https://www.live-feeds.com/feed/mortgage-rates-rise-for-seventh-straight-week-squeezing-homebuyersContinuously updated, source-cited coverage. https://www.live-feeds.com/feed/mortgage-rates-rise-for-seventh-straight-week-squeezing-homebuyershttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/mortgage-rates-rise-for-seventh-straight-week-squeezing-homebuyers#u124375Thu, 15 Oct 2026 15:27:16 +0000Borrowing costs for American homebuyers jumped for the seventh consecutive week, pushing the average rate on a benchmark 30-year fixed mortgage to 7.4%. Data released Thursday by Freddie Mac confirms the increase from the previous week's average of 7.28%, marking the highest level for 30-year borrowing in nearly three years. A year ago, the average rate on a similar loan stood at 6.3%. The relentless climb adds severe pressure to an already strained housing market, sidelining would-be buyers and chilling demand across the country as affordability plummets.Why it mattersThe consecutive wee