Mortgage Rates Drop to 6.19% + CPI Update: Is a Fed Rate Cut Coming Next Week?

For the week ending October 25, Realtor.com® Senior Economist Anthony Smith covers the crucial economic data releases following weeks of delay due to the government shutdown. Anthony digs into the September Consumer Price Index (CPI), which finally arrived, supporting expectations for a Federal Reserve rate cut next week. This data accompanies the news that mortgage rates have dropped to 6.19%, reaching their lowest level in over a year, creating a new window of opportunity for buyers. Anthony reviews the pickup in September existing-home sales, which rose for the third straight year-over-year gain. He also highlights new Realtor.com research detailing key factors borrowers can control to reduce their mortgage rate, such as improving credit scores or shopping around for lenders. Finally, Anthony shares insights from the newly released Fall 2025 Housing Market Ranking and Luxury Housing Market Ranking, spotlighting the top emerging and high-end markets across the country. Find all the details including full reports and our housing data for download at realtor.com/research. You can also follow us on X (formerly twitter) for real time updates. And instagram @realtordotcomecon for graphics. Reports and articles referenced: Fall 2025 Wall Street Journal/Realtor.com Housing Market Ranking https://www.realtor.com/research/october-2025-wsj-rdc-housing-market-ranking/ Fall 2025 Wall Street Journal/Realtor.com Luxury Hosing Market Ranking https://www.realtor.com/research/october-2025-wsj-rdc-luxury-housing-market-ranking/ 5 Key Factors That Determine Your Mortgage Rate https://www.realtor.com/research/2025-mortgage-rate-factors-borrowers-can-control/ Down Payment Trends in the 3rd Quarter https://www.realtor.com/research/down-payment-report-october-2025/ Weekly Housing Trends https://www.realtor.com/research/weekly-housing-trends-view-data-week-oct-18-2025/ Existing Home Sales https://www.realtor.com/research/existing-home-sales-september-2025/ The CPI for September 2025 https://www.realtor.com/research/cpi-inflation-september-2025/ ********* Find detailed reports at https://www.realtor.com/research/ Find free housing data for download at https://www.realtor.com/research/data ********* Find your home on https://www.realtor.com ********* Download our mobile app: https://www.realtor.com/mobile ********* Follow us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/realtor.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realtordotcom TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realtor.com Threads: https://www.threads.net/@realtordotcom X: https://www.twitter.com/realtordotcom Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/realtordotcom -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- Learn More about the home buying process: "Home Buying 101: How Do I Get Started?" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqZI4ZvjcRM -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- #realtor #realestate