Diana Olick

A version of this article first appeared in the CNBC Property Play newsletter with Diana Olick. Property Play covers new and evolving opportunities for the real estate investor, from individuals to venture capitalists, private equity funds, family offices... See more

Mortgage rates fell sharply on Friday, a day after President Donald Trump said on social media that he is instructing mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to buy $200 billion in mortgage bonds. "This will drive Mortgage Rates DOWN, monthly payments ... See more

The U.S. housing market has yet to pick up steam into 2026, but real estate agents say there's been a real shift toward a more balanced market, according to the quarterly CNBC Housing Market Survey. Mortgage rates didn't move much at all in the last quart... See more

A version of this article first appeared in the CNBC Property Play newsletter with Diana Olick. Property Play covers new and evolving opportunities for the real estate investor, from individuals to venture capitalists, private equity funds, family offices... See more

Mortgage rates moved lower to end 2025 and start 2026, but that did little to pull demand back to the market. For the week ended Jan. 2, 2026, total mortgage application volume fell 9.7% on a seasonally adjusted basis from two weeks earlier, according to ... See more