10/06/2026
Real estate data always arrives a step behind the market. September's numbers mostly tell us where buyers were in August, and the months ahead will show how they're responding to what September delivered. After months of drifting, rates finally picked a direction in September, and it wasn't the one buyers wanted. The 30-year fixed rate climbed each week, topping out at about 7.5 percent by the end of the month. Mid-month, the Federal Reserve raised the federal funds rate for the first time since July 2023. Anyone holding out for cheaper financing just watched the Fed move the other way.