US Mortgage Rates Cross 7% for First Time Since January 2025 as Housing Market Stalls

The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate crossed the 7% threshold on Tuesday, September 15, reaching its highest level since January 2025 and adding fresh pressure to an already strained housing market. The move is expected to further deter home buyers and home builders who have already been grappling with elevated borrowing costs throughout 2026.

The rate surge reflects a broader bond market dynamic tied to recurring inflation fears and oil price shocks. Analysts at Realtor.com noted that each new round of global tensions has reinforced the same pattern: oil prices rise, inflation expectations follow, and bond markets reprice higher, pushing mortgage costs up with them.

Separately, new data highlighted by market analyst Mike Zaccardi showed that US households have never owned as much stock as they do now, with equities representing a record share of household financial assets, a development that amplifies the wealth effect but also increases vulnerability to any equity market correction.

In the REIT space, American Tower was rated a Strong Buy by analysts, who noted the cell tower company is trading near 52-week lows with a dividend yield close to a decade high. Analysts expect temporary headwinds from higher rates, the exit of Dish Network as a tenant, and refinancing costs to fade, with growth projected to reaccelerate in 2027.