below today"s le...Read More

Highest Mortgage Rates in Over a Year, But Just Barely

8/31/2026 3:02 PM

Bonds lost ground today, largely due to mechanical, month-end trading (i.e. not due to economic data, inflation, or news headlines). When bonds lose ground, rates rise, all else equal. Mortgage rates were already fairly close to longer-term highs last week. Today"s increase was just enough to nudge the average top-tier 30yr fixed rate to 6.87%--th...Read More

MERS, Reno, Processing Tools; STRATMOR on Borrower Behavior; Housing Supply, Capital Markets

8/31/2026 9:34 AM

Grammar is important. Let’s not forget the comma… the difference between “I want you to eat, my friend” and “I want you to eat my friend.” Let’s not forget training, and I received this note. “Rob, plenty of conferences offer continuing education. Do any organizations offer CE?” Yup. Lenders One members receive it as a free benefit for all their LO...Read More

Month-End Trading Taking a Toll

8/31/2026 9:13 AM

Bonds were actually a hair stronger at the open, but quickly tanked just after 8am. The nature of said tankage is strongly suggestive of month-end positioning. While it"s true oil prices are higher than Friday, the spike in bond yields didn"t correlate in a manner typically consistent with oil being the driver. Also, there is a relatively sharp mov...Read More

Warsh Speech at Jackson Hole Prompts Heavy Selling

8/28/2026 4:22 PM

Hawkish Read on Warsh Prompts Heavy Selling Jackson Hole speeches are hit and miss when it comes to bond market volatility. Today"s Warsh speech was something of a direct hit--more than enough to sink the battleship of anyone hoping for lower rates to end the week. Warsh"s hawkishness was limited to tough t...Read More

Mortgage Rates Jump to 3-Week Highs After Jackson Hole Speech

8/28/2026 1:45 PM

Jackson Hole is a place in Wyoming, but it"s also shorthand for an annual event where various central bankers get together and talk about monetary policy. The Fed Chair almost always delivers a speech and that speech occasionally causes volatility in the bond market. This year was a classic example. Fed Chair Warsh"s speech focused on inflation re...Read More

Mortgage Demand Remains Stalled as Rates Move Higher

8/28/2026 1:38 PM

Mortgage application activity softened last week, with both purchase and refinance demand moving lower as mortgage rates climbed to their highest level in three weeks. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported a 1.0% decrease in total application volume on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending August 21. Purchase applications wer...Read More

New Home Sales Give Back June"s Gains

8/28/2026 1:35 PM

The new home market struggled to maintain the momentum seen in June, with sales falling sharply in July and inventory moving higher. The latest Census Bureau and HUD figures point to another month of uneven activity for builders, as buyers continue to contend with affordability constraints and elevated mortgage rates. Sales of new single-family ho...Read More

Home Price Appreciation Edges Higher Amid Growing Regional Divide

8/28/2026 1:25 PM

Home prices continued to edge higher in the latest readings from FHFA and the S&P Cotality Case-Shiller Home Price Indices , with both measures showing somewhat stronger annual gains than they did a month earlier. The improvement was still relatively modest, however, and inflation continued to run ahead of home values. At the same time, the ...Read More

Education, Underwriting, Processing Tools; Originators and Tech; Gov"t Program Changes; Tech Survey

8/28/2026 10:45 AM

STRATMOR’s 2026 Technology Insight® Study Lender Intelligence Survey is now open, giving mortgage lenders a chance to share their firsthand experience with the technology that powers their businesses, and to help shape a clearer picture of what’s working, what isn’t, and where the industry is headed. The study reflects actual lender experience, pro...Read More

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