Inflation continues to trend lower while home prices continue to be supported by the ongoing dynamic of high demand and tight supply. Here are the takeaways:

When you think of a mortgage loan, you typically think of interest costs. But if you consolidate other debts into your mortgage, you can start thinking of interest savings instead.

WIRE FRAUD IS A $30 TO $50 BILLION ANNUAL PROBLEM

When you work with Highlands, you can be confident that we are taking steps regularly to protect your personal, financial, and transaction-related information. We partner only with approved, experienced, and well-vetted service providers.

Existing Home Sales, (closings on existing homes) showed sales were down 2.7% in March at a 5.77 million unit annualized pace. Note that this likely measured activity in January and February when rates were rising but not at the levels they are today. On a year-over-year basis, sales were only down 4.5%, which is still quite strong considering higher rates, higher home prices, and tight inventory.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures inflation on the consumer level, rose by 1.2% in March. This pushed the year-over-year reading higher from 7.9% to 8.5%, which is the hottest reading in 41 years. Core (CPI), which strips out volatile food and energy prices, rose by 0.3%.