Andrew Dehan

The L.A. wildfires have ravaged countless residential homes, leaving entire neighborhoods all but gone.

Key takeaways Anyone who owns a home has equity in it — it's the portion of the property that you own outright, as opposed to being financed or encumbered with debt in some way.

Today's average 30-year fixed-mortgage rate is 7.11, the average rate for the benchmark 15-year fixed mortgage is 6.39 percent, and the average 5/1 ARM rate is 6.60 percent.

Today's average 30-year fixed-mortgage rate is 7.11, the average rate for the benchmark 15-year fixed mortgage is 6.41 percent, and the average rate on a 5/1 ARM is 6.87 percent.

The current average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage is 7.08, the average 15-year fixed-mortgage rate is 6.48 percent, and the average 5/1 ARM rate is 6.52 percent.

The amount that makes a mortgage “jumbo” varies by location, but in most parts of the U.S., it’s a loan of more than $806,500 as of 2025. Jumbo loans generally have stricter borrowing criteria, such as a higher credit score, a higher level of income or assets and bigger down payments. The interest rates on jumbo loans are usually higher than those on regular, conforming mortgages.

Today's average 30-year fixed-mortgage rate is 7.04, the average rate for a 15-year fixed mortgage is 6.32 percent, and the average rate on a 5/1 adjustable rate mortgage is 6.47 percent.

In 1971, George Lucas released his first feature-length movie, the Baltimore Colts won Super Bowl V and the average 30-year mortgage rate was 7.54 percent. That rate is pretty close to what we’re seeing today.

Two big issues that President Trump campaigned on have the potential to create a massive impact on the housing market: tariffs and mass deportations.

The Trump administration has promised tariffs on imported goods and mass deportations. Both could be devastating for the U.S. housing market.