Mortgage Rates Still Working on That Ceiling; Housing Demands Changing, Builders Slow to Follow

Mortgage Rates Still Working on That Ceiling; Housing Demands Changing, Builders Slow to Follow

Mortgage rates didn't move much today. Most lenders were just slightly lower/better this morning, but mid-day market weakness prompted several of them to reissue higher rates. In the bigger picture, however, the past several days represent a welcome stint of relative calm. The general trend had been toward higher rates beginning in mid-December. Granted, that general trend could continue and the past few business days could merely be a pause. But the point is, whether it's a pause or the beginning of a reversal, either would begin the same way. The important development in underlying bond markets has been resilience at the weaker (read: higher rate) levels. Using 10yr Treasury yields as a benchmark for rate in general, we'd want 2.60% to continue to act as a ceiling. The ingredient we're still