Mortgage Activity Declines in October as Mortgage Rates Increase
The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume by the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) weekly survey, decreased 13.9% month-over-month on a seasonally adjusted (SA) basis due to higher mortgage rates.
This decline was reflected in both the Purchase and Refinance Indices, which fell by 4.4% and 23%, respectively. However, compared to October 2023, the Market Composite Index is up by 39%, with the Purchase Index seeing a slight 1.9% increase and the Refinance Index higher by 149.9%.
The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate reversed its downward trajectory with an increase of 36 basis points, following volatility in the 10-year Treasury yield. This brought the rate back to around the same level as it was in August at 6.53%. However, compared to its peak last October, the current rate is 125 bps lower.
NAHB Economist Catherine Koh provides more in this Eye on Housing post.
Latest from NAHBNow
Economics | Housing Affordability
Feb 24, 2026
Falling Mortgage Rates Make Homeownership Possible for Millions of HouseholdsThe average interest rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell to around 6% last week, the lowest rate borrowers have seen in close to three years. Borrowers will not only enjoy lower monthly payments at that rate, but it also makes homeownership possible for millions more.
Material Costs
Feb 23, 2026
Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump’s Tariffs – But Uncertainty PersistsThe Supreme Court on Feb. 20 ruled that President Trump’s attempts to use emergency powers under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) was not valid. But Trump still has wide latitude in setting tariff policy and announced a new global tariff of 15%. American consumers and businesses are unsure how any new tariffs will affect them.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Feb 24, 2026
Young Adult Headship Rates in 2024: Cyclical Slip or New Equilibrium?Reversing the post-pandemic rebound, the headship rates among young adults (the share of the population heading their own households) declined in 2024, according to NAHB’s analysis of the American Community Survey (ACS) data.
Economics
Feb 23, 2026
A 25-Basis-Point Decline in the Mortgage Rate Prices-In 1.42 Million HouseholdsHousing affordability remains a critical challenge nationwide, and mortgage rates continue to play a central role in shaping homebuying power. Although rates have declined from the recent peak of about 7.6% in 2023 to around 6.01% as of February 19,2026, they remain elevated relative to typical levels in the 2010s.
Economics
Feb 20, 2026
New Home Sales Close 2025 with Modest GainsNew home sales ended 2025 on a mixed but resilient note, signaling steady underlying demand despite ongoing affordability and supply constraints. The latest data released today (and delayed because of the government shutdown in fall of 2025) indicate that while month-to-month activity shows a small decline, sales remain stronger than a year ago, signaling that buyer interest in newly built homes has improved.