Denver: Housing Market Chills

KDVR & AP headline: Metro Denver housing market chills as mortgage rates, prices scare buyers

Posted: Jul 21, 2022 / 10:55 AM MDT

https://kdvr.com/news/local/metro-denver-housing-market-chil…

The Federal Reserve has aggressively raised short-term interest rates to fight inflation, which in turn helps push rates higher for credit cards, auto loans and mortgages. Rising mortgage rates have combined with already high home prices to discourage would-be buyers. Mortgage applications have declined sharply. Sales of previously occupied homes have fallen for five straight months, during what is generally the busiest time of year in real estate.

The rate on a 30-year mortgage averaged around 5.54% this week, according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac; a year ago it was close to 2.78%. The increase in rates is leaving buyers with some unwelcome options: pay hundreds of dollars more for a mortgage, buy a smaller home or choose to live in a less desirable neighborhood, or drop out of the market, at least until rates come down.

All signals point toward the Fed continuing to raise interest rates, promising little relief for potential buyers at least for the rest of the year.