US Top News and Analysis | Mortgage rates are rising again, but homebuyers are trickling back AI generated summary, Read the full article for complete information. Mortgage rates rose again last week, pushing the average contract interest rate for 30‑year fixed‑rate mortgages with conforming loan balances to 6.37% (up from 6.35%) while keeping points steady at 0.61 for loans with a 20% down payment. Total mortgage applications fell 1.6% week‑over‑week, but purchase‑loan applications increased 1% and were 21% higher than a year ago, indicating homebuyers are returning to the market as inventory improves. Refinance demand, highly sensitive to rate changes, dropped 4% for the week but remains 51% higher than the same week last year. Economists note that despite geopolitical uncertainties, buyers are moving forward this spring, and markets are awaiting Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s upcoming remarks, which could further influence mortgage rates. Read more: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/29/mortgage-rates-are-rising-again-but-homebuyers-are-trickling-back.html #MikeFratantoni #MortgageBankers #FederalReserve #CNBC #PropertyPlay #