Market Spotlight #199 February 16, 2026 | Rates at the Low End of the Range: A Window Worth Noticing

📉 Mortgage rates improved again this week and are now sitting near the low end of their recent range. The bond market showed solid resilience — even with stronger‑than‑expected job numbers and softer inflation — keeping the 10‑year Treasury close to the bottom of its channel. When yields steady at these levels, mortgage rates tend to follow, and that’s exactly what we’ve seen over the last several days.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 On the buyer side, activity continues to firm up as rates ease. Pending sales ticked higher once the weather cleared, and buyers remain highly sensitive to even small improvements in affordability. With inventory still up from last year, buyers have more options early in the season — a dynamic that often fades as spring approaches.

🏠 Sellers, meanwhile, aren’t under the same pressure we saw when rates first surged. Price reductions are stable, and listings are moving at a healthier pace. It’s one of those rare stretches where both sides have workable conditions — buyers get improved payments, sellers get steady demand.

🔑 The opportunity this week is simple: when rates flirt with the low end of the range, it’s a smart time for buyers to update their numbers and see how much more buying power they might have. They don’t need to guess the bottom — they just need clarity.

🎯 Agent takeaway: Reach out. Anyone who paused last fall, anyone waiting for “better timing,” or anyone discouraged by previous payment calculations should re-run scenarios now. Calm rates + improving supply + early‑season leverage = a moment worth acting on.

🧭 Big‑picture takeaway: Markets don’t stay quiet for long. When rates settle at the lows, it creates a brief window where buyers gain clarity and sellers still hold confidence. Helping clients understand this moment — not predict the next one — is the real value.