Tight conditions are squeezing buyers across the country. In Westchester County, New York, real estate agent Pamela Grunstein is navigating a market that has 1.6 months of supply – a far cry from the 6 months or so that’s long been considered the sign of an evenly balanced market.

Mortgage rates fell for a fifth week in a row but remain elevated near 7%, Freddie Mac said on Thursday. The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage is 6.85%.

Rates on 30-year new purchase loans ended last week 5 basis points lower than the previous Friday, dipping to a 6.79% average. That's now the cheapest weekly average of 2025. Compared to five weeks ago, when rates shot up to a 7-month high of 7.09%, today's 30-year rates are a substantial 30 basis points lower.

Mortgage rates moved slightly lower this week, but not enough to motivate most buyers. The average rate on the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell five basis points to 6.79% the week ending Feb. 20, according to rates provided to NerdWallet by Zillow. A basis point is one one-hundredth of a percentage point.

The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. eased for the fifth week in a row to its lowest level since late December, a welcome boost for prospective homebuyers in what’s traditionally the busiest time of the year for home sales.