Golden Handcuffs Loosen as Mortgages Above 6 Percent Exceed Share Below 3 Percent

A ‘For Sale’ sign is displayed near a home in Austin, Texas. Brandon Bell/Getty ImagesNew Realtor.com data show that more U.S. homeowners now hold 6 percent mortgages than sub-3 percent loans for the first time since 2020.During the third quarter of 2025, 21.2 percent of outstanding mortgages carried interest rates of at least 6 percent, compared with 20 percent that remained below 3 percent.