Things feel steady as families weigh a slight dip in mortgage rates against long-term housing costs.

Today, the financial picture feels steady as NerdWallet reported a 30-year mortgage rate of 6.56%. Still, forecasters expect rates to hover near 6.5% through the end of 2026. That lingering pressure is visible over on r/FirstTimeHomeBuyer, where people are debating whether to ask sellers to fix major issues before closing. Despite these elevated borrowing costs, the overall direction remains grounded.