Mortgage rates fall slightly to 6.66%, but have more than doubled in a year.

The figures show mortgage rates have paused their march toward 7% as the economic outlook remains uncertain. It's worth noting that Mortgage News Daily, which tracks mortgage rates daily, reports that the 30-year is now at 6.95%. According to Freddie Mac data released on Thursday, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.66% as of Oct. 6.

For the third month in a row, the leading indicator of US home sales falls.

The figures: According to the National Association of Realtors' monthly index released Wednesday, pending home sales in the United States fell 2% in August, the third consecutive monthly drop (NAR). Transactions were down 24.2% from the previous year. According to the data, housing market activity has slowed since the Fed began raising interest rates. And, [...]

Housing starts in the United States fell in September, weighing on the country’s growth.

The figures: The Commerce Department reported Wednesday that new home construction in the United States fell 8.1% seasonally adjusted in September to 1.44 million. In September, new hole starts fell 4.7%, while apartment starts fell 13.1%. The housing market is rapidly deteriorating, exacerbated by affordability concerns. Mortgage applications are expected to fall further this week, [...]