The July CPI report just dropped and inflation cooled for the second month in a row. That is good news for mortgage rates. Plus, a brand new appraisal format is coming to conventional lending. Here is your Wednesday recap.

• ◆Rates ticked down again. Six point six four percent as of August seventh, per FRED. Down from six point six nine last week. Two weeks in a row. Rates are moving in the right direction. The 10-year Treasury is at four point six nine percent. Stable
• ◆SouthPark is getting a tower. Developer Hines announced The Gallery SouthPark, a 19-story mixed-use project on the Rooster's site. 250,000 sq ft of office space, 302 apartments, 50,000 sq ft of retail, and public art. It would be the tallest building in SouthPark
• ◆Why it matters: JLL is tracking companies scouting 6 million sq ft of office space across Charlotte. That is the highest level since before the pandemic. 30-35% of that is new to market, meaning companies that don't have a Charlotte office today but want one. That is growth. That is jobs. That is demand for housing
• ◆Daimler Truck is looking at Charlotte. One of the Charlotte region's largest manufacturers is evaluating multiple locations for a new U.S. plant that would employ thousands. Charlotte is in the running. If we land it, that is another wave of families looking for homes
• ◆Charlotte's growth is devouring farmland. A new Charlotte Urban Institute report shows 760 farms gone in five years. That is the cost of growth. But it also tells you the demand is real. People are coming
• ◆Lake Tillery is emerging as Charlotte's next luxury waterfront destination. More options for buyers looking beyond Mecklenburg
• ◆Every Charlotte-area county saw median listing prices drop in July. The whole region is softening. But here is the difference. Charlotte is still growing. Companies are still coming. Jobs are still being created. Rates are easing. Prices are softening. That is a rare window. Use it. Seller credits can fund a permanent rate buydown. Not temporary. Permanent. Every month for 30 years

• ◆UWM posts $451M Q2 loss. United Wholesale Mortgage, the nation's largest wholesale lender, reported a $451.9 million quarterly loss. The stock plunged 35% in a single day. They suspended their dividend and raised $2.05 billion in new capital from Oaktree Capital. A $603 million derivatives loss tied to a failed acquisition bid for Two Harbors Investment drove the damage
• ◆What this means for your loan: nothing. UWM is a wholesale lender. They work exclusively through mortgage brokers. They do not make loans directly to consumers. I am not a broker. I am a retail lender at American Security Mortgage. That means I work directly with you. No middleman. No wholesale channel. Your loan is not exposed to UWM's hedge losses or capital raises
• ◆Why retail lending means stability. The mortgage industry is under pressure. Rates are elevated. Volume is down. And the big wholesale players are feeling it. Some brokers who relied on UWM are navigating uncertainty right now. If you are working with a broker and feeling unsure about what this means for your loan, come talk to me. Retail lending means stability. Direct relationship. No layers between you and your lender
• ◆Good news: rates ticked down. Six point six nine percent as of August sixth, per FRED. Down from six point seven two last week. Small but moving in the right direction. The 10-year Treasury is at four point six three percent. Stable
• ◆Every Charlotte-area county saw prices drop in July. Mecklenburg down $7,705. York County down nearly $13,000. Cabarrus down $10,000. Union down $2,300. Iredell down $2,625. That is not one county. That is the whole region softening. And that is your buyer's window
• ◆60+ affordable homes opened in Ballantyne this week. Real inventory hitting the market. Real options for buyers. Exactly what this market needs
• ◆The mortgage industry is shaking out. Rates are easing. Prices are softening. Sellers are still offering concessions. That is a buyer's market. Use it. Seller credits can fund a permanent rate buydown. Not temporary. Permanent. Every month for 30 years

Negotiations Are Tilting Your Way

• ◆This market is working in your favor. Charlotte inventory is at its highest level since 2016. Active listings jumped over 21% year over year. That is real competition among sellers. And it is changing how deals get done
• ◆Mecklenburg County: Median listing price at $470,605. Homes sitting on the market about 45 days, up 5% from last year. Nearly 22% of listings had a price reduction. Sellers are adjusting. That is not a crash. That is a market tilting toward buyers
• ◆Union County: Median listing price at $552,250. But homes are sitting longer there too. Sellers who priced aggressive are waiting. And waiting sellers get flexible
• ◆What flexible looks like: Seller concessions are at record highs nationally. Closing cost credits. Rate buydowns. Price reductions. Home warranties. Sellers are offering things they would not have considered a year ago
• ◆The combo that wins: Use seller concessions to fund a permanent rate buydown. Not a temporary 2-1 buydown that disappears after two years. A permanent buydown that lowers your rate for the life of the loan. Every month. For 30 years. Seller pays for it. You benefit forever
• ◆Do not sit on the sidelines waiting for the Fed. The Fed held last week. Rates are what they are. But the negotiating power you have right now might not last. More inventory. More time. More concessions. More leverage. This is the best buyer window Charlotte has seen in years

• The Fed held. No rate hike. Fifth consecutive hold this year. The vote was 9-3. Three members wanted a hike, but the majority chose patience. That is a win in this environment
• ◆Rates at six point six seven percent as of July twenty ninth, per FRED. Up a touch from six point six four last week. But not spiraling. The 10-year Treasury is at four point six seven percent. Stable. The Fed had a real debate about raising rates and chose not to. That tells you something
• ◆What to watch: The next CPI report lands August 12. If it comes in cooler, rates could ease. The three dissenting votes are worth watching for September. But today, patience won
• ◆Charlotte is getting a Wegmans. October 14. Ballantyne. People are already planning to camp out. 400+ jobs. A grocery store people treat like a destination. That tells you everything about where Charlotte is headed
• ◆Charlotte's only full-time law school is coming. Elon University launches its Charlotte law program Fall 2027. The first since Charlotte School of Law closed in 2017. Investment, talent, Charlotte growing up
• ◆Rates are higher than any of us want. But the Fed chose to hold. Charlotte keeps adding jobs. And buyers who use a permanent rate buydown are winning right now. Seller credits buy the rate down for the life of the loan. Not a temporary fix. Permanent savings. Every month. For 30 years. The market is challenging. But challenging markets reward the people who act

• ◆Rates at six point six four percent as of July twenty seventh, per FRED. Down slightly from six point six eight last week. The 10-year Treasury is at four point six nine percent. Still elevated, but holding steady
• ◆The Fed meets today and tomorrow. FOMC decision comes Wednesday afternoon. Markets are pricing a 64% chance of a hold and a 36% chance of a quarter-point hike. Almost no chance of a cut. Chair Warsh has been clear: prices are too high. The question is not whether rates come down. It is whether they go up
• ◆What could steady rates: If the Fed holds and signals patience, that could calm the bond market. If the 10-year Treasury pulls back, mortgage rates follow. Also watch the tariff cliff. The 10% surcharge expired last Friday. Its replacement is still being finalized. If tariffs fall to baseline levels, inflation pressure eases and rates could follow
• ◆CMS leadership in flux. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools board met privately last week to review findings from the investigation into Superintendent Crystal Hill, who remains on paid leave. Records show she received a $14,000 off-cycle payment this month, on top of her regular salary. Deputy Superintendent Melissa Balknight is covering district operations. For families considering a move, school district leadership matters. It affects home values and neighborhood demand. Stay informed
• ◆Charlotte keeps winning. The state budget includes $25 million for Military World Games venue improvements and athlete housing. Charlotte hosts in 2027. Real investment coming into the region
• ◆More inventory on the way. Lancaster County is moving forward on a $23 million bond for a 1,860-unit residential community by Lennar. And North Carolina just ended most parking requirements for new development, lowering costs for builders and potentially speeding up housing supply
• ◆If your buyer is waiting on the Fed, remind them: the permanent rate buydown works regardless of what the Fed does. Seller credits buy the rate down for the life of the loan. Not a temporary fix. Permanent savings every month. Reach out and let's run the numbers

• ◆Rates at six point five four percent as of July seventeenth, per FRED. The 10-year Treasury is sitting near four point five seven percent. The Fed remains hawkish, core inflation is still elevated, and bond markets are pricing in fewer cuts than expected — that is why rates are holding this high
• ◆Active listings just surpassed 820,000 nationally, a post-pandemic high. Homes are sitting longer. Sellers need buyers. That shifts leverage — and it is creating a real opportunity
• ◆Permanent rate buydowns are back. With seller concessions, buyers can use credits at closing to buy the rate down for the life of the loan. This is NOT a 2-1 or 1-0 temporary buydown. On a home in the mid-$400s, the difference between 6.54% and 5.99% is hundreds of dollars a month — every month — for 30 years
• ◆Sellers who price smart and offer a credit toward a permanent buydown are closing deals. Buyers who know to ask for it get a lower rate locked in for the life of the loan — not just year one or two
• ◆NAR reported existing-home sales down 2.4% month-over-month in June but up 2.8% year-over-year. The market is moving — for buyers and sellers who are positioned correctly
• ◆If you have a client sitting on the fence because of the rate, the permanent buydown conversation is the one to have. Reach out and let's run the numbers

• ◆Rates at six point five four percent as of July fifteenth per FRED. Up slightly on the week. Mortgage rates hit their highest level since August 2025, per RIS Media
• ◆10-year Treasury at four point five five percent, nudging up alongside rates. The two have been moving in lockstep this week
• ◆ATTOM mid-year report: foreclosure filings up 21% nationally in the first half of 2026. Charlotte saw a 67% spike in filings year over year in April — well above the national pace. Context: coming off historic lows post-pandemic. Experts say it adds inventory, not risk
• ◆June national data still positive: list prices fell 2.5% (record single-month drop) and pending sales rose for the 7th straight month. Buyers who are ready have a real window
• ◆Property taxes rising across the Charlotte region — new rates took effect this month in several municipalities. Worth factoring into buyer conversations now
• ◆South Carolina study: it now takes significantly longer to save for a down payment than a decade ago. Down payment assistance matters more than ever. Our community lending program offers DPA options and programs with no monthly mortgage insurance. Reach out and let's find what fits

• North Carolina ranked #2 State for Business in the country by CNBC. More companies, more jobs, more housing demand heading into Q3
• June national data from Realtor.com: list prices fell 2.5% (largest single-month drop on record) while pending sales rose for the 7th straight month. Market finding its footing, not crashing
• Charlotte's building boom is colliding with a construction worker shortage. New construction delivery timelines are slipping. Worth a conversation now with any buyer eyeing a build
• Looking ahead: all eyes on the Fed next week. No rate cut expected, but inflation and labor language will set the tone for Q4. A fall move remains on the table if conditions hold
• If affordability is the question, we have answers. Zero percent down financing, no monthly mortgage insurance, plus a down payment assistance option through our community lending program. Reach out and let's find what fits

• ◆Rates holding at six point five zero percent as of July seventh per FRED — steady in the mid sixes as the market digests mixed signals this week
• ◆Charlotte and CMS hosting an Education to Employment Signing Day today — fourteen recent graduates stepping into full time city roles, a great sign for our local workforce pipeline
• ◆FirstService Residential in Charlotte announced a leadership promotion this morning — Mark Hamiter is now Vice President, another sign of local business growth from within
• ◆Inventory across the metro remains elevated compared to a year ago — real room for buyers to negotiate that we simply did not see the last few summers
• ◆Pending sales nationally trending up for months now — softer prices paired with more listings mean this window is wide open for the right buyer
• ◆If affordability is the hold up, we have options — zero percent down financing with no monthly mortgage insurance, plus a down payment assistance option through our community lending program. Reach out and let's see what fits