The U.S. housing market has officially crossed a financial Rubicon, creating a distinct caste system among American homeowners. For the first time since the Federal Reserve began its aggressive rate hikes years ago, the share of homeowners paying steep mortgage rates above 6% now exceeds the elite class of borrowers holding on to rock-bottom rates below 3%.
This milestone, identified by Realtor.com’s senior economic research analyst Hannah Jones on Jan. 14, marks a significant inflection point in the housing recovery. It raises a pressing financial question for every homeowner: Which class of mortgage holder are you?
