Iran War Fuels Added Inflation and Mortgage Rate Pressure According to Freddie Mac, U.S. mortgage rates surged to their highest level in nearly three years on October 1, 2026, adding fresh pressure to a housing market already constrained by elevated borrowing costs and weakening demand. The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage rose to 7.28% on Thursday, up from 7.03% a week earlier and 6.34% a year...