The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage started the decade at about 7.5% in 1971 (the earliest year for which data is available), according to Freddie Mac. By 1979, the rate had risen to an average of ...

In the heat of the summer 2025 homebuying season, mortgage rates feel uncomfortably high. But when someone points out that mortgages are still painfully expensive right now, a well-seasoned homeowner ...