Higher mortgage rates keep home sales stuck around year-to-date lows — Live Feedhttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/higher-mortgage-rates-keep-home-sales-stuck-around-year-to-date-lowsContinuously updated, source-cited coverage. Higher Mortgage Rates Keep U.S. Home Sales Near Year-to-Date Lowshttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/higher-mortgage-rates-keep-home-sales-stuck-around-year-to-date-lowshttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/higher-mortgage-rates-keep-home-sales-stuck-around-year-to-date-lows#u125608Fri, 16 Oct 2026 10:40:55 +0000U.S. existing-home sales increased 1.5% in September from August to a seasonally adjusted annual rate, but overall sales dropped 2.2% compared to a year ago. Elevated mortgage rates near 7% continue to lock out prospective buyers and keep the housing market stuck in a prolonged slump. Even as inventory rises, persistent high prices and borrowing costs discourage purchasing activity across the country, leaving sales hovering near year-to-date lows and dimming the broader outlook for the housing sector.Why it mattersThe U.S. housing market has faced a persistent slump since 2022 when mortgage ra