Market Updates
What factors are affecting the market right now, published every week by licensed Texas Brokers.
Mortgage rates follow inflation, and track the 10-year Treasury yield closely, when Treasury yields rise, mortgage rates typically follow. When we track markets and advise clients, it matters that we’re analyzing the data that actually drives pricing rather than the headline everyone else is watching.
Rates shown are industry averages, not quotes from J. Charles Lending. Our rates tend to run slightly below average. This is not a commitment to lend.
VantageScore vs. FICO: What the New GSE Policy Means for Your Mortgage
On September 3, 2026, FHFA Director Bill Pulte directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to approve every lender to use VantageScore, ending a limited…
PUBLISHED SEP 2026 ANALYSISAugust PPI and CPI Releases: What to Expect Thursday and Friday
The August Producer Price Index (PPI) is released tomorrow and could give us a preview of what to expect Friday when the August Consumer…
PUBLISHED SEP 2026 ANALYSISJobs Outperform – Dissecting the Numbers and What That Means for You
The raw numbers: Employment increased by 162,000 in August, well above the forecasted 56,000. The unemployment rate held steady at 4.1%, and the labor…
PUBLISHED SEP 2026 EXPLAINERIs the Economy Actually as Bad as People Think? A Data-Driven Look
“I’m worried about the economy” is one of the most common objections we hear from prospective buyers right now and it’s completely understandable. But…
PUBLISHED SEP 2026 EXPLAINERIs It Actually a Good Time to Buy a Home? Here’s Why We Think So, And Why Buyers Are Still Hesitating
If you’ve been house-hunting for a while, you’ve probably noticed something: this is shaping up to be one of the strongest buyer’s markets we’ve…
PUBLISHED SEP 2026 ANALYSISFed Chairman Warsh’s First Jackson Hole Address: What It Actually Means for Mortgage Rates
Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh delivered his first Jackson Hole address today, marking his 100th day in the role. If you’re watching this hoping…
UPDATED AUG 2026 COMPARISONClosing Costs: What to Expect and What to Look For
You’ve done the work to get pre-approved for a loan. You’ve talked with your loan officer, figured out your budget, and decided how much…
PUBLISHED AUG 2026 EXPLAINERWhy Mortgage Rates are Holding
Mortgage rates are in a holding pattern, but why they are holding is interesting. The 30-year fixed averaged 6.65% this week, down slightly from…
UPDATED AUG 2026 EXPLAINERHow We Got Here: First half of 2026
Continuing our “How We Got Here” series on the market updates page — last time we looked at the 30-year fixed mortgage rate going…
PUBLISHED AUG 2026 ANALYSISLow Down Payment Options
How much am I going to need for a down payment? This is one of the first questions that comes to mind for almost…
PUBLISHED AUG 2026 ANALYSISHow We Got Here – Why Mortgage Rates Probably Aren’t Going Back to 3%
A lot of homebuyers are stuck in the same holding pattern: waiting for mortgage rates to drop back down to where they were in…
PUBLISHED AUG 2026 EXPLAINERTracking Mortgage Rates? Here’s What to Follow
Things to look for when following mortgage rates.
PUBLISHED AUG 2026 EXPLAINERWhy Mortgage Brokers Are Best
When it comes to getting a mortgage, the business model matters more than most people realize. You can work with a bank, a credit…
PUBLISHED AUG 2026 EXPLAINERThe 3 Types of Mortgage Lending Institutions
When you’re searching for a mortgage, you have three basic types of lending institutions to choose from. Each has its own business model, product…
PUBLISHED AUG 2026 EXPLAINERWhy a Fed rate cut doesn’t lower your mortgage rate.
The federal funds rate is an overnight rate. A mortgage is a 30-year loan. Here's the only real link between them, why the Fed follows the market rather than leading it, and what the record since 2020 actually shows.
PUBLISHED AUG 2026