Mortgage Market Update July 10th 2025 — What Realtors and Homebuyers Need to Know

 


Mortgage Market Meanders — What Realtors and Homebuyers Need to Know

Over the past month, mortgage rates have been trading in a relatively narrow band—bouncing off the highs we saw in early April and pulling back each time Chair Powell reminds markets why the Fed isn’t ready to cut rates. In plain terms, every time a Fed official speaks, rates tick up; when headlines calm down, they drift lower again.

Key Takeaways for Realtors & Buyers

  • Sideways, Not Steep
    Rates have hovered near their April peak, but today’s levels still represent one of the lowest points in months. That means opportunities to lock in competitive financing remain.

  • Fed Speeches Move Markets
    Jerome Powell’s public comments tend to push rates higher in the short term—and those moves usually last a few days. Watch Fed speak dates on your calendar and get rate-locks in place before the next big speech.

  • Tariff News Adds Volatility
    Ongoing trade developments (recently Brazil tariffs) can send rates wobbling. Keep clients informed when new tariff headlines break.

  • Eyes on September
    Industry experts, including Owen Lee of the Mortgage Bankers Association, peg the first Fed cut around September. History shows markets often rally four to six weeks ahead of the cut—meaning late July and August could be a prime window for purchases or refinances.

  • Act Like You Mean It
    In a “series of sprints” market, the real winners are those who prospect now and lock quickly. Encourage clients to get pre-approved, list, or refinance this summer to capture potential rate dips.

Big News in Credit Scoring

Two days ago, FHFA Director Bill Pulte announced on X that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will now accept VantageScore 4.0 in their Desktop Underwriting® systems—no new infrastructure needed. The intent is to inject competition into the credit-scoring “oligopoly” and lower costs for homebuyers.

“Effective today, to increase competition in the credit score ecosystem … Fannie and Freddie will ALLOW lenders to use Vantage 4.0 Score with no current requirement to build new infrastructure (stays Tri-Merge).”
— Bill Pulte, FHFA Director (https://x.com/pulte)


Why It Matters

  • Potential Cost Savings: Credit-scoring fees have risen 400–700% in three years. Any competitive pressure could shave hundreds off closing costs.

  • Unanswered Questions: We don’t yet know how AUS pricing will handle VantageScore-based files, or what mortgage insurance and LLPAs will look like. Expect FHFA, Fannie, Freddie—and both MI and pricing vendors—to issue detailed guidance in the coming months.

How Realtors Can Leverage This

  1. Educate Your Clients: Share simple graphics (see below) to explain why locking rates now—and monitoring for Fed-speech dips—is smart.

  2. Update Buyer Checklists: Add “Review credit-score options” to pre-approval steps so clients understand potential savings with VantageScore financing.

  3. Prepare for September: Schedule listing launches, open houses, and refinance campaigns for early Q4 to ride any Fed-cut wave.

  4. Partner with Lenders: Stay in close lockstep with your mortgage team. As new credit-scoring guidelines roll out, you’ll need up-to-the-minute intel.

About Between Two Doors
Between Two Doors is a podcast where I talk with Realtors about their journey, aiming to connect home buyers and sellers with agents on a more personal level. I ask "right brain" questions that go beyond transactions, focusing on the experiences, values, and passions that make these professionals great at what they do.

Listen to more episodes at: https://www.betweentwodoors.com

Sponsored by:
Premier Lending, Inc.
https://www.natecarver.com

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Location: McKinney, TX, USA

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