The rise in mortgage costs has had a significant chilling effect on the housing market in the U.S. Sales of existing homes plunged by 4.9% month-on-month in January and were only 2% higher than a year ago. To put it into some context, 2024 was the worst year for existing home sales since 1995. Compared to January 2021, home sales were down by 36%. | Do you own precious metals you would rather not sell, but need access to cash? Get Started Here: https://www.moneymetals.com/gold-loan