10/13/2026
Quick rate update and a Washington policy change worth knowing about.
Mortgage rates ticked up about an eighth of a percent this week on inflation worries, higher oil prices, and global uncertainty. The good news: by end of week investors were buying treasuries which pulled yields back down from their highs. That could be positive for mortgage rates going forward. We will keep watching.
Now for the Washington news. Right now lenders pull your credit from three bureaus for conventional loans: Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. The Federal Housing Finance Agency is getting ready to allow underwriting from just two bureaus instead of three. The idea is to lower the cost of getting a mortgage for buyers. I am not fully sold on this yet. I think it could actually hurt some borrowers rather than help them and potentially raise costs and make qualifying harder. We could get an official announcement as soon as next week and I will keep monitoring this as more information becomes available.
Looking ahead to next week two major inflation reports land. CPI on Wednesday measures month-to-month changes in what consumers pay for everyday items like groceries, housing, transportation, and energy. PPI on Thursday measures what businesses get paid for goods and services at the wholesale level. Both can move the bond market significantly and mortgage rates are sensitive to both.
Even with rates where they are there are great opportunities out there. Seller concessions can help cover closing costs, prepaid items, and even temporary or permanent rate buydowns. And if your income does not fit traditional guidelines we have bank statement loans, P&L loans, a loan designed specifically for realtors, asset-based loans, rental income programs, and our exclusive community mortgage that looks at your whole financial picture.
Do not try to time the market. With the right strategy you can win in any rate environment.
Send me a message and let’s build yours.
Jim Bonner, Change Home Mortgage. Making the complex simple.
