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Today: HousingWire reports mortgage rates eased from roughly 7.60% toward 7.30%, while national pending sales stopped declining for one week. Reprice financing for active Richland and Lexington County buyers, but do not treat that improvement as evidence that Columbia demand has recovered.
Use the rate decline to refresh buyer budgets, not promise a market rebound. HousingWire reports a recent mortgage rate of 7.33%, down from a peak around 7.60%; its national weekly pending-sales measure showed a slight improvement after declines. Contact payment-constrained buyers in Richland and Lexington counties for updated lender quotes, then reassess their purchase ceilings using actual taxes, insurance and loan terms. Source: HousingWire
National contract activity remains substantially below last year. HousingWire counted 52,490 pending sales, meaning homes under contract but not yet closed, versus 67,752 in the comparable 2025 week, approximately 22.5% fewer; it says this measure typically takes 30-60 days to appear in sales data. For Columbia-area listing consultations, check current neighborhood contracts, competing listings and recent price reductions before recommending a price, rather than interpreting one positive national week as grounds to raise it. Source: HousingWire
Do not count on lower rates to rescue a weak listing strategy. HousingWire reports purchase mortgage applications fell both week over week and year over year, although that reading did not capture the latest few days of rate movement. Review showing activity, buyer feedback and competing inventory with sellers now; where local evidence supports a change, compare a price reduction with a lender-quoted seller credit toward financing costs. Source: HousingWire
Separate a financing opportunity from a rate forecast. HousingWire reports mortgage spreads, the gap between mortgage rates and the 10-year Treasury yield, widened to 2.23 percentage points from 2.21, even as mortgage rates eased. Buyers with an accepted contract should compare current lock terms and closing costs with their lender; investors evaluating Richland or Lexington County acquisitions should require the deal to work at available financing terms rather than depend on a future rate decline. Source: HousingWire