Where rates stand.
Freddie Mac’s weekly survey, translated into what it means for a Wilmington-priced home — for buyers and for sellers. Refreshed monthly.
The trend
Flat all summer. Then a jump.
The 30-year sat between 6.65% and 6.71% for seven weeks, then moved 19 basis points in one. Direction of travel since April: up.
For buyers
The payment math on a $500,000 home.
With 20% down, a $400,000 loan. Principal and interest only.
Two practical points. Lock sooner rather than later: the direction of travel since spring has been up, and a rate lock is cheap insurance against another week like this one. And if you are buying new construction, ask about extended-lock options before you need them. A 60-day lock on a build that delivers in 90 is an expensive problem.
The builder alternative
Rates the market is not offering.
Every featured builder in our New Construction section is funding a rate buydown this month. On a $400,000 loan the gap between 6.95% and 4.99% is about $503 a month.
2/1 buydown: 3.25% in year one, 4.25% in year two, 5.25% for the life of the loan, through the builder’s lender on eligible homes.
2.99% in year one, 3.99% in year two, 4.99% thereafter, or up to $20,000 use-as-you-choose on select homes.
On select move-in-ready homes at Fawn Valley and McQuillan Pines with the builder’s preferred lender.
Builder incentives are tied to the builder’s lender and change monthly; we get you a competing quote so you can see what the incentive actually costs. Terms as of September 22, 2026.
For sellers
Fewer buyers, doing more math.
Higher rates shrink the buyer pool at every price point, and the buyers who remain are running the payment on every listing. Accurate pricing from day one matters more than it did in spring.
Homes are taking two to five weeks longer to sell than a year ago across all three counties, and New Hanover prices are off 3.5% year over year. The sellers doing best treat the first two weeks as their shot at full price rather than a starting point to negotiate down from.
Source: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week ending September 17, 2026; weekly history via FRED. Payment figures are principal and interest only on a 30-year fixed loan, exclude taxes, insurance and HOA, and are illustrative. Not a loan offer. Tidal Realty Partners is not a lender.
Trying to time a purchase around rates?
We will walk you through the actual numbers on the actual house, including what a builder buydown is really worth.