Washington CNN —Home sales based on contract signings jumped in March despite elevated mortgage rates that month. Contract signings rose across the country in March from the prior month, except in the Midwest. Hotter-than-expected inflation readings in recent months are now keeping the Federal Reserve from cutting interest rates anytime soon. Those are the so-called “golden handcuffs” of low mortgage rates. They began to climb in early 2022 when the Federal Reserve started to hike interest rates in a bid to tamp down high inflation.

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Persons: ”, Lawrence Yun, ” Oliver Allen, it’s, Yun Organizations: Washington CNN —, National Association of Realtors, Federal Reserve, Treasury, Pantheon