The average U.S. 30-year mortgage rate surpassed 7% for the first time in two decades, mortgage giant Freddie Mac said Thursday.
Meanwhile, the national median mortgage payment was $1,941 in September, up from $1,839 in August and an increase from $1,844 in July, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.
“Homebuyer affordability took an enormous hit in September, with the 75-basis-point jump in mortgage rates leading to the typical homebuyer’s monthly payment rising $102 from August,” Edward Seiler, associate vice president of housing economics at the Mortgage Bankers Association, said in a statement.
“With mortgage rates continuing to rise, the purchasing power of borrowers is shrinking.
"With 7% mortgage rates, only 15% of Black households can currently afford to buy the typical home compared to 30% of White households," Nadia Evangelou, National Association of Realtors senior economist and director of forecasting, said in a statement.