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📰 Daily Market Brief
August 23, 2026

Housing Market Update, Today's Key Data

Sources: Bankrate, Freddie Mac, MBA, BLS, Census, University of Michigan, Treasury market coverage, BEA, Redfin, Realtor.com, NAR, NAHB, Federal Reserve

  • Bankrate's real-time August 23 quote has the national 30-year fixed at 6.71%, down slightly from 6.72% a few days earlier, with the 15-year fixed at 6.09%
  • Freddie Mac's August 20 PMMS held the weekly 30-year fixed at 6.65%, its second straight weekly decline, while the 15-year fixed eased to 5.95%
  • The 10-year Treasury closed August 20 around 4.69%, essentially flat over the last two weeks despite a choppy mid-month bond selloff, while the 30-year Treasury sits near 5.23%
  • The 10s2s Treasury spread has steepened to roughly 0.52 to 0.53 percentage points, up from about 0.45 in early August, a signal the curve keeps normalizing
  • Redfin's newest weekly data (four weeks ending August 16) shows new listings up 1.2% week over week, the fifth straight weekly increase and the highest level in over three months
  • Redfin also says pending sales fell 1.3% week over week to their lowest level since March, as high housing costs and economic uncertainty keep buyers on the sidelines
  • Redfin's median asking price ticked down 0.1% week over week, the first decline since January, even as the median sale price is still up 1.8% year over year
  • DOL's latest initial jobless claims print fell to 206,000 for the week ended August 15, down from 212,000 the prior week
  • MBA's weekly survey (week ended August 19) held its 30-year fixed measure flat at 6.77%
  • Census says July housing starts fell 12.4% month over month to a 1.239 million annual pace, while permits rose 5.0% to 1.443 million
  • Single-family starts fell 9.9% in July to an 808,000 annual pace, while single-family permits rose 2.5% to 894,000
  • BLS says July CPI rose 0.1% month over month and 3.4% year over year; core CPI rose 0.2% month over month and 2.5% year over year
  • BLS says July PPI was unchanged month over month and rose 4.7% year over year, while final demand less foods, energy, and trade services rose 0.4% monthly and 4.7% annually
  • Census says July retail sales fell 0.6% month over month to $763.6 billion, but were still up 5.0% from July 2025
  • University of Michigan's preliminary August sentiment index fell to 51.0 from 55.2 in July, ending two months of improvement
  • Realtor.com's July report shows list prices down 2.4% year over year, 20% of listings with price cuts, and 57 typical days on market
  • NAR's August 11 release says July existing-home sales fell 1.7% month over month to a 4.06 million annual pace, while the median price rose 2.0% year over year to $431,400
  • NAR's August 18 pending-home-sales report says July contract signings fell 2.3% month over month and 2.2% year over year
  • NAHB's August builder read stands at 35, up from 34 in July, but remains below 40 for the 16th straight month; 35% of builders cut prices in August

Today's story: weekly mortgage relief did not erase live quote pressure. Bankrate's daily 30-year mortgage average is 6.72%, Freddie Mac's latest weekly survey eased to 6.65%, MBA's weekly measure is 6.77%, the 10-year Treasury is still around 4.70%, July housing starts fell 12.4%, permits rose 5.0%, NAR pending sales fell 2.3% in July, Redfin says pending sales are down while new listings rose, and builder confidence is still only 35. Prepared buyers should underwrite the current quote and negotiate structure.

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Updated August 23, 2026, 9:00 AM PDT · Powered by HomByt Intelligence

Housing News & Insights

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Updated from public market coverage on August 23, 2026
Rates, supply, and buyer implications

Rate snapshot

Daily benchmark panel

Bankrate 30-Year

6.71%

-1 bp

Bankrate's real-time August 23 quote eased slightly from 6.72%, still in a high-6% payment regime.

Freddie 30-Year

6.65%

Held

Freddie Mac's August 20 weekly PMMS held its second straight decline; the 15-year fixed sits at 5.95%.

10-Year Treasury

~4.69%

Flat 2wk

Closed August 20 near 4.69%, essentially unchanged over the past two weeks despite mid-month volatility.

Redfin Pending Sales

-1.3% w/w

Lowest since Mar

New listings rose 1.2% for a fifth straight week even as pending sales cooled to a 5-month low.

NAHB HMI

35

+1

August builder sentiment edged up from 34 but stayed deeply below neutral.

Recent Housing News Sources

Weekly mortgage rates just eased for a second straight week

Freddie Mac's August 20 PMMS held the 30-year fixed at 6.65%, its second consecutive weekly decline, as an expanded Treasury buyback of long-term debt helped offset pressure from a multi-week bond selloff. Bankrate's real-time August 23 quote is 6.71%, and MBA's weekly conforming measure held flat at 6.77%. Oil-price swings and ongoing U.S.-Iran tensions keep the outlook volatile even with this week's relief.

What this means for buyers

For buyers, the practical takeaway is simple: two weeks of relief is not a trend yet. Lock in the structure that works today rather than waiting on a third decline.

Take the next step What Certified Buyer means

Recent Housing News Sources

The 10-year Treasury is stuck near 4.69%, and the curve keeps steepening

The 10-year Treasury closed August 20 around 4.69%, essentially flat over the last two weeks, while the 30-year Treasury sits near 5.23%. The 10s2s spread has widened to roughly 0.52 to 0.53 percentage points from about 0.45 in early August, a sign the yield curve is normalizing even as absolute yields stay elevated.

What this means for buyers

For buyers, the practical takeaway is simple: the long end, not the Fed funds rate, is what sets your mortgage quote. Watch the 10-year, not the headlines about rate cuts.

Take the next step What Certified Buyer means

Recent Housing News Sources

More sellers are listing even as buyer demand cools

Redfin's newest weekly report (four weeks ending August 16) says new listings rose 1.2% week over week, the fifth straight increase and the highest level in over three months. At the same time, pending sales fell 1.3% week over week to their lowest level since March, as high housing costs and economic uncertainty keep house hunters on the sidelines. The median asking price ticked down 0.1%, the first weekly decline since January.

What this means for buyers

For buyers, the practical takeaway is simple: with roughly half a million more sellers than buyers nationally, prepared buyers have real room to negotiate price and concessions.

Take the next step What Certified Buyer means

Recent Housing News Sources

New construction weakened even as permits held up

Census reported July housing starts at a 1.239 million annual pace, down 12.4% from June and 13.5% from July 2025. Single-family starts fell 9.9% to 808,000. Permits moved the other way, rising 5.0% to a 1.443 million annual pace, with single-family permits up 2.5% to 894,000.

What this means for buyers

For buyers, the practical takeaway is simple: builders are cautious on starts, but the permit pipeline means inventory pressure has not disappeared.

Take the next step What Certified Buyer means

Recent Housing News Sources

Builder sentiment is still weak enough for structure to matter

NAHB's August HMI stands at 35, up from 34 in July, but the index has stayed below 40 for the 16th straight month. Roughly 35% of builders cut prices in August, and 63% used sales incentives in July. Jobless claims eased to 206,000 for the week ended August 15, down from 212,000 the week before, a modest sign the labor market is not falling apart even as housing stays soft.

What this means for buyers

For buyers, the practical takeaway is simple: compare the full payment, not just list price. A credit or buydown can beat a small headline cut.

Take the next step What Certified Buyer means