30-Year Mortgage Rate (Freddie Mac PMMS®)

6.38% ↑ 0.16% from last Friday

Daily rate (Mortgage News Daily, Mar 26)

6.62% 6-month high (highest since Sept 2025)

What that means on a $400K loan

~$2,497/mo still ~$71/mo less than a year ago

With a seller-funded buydown to ~5%

~$2,145/mo that's $352/mo less. Real deals closing right now.

Bond rate that drives mortgages (10-Year Treasury · CNBC)

4.37% hit 4.40% mid-week (8-month high) before pulling back

Gap between mortgage & bond rates

2.01% widening (was 1.87% two weeks ago)

⚠️ Next big rate mover: March Jobs Report, Friday, April 3 at 8:30 AM ET

Source: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), week ending 3/26/2026. Daily rate from Mortgage News Daily. Rates shown are national averages for a conforming 30-year fixed-rate mortgage and do not represent a personal rate quote or offer to lend. Buydown example reflects recent closed transactions and is not guaranteed. Payment examples assume a $400,000 loan amount, 30-year fixed term, 20% down payment, and do not include taxes, insurance, or PMI. Your actual rate, payment, and costs may vary based on your financial profile. Rate ≠ APR. Not all applicants will qualify.

What to Say to a Buyer

"[Name], I know rates went up again this week. I'm not going to pretend they didn't. And you're probably thinking it makes sense to wait. Here's what I'd be thinking about if I were in your shoes. Mortgage applications just dropped 10% two weeks in a row. That means buyers are pulling back. But here's what happens when buyers pull back: sellers get nervous. They offer concessions. They pay for rate buydowns. They cover closing costs. My mortgage broker closed two deals last week where the seller bought the rate all the way down to about 5%. That's a $350 per month difference on a $400K home versus the rate you see in the news. The people who are buying right now aren't paying what the headlines say. They're negotiating. And they're negotiating from a position of strength because there's less competition. Want me to connect you with my lender so he can show you what a deal actually looks like right now?"

What to Say to a Seller

"[Name], I was going through my client list this week and your name came up. I just wanted to check in and see how things are going. Are you still happy in the house? [Let them talk. Don't pitch.] By the way, something interesting is happening right now that I thought you should know about. Over a third of listings in most markets have taken a price cut. Homes are sitting about 47 days on average, which is up from last year. But the homes that are priced correctly from day one are still moving, and they're moving at strong numbers. The difference between the sellers who are succeeding and the ones who are sitting is pricing strategy. If you've thought at all about making a move in the next year or so, it would be worth 15 minutes to look at what's happening on your street. No pressure either way. Oh, and by the way, if you know anyone who's been thinking about buying or selling, I'd appreciate you sending them my way."

[Name], mortgage applications just dropped 10% two weeks in a row. Everyone's reading that as bad news. For you it's the opposite. Fewer buyers means more negotiating room. Sellers are covering closing costs and buying down rates on deals right now that they wouldn't have touched two months ago. This is the window. Want me to connect you with my lender?

[Name], you've probably noticed gas is almost $4 a gallon. Here's why that actually matters for your housing situation. Higher gas means higher inflation numbers, which keeps rates elevated longer. If you've been waiting for the "perfect" rate, it might keep moving further away. Might be worth a 10-minute call with my mortgage broker just to know where you stand. No cost, no commitment.

[Name], I was at a closing this week and the listing agent said something that stuck with me. She said the sellers who listed in March are closing right now. The ones who waited until April are about to compete with a wave of new spring listings. Timing the market is hard. Timing the competition is easier. Want to look at where your home fits before the spring rush?

Hey [name], quick question. Do you know anyone who's been trying to buy but keeps getting stuck on the rate? I've got a mortgage broker who's been structuring deals where sellers cover the buydown and buyers end up with rates way below what you'd expect. Just want to make sure the right people know about it.

I talked to four agents this week. Every one of them said the same thing.

The buyers who are still out there right now are getting better deals than anyone got in February when rates were lower. Sellers are paying for rate buydowns. They're covering closing costs. They're negotiating in ways they flat-out refused to do six months ago.

The rate on the news is not the rate people are actually paying. That's the thing nobody's talking about right now.

Who else is seeing this in their market?

Market Update for the Week of March 27, 2026

Mortgage rates climbed again this week, reaching their highest point in about six months. This is being driven almost entirely by rising energy costs from the situation overseas, not by anything wrong with the U.S. economy or the housing market itself.

Here is something most people don't realize: the rate you see in the headlines is not necessarily the rate buyers are actually getting. Sellers right now are more willing to negotiate than at any point in the last four years. Many are offering to cover closing costs or even pay to buy down the buyer's interest rate as part of the deal. That can make a meaningful difference in your monthly payment.

The next big report to watch is the March jobs report coming out Friday, April 3. A weak report could push rates lower. A strong one could keep them elevated. Either way, the negotiating environment for buyers right now is better than most people think.

Questions? Hit reply and I'll connect you with my team.

This is a general market overview based on national averages from the Freddie Mac PMMS® for the week ending March 26, 2026 and is not an offer to lend. Your actual rate and payment will depend on your individual financial profile. Cole Brantley, NMLS# 1905939. Mpire Financial, NMLS# 2108504. Equal Housing Lender.

"I'm a real estate agent preparing a listing presentation for a homeowner at [address]. The home is a [beds/baths/sqft]. I want you to write a 1-page market analysis section for my presentation. Include: a 2-sentence neighborhood overview, the current median price for similar homes in the area, how long homes are taking to sell, what percentage of sellers are offering concessions, and a recommended list price range based on the data. End with one sentence about why now is a good time to list. Write in a confident, professional tone. Do not use em dashes. Do not use words like 'stunning' or 'nestled' or 'boasts.' Keep it under 200 words."

Step 1

Reach out to me first. Text, email, or call me with the client's info and any notes about their situation. The more context upfront, the better I can serve them.

Step 2

Introduce me in a 3-way text. A group text with you, me, and the client. Something like: "Hey [name], this is Cole Brantley, the mortgage broker I told you about. He's going to reach out to set up a time to talk through your options."

Step 3

I take it from there. I reach out to the client 7 times over the next 4 days with a mix of phone calls and text messages to set a consultation. After every conversation, I send you a recap of where things stand and what the next steps are.

Step 4

No one gets forgotten. If the client doesn't respond after the first week, they move into a biweekly follow-up cadence from my call center team. No lead gets dropped.