Mortgage rates in the United States have declined for the third consecutive week, reaching their lowest level for the year by the end of 2025.

Freddie Mac announced in a statement on Wednesday that the average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage is 6.15%, down from 6.18% last week.

Since the Federal Reserve resumed interest rate cuts in September, mortgage rates in the U.S. have slightly decreased over the past few months, attracting some homebuyers back into the market. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported this week that the number of signed contracts for existing home sales in November rose to the highest level since the beginning of 2023, marking the fourth consecutive month of increases.

Many economists expect this trend to continue into the new year. With wage growth outpacing inflation, homebuying has become more affordable, even if mortgage rates may not significantly decline.

Realtor.com's Chief Economist Joel Berner stated, "If this momentum continues into the 2026 homebuying season, we may see significantly stronger sales data than for most of 2025."

However, some analysts point out that given the Federal Reserve has signaled a possible pause in further interest rate cuts, it remains uncertain whether rates can decline significantly in the coming months