{"id":595627,"date":"2026-03-03T17:38:14","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T17:38:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/?p=595627"},"modified":"2026-03-03T17:38:16","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T17:38:16","slug":"weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/2026\/03\/03\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Weekly Mortgage Market Update: Rates Ease, Inflation Heats Up, and Housing Holds Strong"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mortgage rates moved modestly lower this week, improving by <strong>.125% compared to last Monday, February 23rd<\/strong>. While that\u2019s a welcome shift, the broader economic picture remains mixed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Home prices continue to show resilience, inflation data surprised to the upside, and labor market signals remain complicated beneath the surface. Let\u2019s break it down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mortgage Rates: Slight Improvement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 30-year fixed rate improved week-over-week, supported by stable Treasury yields. Lower rates are gradually bringing buyers back into the market \u2014 but inflation remains the wild card influencing how much further rates can move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Home Prices Remain Supported by Demand &amp; Limited Supply<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Recent housing data shows stability, not weakness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">S&amp;P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Index<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"701\" src=\"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/415eddf7-5cc1-40bb-bc46-243ae4642a04_1030x705-1024x701.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-595628\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.4607834745641817;width:511px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/415eddf7-5cc1-40bb-bc46-243ae4642a04_1030x705-1024x701.png 1024w, https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/415eddf7-5cc1-40bb-bc46-243ae4642a04_1030x705-300x205.png 300w, https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/415eddf7-5cc1-40bb-bc46-243ae4642a04_1030x705-768x526.png 768w, https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/415eddf7-5cc1-40bb-bc46-243ae4642a04_1030x705.png 1030w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Home-Price-Projection-2026-1024x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-595629\" style=\"width:512px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Home-Price-Projection-2026-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Home-Price-Projection-2026-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Home-Price-Projection-2026-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Home-Price-Projection-2026-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Home-Price-Projection-2026.png 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Prices dipped 0.3% (unadjusted) from November to December<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>After seasonal adjustment, prices rose 0.4%<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>National home prices are up 1.3% year-over-year<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Federal Housing Finance Agency House Price Index also showed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>0.1% monthly gain (seasonally adjusted)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1.8% annual growth<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lower mortgage rates are beginning to pull buyers back into the market, while limited housing inventory continues to prevent downward pressure on pricing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Looking longer term, projections remain constructive. Fannie Mae and Pulsenomics forecast approximately <strong>15% cumulative home price growth over five years<\/strong> \u2014 roughly a $75,000 increase on a $500,000 home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If rates move meaningfully lower, renewed demand could accelerate price appreciation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Wholesale Inflation Surprises to the Upside<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bts.gov\/sites\/bts.dot.gov\/files\/inline-images\/PPI_for_Freight_Transportation_Services_Compared_to_All_Services_January%202019-January%202026.png\" alt=\"https:\/\/www.bts.gov\/sites\/bts.dot.gov\/files\/inline-images\/PPI_for_Freight_Transportation_Services_Compared_to_All_Services_January%202019-January%202026.png\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.2676785183717936;width:563px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"840\" height=\"1026\" src=\"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/108185780-1755175984235-5fRq4-u-s-producer-price-index_1.png\" alt=\"https:\/\/image.cnbcfm.com\/api\/v1\/image\/108185780-1755175984235-5fRq4-u-s-producer-price-index_1.png?v=1755175988\" class=\"wp-image-595630\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.8187124216451324;width:503px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/108185780-1755175984235-5fRq4-u-s-producer-price-index_1.png 840w, https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/108185780-1755175984235-5fRq4-u-s-producer-price-index_1-246x300.png 246w, https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/108185780-1755175984235-5fRq4-u-s-producer-price-index_1-838x1024.png 838w, https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/108185780-1755175984235-5fRq4-u-s-producer-price-index_1-768x938.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 840px) 100vw, 840px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bls.gov\/bls\/history\/psb_building.png\" alt=\"https:\/\/www.bls.gov\/bls\/history\/psb_building.png\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.9096500706508188;width:478px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Inflation remains the primary factor influencing Federal Reserve policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>January Producer Price Index (PPI) rose 0.5% month-over-month<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>PPI is up 2.9% year-over-year<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Core PPI increased 0.8% for the month<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Core PPI stands at 3.6% annually<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both headline and core readings came in above expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Persistent wholesale inflation pressures may cause the Federal Reserve to remain cautious on rate cuts \u2014 even as parts of the labor market show signs of cooling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This reduces the likelihood of aggressive near-term easing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Labor Market: Stable on the Surface, Softer Underneath?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Labor data continues to send mixed signals:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Initial jobless claims rose slightly to 212,000 (still historically low)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Continuing claims declined to 1.833 million, though remain elevated<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the surface, layoffs remain low. However, growth in gig and contract work may be masking underlying strain. Many displaced workers are accepting temporary or 1099 project-based work while taking longer to secure full-time employment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The labor market is not collapsing \u2014 but it is normalizing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s Ahead This Week?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Markets will closely monitor key labor reports:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Wednesday:<\/strong> ADP Private Payrolls<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Thursday:<\/strong> Weekly Jobless Claims<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Friday:<\/strong> Full Employment Report (Nonfarm Payrolls &amp; Unemployment Rate)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These reports will help determine whether the recent rate improvement can continue \u2014 or whether inflation and labor resilience keep the Fed on hold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bottom Line<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Mortgage rates improved modestly this week.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Home prices remain supported by demand and limited supply.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wholesale inflation remains elevated, keeping the Fed cautious.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Labor data suggests stability, but with underlying complexity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The market narrative remains balanced \u2014 not overheated, not collapsing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As always, we\u2019ll continue monitoring developments closely and provide updates as conditions evolve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mortgage rates moved modestly lower this week, improving by .125% compared to last Monday, February 23rd. While that\u2019s a welcome shift, the broader economic picture remains mixed. Home prices continue to show resilience, inflation data surprised to the upside, and labor market signals remain complicated beneath the surface. Let\u2019s break it down. Mortgage Rates: Slight [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":595628,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-595627","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsletter"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Weekly Mortgage Market Update: Rates Ease, Inflation Heats Up, and Housing Holds Strong - Drew Dodds<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Mortgage rates improved slightly this week as home prices remain supported by limited supply and renewed buyer demand. However, hotter-than-expected wholesale inflation may keep the Federal Reserve cautious on rate cuts. Here\u2019s what it means for the housing market.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/2026\/03\/03\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Weekly Mortgage Market Update: Rates Ease, Inflation Heats Up, and Housing Holds Strong - Drew Dodds\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Mortgage rates improved slightly this week as home prices remain supported by limited supply and renewed buyer demand. However, hotter-than-expected wholesale inflation may keep the Federal Reserve cautious on rate cuts. Here\u2019s what it means for the housing market.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/2026\/03\/03\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Drew Dodds\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-03-03T17:38:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-03T17:38:16+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/415eddf7-5cc1-40bb-bc46-243ae4642a04_1030x705.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1030\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"705\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Drew Dodds\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Drew Dodds\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/03\\\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/03\\\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Drew Dodds\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/a9b55d000ca877f53f3b7b733fb26b9b\"},\"headline\":\"Weekly Mortgage Market Update: Rates Ease, Inflation Heats Up, and Housing Holds Strong\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-03T17:38:14+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-03T17:38:16+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/03\\\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":490,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/03\\\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/415eddf7-5cc1-40bb-bc46-243ae4642a04_1030x705.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"Newsletter\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/03\\\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/03\\\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\\\/\",\"name\":\"Weekly Mortgage Market Update: Rates Ease, Inflation Heats Up, and Housing Holds Strong - Drew Dodds\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/03\\\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/03\\\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/415eddf7-5cc1-40bb-bc46-243ae4642a04_1030x705.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-03T17:38:14+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-03T17:38:16+00:00\",\"description\":\"Mortgage rates improved slightly this week as home prices remain supported by limited supply and renewed buyer demand. However, hotter-than-expected wholesale inflation may keep the Federal Reserve cautious on rate cuts. Here\u2019s what it means for the housing market.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/03\\\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/03\\\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/03\\\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/415eddf7-5cc1-40bb-bc46-243ae4642a04_1030x705.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/415eddf7-5cc1-40bb-bc46-243ae4642a04_1030x705.png\",\"width\":1030,\"height\":705},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/03\\\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Weekly Mortgage Market Update: Rates Ease, Inflation Heats Up, and Housing Holds Strong\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Drew Dodds\",\"description\":\"V.I.P. Mortgage, Inc.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Drew Dodds\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/02\\\/VIP-white-logo-proof.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/02\\\/VIP-white-logo-proof.png\",\"width\":99,\"height\":64,\"caption\":\"Drew Dodds\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/a9b55d000ca877f53f3b7b733fb26b9b\",\"name\":\"Drew Dodds\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50115a8e87f789bfdaaf8ea95afd5571fb05c1ae4a529b7e221c9d8ac9b4c250?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50115a8e87f789bfdaaf8ea95afd5571fb05c1ae4a529b7e221c9d8ac9b4c250?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50115a8e87f789bfdaaf8ea95afd5571fb05c1ae4a529b7e221c9d8ac9b4c250?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Drew Dodds\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/drewd\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Weekly Mortgage Market Update: Rates Ease, Inflation Heats Up, and Housing Holds Strong - Drew Dodds","description":"Mortgage rates improved slightly this week as home prices remain supported by limited supply and renewed buyer demand. However, hotter-than-expected wholesale inflation may keep the Federal Reserve cautious on rate cuts. Here\u2019s what it means for the housing market.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/2026\/03\/03\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Weekly Mortgage Market Update: Rates Ease, Inflation Heats Up, and Housing Holds Strong - Drew Dodds","og_description":"Mortgage rates improved slightly this week as home prices remain supported by limited supply and renewed buyer demand. However, hotter-than-expected wholesale inflation may keep the Federal Reserve cautious on rate cuts. Here\u2019s what it means for the housing market.","og_url":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/2026\/03\/03\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\/","og_site_name":"Drew Dodds","article_published_time":"2026-03-03T17:38:14+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-03-03T17:38:16+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1030,"height":705,"url":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/415eddf7-5cc1-40bb-bc46-243ae4642a04_1030x705.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Drew Dodds","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Drew Dodds","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/2026\/03\/03\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/2026\/03\/03\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\/"},"author":{"name":"Drew Dodds","@id":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/a9b55d000ca877f53f3b7b733fb26b9b"},"headline":"Weekly Mortgage Market Update: Rates Ease, Inflation Heats Up, and Housing Holds Strong","datePublished":"2026-03-03T17:38:14+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-03T17:38:16+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/2026\/03\/03\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\/"},"wordCount":490,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/2026\/03\/03\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/415eddf7-5cc1-40bb-bc46-243ae4642a04_1030x705.png","articleSection":["Newsletter"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/2026\/03\/03\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\/","url":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/2026\/03\/03\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\/","name":"Weekly Mortgage Market Update: Rates Ease, Inflation Heats Up, and Housing Holds Strong - Drew Dodds","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/2026\/03\/03\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/2026\/03\/03\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/415eddf7-5cc1-40bb-bc46-243ae4642a04_1030x705.png","datePublished":"2026-03-03T17:38:14+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-03T17:38:16+00:00","description":"Mortgage rates improved slightly this week as home prices remain supported by limited supply and renewed buyer demand. However, hotter-than-expected wholesale inflation may keep the Federal Reserve cautious on rate cuts. Here\u2019s what it means for the housing market.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/2026\/03\/03\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/2026\/03\/03\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/2026\/03\/03\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/415eddf7-5cc1-40bb-bc46-243ae4642a04_1030x705.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/415eddf7-5cc1-40bb-bc46-243ae4642a04_1030x705.png","width":1030,"height":705},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/2026\/03\/03\/weekly-mortgage-rate-update-inflation-home-prices-march-2026\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Weekly Mortgage Market Update: Rates Ease, Inflation Heats Up, and Housing Holds Strong"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/","name":"Drew Dodds","description":"V.I.P. Mortgage, Inc.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Drew Dodds","url":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/VIP-white-logo-proof.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/VIP-white-logo-proof.png","width":99,"height":64,"caption":"Drew Dodds"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/a9b55d000ca877f53f3b7b733fb26b9b","name":"Drew Dodds","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50115a8e87f789bfdaaf8ea95afd5571fb05c1ae4a529b7e221c9d8ac9b4c250?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50115a8e87f789bfdaaf8ea95afd5571fb05c1ae4a529b7e221c9d8ac9b4c250?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50115a8e87f789bfdaaf8ea95afd5571fb05c1ae4a529b7e221c9d8ac9b4c250?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Drew Dodds"},"url":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/author\/drewd\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/595627","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/26"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=595627"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/595627\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":595631,"href":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/595627\/revisions\/595631"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/595628"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=595627"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=595627"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drewdodds.vipmtginc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=595627"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}