Best week for mortgage rates in years

A tale of two markets

The housing market doesn’t fit neatly into a single narrative right now.

Nationally, it’s a buyer’s market. There are 44% more sellers than buyers. Homebuying power has climbed to its highest level since March 2022. And as we break down in today’s top story, buyers are looking at the most favorable mortgage rate environment they’ve seen in more than three years.

But zoom into the Northeast heading into spring, and the dynamic flips. There, sellers have the leverage.

So which is it? Buyer power or seller strength?

Both.

In today’s Blueprint, we unpack how these two realities can coexist — and what it means for how you should position your clients right now.

Let’s dive in.

- James

Best week for mortgage rates in years

The daily average 30-year fixed mortgage rate has been 5.995% over the past four days (two days at 6.00% and two at 5.99%). According to Mortgage News Daily, that’s the lowest weekly average in more than three years.

Here are the key facts to know:

• Freddie Mac confirms it: The weekly 30-year rate dipped to 5.98%, marking the first time since fall 2022 that rates have entered the 5% range.

• No real difference between 5.99% and 6.00%: Mortgage News Daily notes that 95%+ of borrowers would see the exact same quote — the bigger story is the sustained stability near 6%.

• This was the best week in years: Four straight days averaging 5.995% is a materially stronger signal than a one-day dip.

• Bond market volatility helped: A Supreme Court decision striking down emergency tariff powers triggered a “flight to safety,” pushing Treasury yields lower and pulling mortgage rates down with them.

• Buying power is meaningfully better: Median-income households have gained roughly $30,000 in purchasing power over the past year.

• This could unlock inventory: With ~70% of mortgage holders below 5%, sustained sub-6% rates may encourage some “locked-in” sellers to finally reengage.

My take

This is the best rate environment buyers have seen in more than three years, and psychology matters. Breaking back into the 5% range — even barely — could reengage sidelined demand, with buying power up roughly $30,000 for the median-income household. For agents, this is a great time to circle back with buyers who hit pause. Affordability isn’t solved, and prices haven’t reset in a big way — but monthly payments have moved in the right direction. That said, this week’s drop was driven more by market volatility than improving fundamentals. Encouraging? Absolutely, but not yet a confirmed downward trend. Still, it's time to lean in.

Seller power shifts north

Pending sales are growing again. Weekly pending sales rose to 59,283, up from 56,693 a year ago, and new listings climbed to 60,428 (vs. 53,861 last year), according to HousingWire’s latest weekly update. Here’s what else they report.

• The national absorption rate is easing – Absorption (how quickly inventory clears) slipped to 9.68% from 10.21% the prior week, while months of supply rose to 2.7. Nationally, the market looks stable but slightly slower.

• The Northeast is moving fast – Boston, Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia are running near or above 18% absorption with just 1.3–1.5 months of supply. Boston’s 56-day median DOM (vs. 91 nationally) reinforces the leverage sellers now have.

• Florida and Texas are slowing – Cape Coral–Fort Myers shows 5.44% absorption, 119 days on market, and 39.4% of listings with price cuts. Naples (4.98%), Miami (6.47%), and Houston (6.97%) are also clearing slowly, with 3.9–5.0 months of supply — tilting leverage toward buyers. 

• Spring supply won’t hit evenly – New listings are rising, but outcomes depend on velocity. In the Northeast, supply is absorbed. In slower Sun Belt markets, added inventory likely means longer timelines and more concessions.

My take

Nationally, this is still a buyer’s market. There are more sellers than buyers, and that’s giving buyers real negotiating room in many parts of the country. But that big-picture label doesn’t tell the whole story. In the Northeast, homes are moving quickly, and inventory remains tight, which means sellers still have meaningful leverage heading into spring. In several Florida and Texas metros, it’s the opposite — listings are stacking up, days on market are stretching, and price cuts are more common. The takeaway: yes, it’s broadly a buyer’s market — but speed changes everything. And right now, velocity is what’s deciding who actually has the power locally.

Top real estate lead generation companies for 2026

AgentAdvice recently released its list of the top real estate lead-generation platforms for 2026. This list is based on factors such as pricing, reviews, the features they offer, and the quantity, quality, and type of leads. For agents looking to scale beyond their sphere and organic efforts, this kind of third-party ranking can be a useful starting point.

Here is their list:

1. CINC

2. Market Leader

3. TopProducer

4. Smartzip

5. AgentFire

6. MoveLeader

7. Elite Listings

8. KeLeads

9. HouseJet

My take

2025 was tough for a lot of agents. But 2026 looks like it has more opportunity baked in. That doesn’t mean deals will magically show up. It just means the agents who are proactive are going to win. With spring around the corner, this is the time to push. We still believe the strongest businesses are built on organic lead gen — door knocking, farming, open houses, social, and real relationships. But that doesn’t mean we’re opposed to using modern lead generation tools like the ones above. When used the right way, they can help you build momentum faster, especially if your follow-up game is strong.

Schematics

The news that just missed the cuts

• What Compass’s unexpected partnership with Redfin means for listings

• Use this script to talk about the mortgage rate drop with your clients

• These are the top mistakes homeowners are making right now

• What agents can do to minimize their taxes

• New Zealand rolls out the welcome mat for wealthy American homebuyers

Foundation Plans

Advice from James to win the day

Whenever I’m at conferences, I often get asked: “How do I succeed as an agent?” I recently touched on this topic in a video and want to elaborate on it in today’s Foundation Plans. 

Success in real estate is simple. Not easy — but simple. You don’t need a secret script or a magic hack. What you need is to:

1. Show up every day

2. Communicate clearly, and 

3. Deliver value consistently.

That’s it.

But here’s the catch: consistency doesn’t happen by accident. It requires systems.

Take follow-ups as an example. The money isn’t in the first conversation — it’s in what happens after. Only 2% of sales happen on first contact. 80% require at least five follow-ups. If you’re relying on memory, sticky notes, or willpower to manage that, you’re losing deals you don’t even know you lost.

After 25 years in this business — and rebuilding more than once — I’ve learned this: Being a great agent isn’t just about selling. It’s about managing the chaos behind the scenes — notes, pipelines, comps, reminders, tasks, and systems that don’t talk to each other.

For years, I never found a tool I was fully satisfied with. So for the past two years, my partners and I have been building one.

It’s an AI-powered productivity platform designed specifically for agents — to help you stay organized, follow up consistently, and execute at a high level every single day.

It’s called Breezy!

We officially launch in the spring, but over the upcoming weeks, we’ll be sharing Breezy’s key features. The wait list is now live.

If you’re serious about being a success and building a consistent, scalable business, join it today.

Breezy

Feature of the Week — Efficiency

Breezy runs alongside real estate agents throughout the day and acts as an AI personal assistant in real time.

At a high level, Breezy does these things:

• Captures and organizes conversations so no follow-up or detail gets lost

• Generates branded comps and reports on the fly, ready for clients

• Keeps your pipeline current automatically, without manual updating

• Reveals how you can reposition and develop your property through proprietary software we call Underbuilt

Instead of agents juggling spreadsheets, notes apps, CRM updates, and presentation tools, Breezy brings those workflows together.

Founding Member, Kerri Brooks, says:

“I love that comps aren’t buried in 60-page reports. Having comps, AI notes, and an assistant all in one app instead of juggling a CRM, ChatGPT, and separate tools is a game-changer.” — Kerri Brooks, The Keyes Company – Stuart

Join here!

Just in Case

Keep the latest industry data in your back pocket with today’s mortgage rates:

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” — Steve Jobs

Each day is a gift – a chance to live the life you want. Ruthlessly focus on your goals. Don’t let your past or the fear of being judged distract or paralyze you. Choose to live with an integrity that you can be proud of.

Have a wonderful weekend, and I’ll see you back here next Friday!

- James