30-Year Mortgage Rate (Freddie Mac PMMS®)

6.46% ↑ 0.08% (fifth straight weekly increase)

Daily rate (Mortgage News Daily, Apr 2)

6.41% actually improved ~23 bps from Fri peak on ceasefire hopes mid-week

What that means on a $400K loan

~$2,518/mo still ~$47/mo less than a year ago

With a seller-funded buydown to ~5%

~$2,145/mo $373/mo less than the headline rate. $4,475/yr in real savings.

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

4.30% ↓ from 4.44% last Fri (bonds rallied on ceasefire talk)

Gap between mortgage & bond rates

2.16% widening (was 1.94% two weeks ago; historical avg is 1.70%)

⚠️ Next big rate movers: March Jobs Report, TODAY 8:30 AM (markets closed) + Iran deadline, Monday April 6 at 8 PM ET

Source: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), week ending 4/2/2026. 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 want to walk you through what's actually happening right now, because the headlines are telling one story and the data is telling a completely different one. Factory input costs just hit a four-year high. Job openings fell by 358,000 in a single month. The jobs report comes out this morning, but markets are closed for Good Friday, so the reaction gets pushed to Monday. Monday is also the Iran deadline. That means by Tuesday morning we're going to know a lot more about where rates are headed. Here's the thing most people are missing: nearly half of all home sales right now include the seller covering closing costs, rate buydowns, or both. That's an all-time record. The sticker price on a mortgage and the price people are actually paying are two different numbers. My mortgage broker is closing deals where sellers are buying rates down well below what you see in any headline. If you're going to move, the math you need to see is the deal math, not the headline math. Want me to connect you so you can see exactly what that looks like for your budget?"

What to Say to a Seller

"[Name], I want to share something that happened with a deal I saw close last month because I think it's relevant to you. The seller was worried about the market. Headlines were loud, rates were climbing, and they almost decided to wait. Instead, they listed at the right price and offered a buyer credit for a rate buydown. They got two offers in the first ten days and closed at 98% of asking. The listing two streets over priced $30K higher and offered nothing. It's been sitting 55 days. Here's the stat that tells the whole story: 45.5% of sellers nationally are now offering some kind of concession. That is the highest number ever recorded. The sellers who understand that are getting their homes sold. The ones who don't are sitting. If there's any part of you that's been thinking about making a move, I'd love to sit down for 15 minutes and walk you through what's actually happening on your street. Not the national headlines. Your specific neighborhood. And if you know anyone else thinking about buying or selling, I'd really appreciate you sending them my way."

[Name], the jobs report drops this morning, markets are closed today, and the Iran deadline is Monday. By Tuesday we'll know if rates are going up or down. The buyers who have their pre-approval locked in before then get to move first. Everyone else watches. Want me to get you in front of my lender before the weekend?

[Name], what if I told you someone could buy a home right now and pay about $370 less per month than what the headlines say? Sellers are covering it. Not a gimmick. My lender is closing deals like that right now. Curious if that changes anything for you?

[Name], new data just came out. 45.5% of home sales now include seller concessions. That's the highest ever recorded. The sellers who are offering buydowns and closing cost help are moving their homes. The ones who aren't are sitting 60+ days. I'd love to show you how to be on the right side of that number. Worth a 15-minute conversation?

Hey [name], two big things are about to happen that will move mortgage rates by Tuesday. If you know anyone who's been thinking about buying or selling, this weekend is the time for them to talk to someone. I can connect them with my mortgage broker for a free consult. Just send me their name and I'll handle the rest.

Everyone keeps telling me they're waiting for rates to come down before they buy.

Here's what nobody talks about. Nearly half of all home sales right now include the seller paying for a rate buydown or covering the buyer's closing costs. That just hit an all-time record.

So while everyone waits for a rate that may or may not come, the buyers who are actually in the market are negotiating their way to payments that are hundreds of dollars per month lower than what you'd expect.

The deal you negotiate matters more than the rate you wait for. That's the lesson of this market.

Anyone else seeing this play out right now?

Market Update for the Week of April 3, 2026

Mortgage rates ticked up slightly again this week, marking the fifth straight weekly increase. However, daily rates actually improved during the middle of the week when there were reports of progress on a possible ceasefire overseas.

Two important things are happening in the next few days. The March jobs report was released this morning, and a deadline related to the overseas situation falls on Monday. Both of these could move rates meaningfully in either direction by early next week.

Something worth knowing: sellers right now are more flexible than they have ever been. New data shows that nearly half of all home sales now include the seller covering some combination of closing costs and rate buydowns. That means the monthly payment you'd actually end up with could be meaningfully lower than what the headlines suggest. If you have been holding off because rates feel high, it is worth having a conversation about what a deal actually looks like once seller concessions are factored in.

Questions? Reply here 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 April 2, 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 and I just got this data: 30-year mortgage rates are at 6.46%. Seller concessions hit an all-time record at 45.5% of sales. Factory input costs just hit a 4-year high. The jobs report showed [insert number once you see it]. The Iran deadline is Monday. Write me 3 short talking points I can use when buyers ask 'should I wait?' and 3 for when sellers ask 'is now a bad time to list?' Keep each talking point to 2 sentences max. Write like a confident professional, not a script. Do not use em dashes. Do not use words like 'stunning' or 'nestled' or 'boasts.'"

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.