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On February 23rd, 2026, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell to 5.99% — the first time below 6% since September 2022. Three years of Fed hiking cycles, inflation cooling, and investor waiting had finally produced the window. Purchase applications jumped 12% year-over-year. The spring market was opening.
Five days later, US and Israeli forces struck Iran. The Strait of Hormuz — through which 20% of the world's daily oil supply flows — effectively closed. Oil surged 70%, from $70 to $119 per barrel. And mortgage rates, instead of falling the way they normally do during conflict, reversed sharply. As of March 17, the 30-year fixed sits at 6.3% to 6.35%. The window that took three years to arrive lasted five days.
In this episode of the 5-Minute PRIME Podcast, host Martin Maxwell breaks down the one mechanism most news coverage is missing — why this war pushed rates up instead of down — and delivers the two-sided investor playbook: what it means if you already own property, and what it means if you were waiting to buy.
Tune in to learn:
The war changed the math. Here's what your new math looks like.
Subscribe to the 5-Minute PRIME Podcast and make sure you have a strategy for both scenarios — because nobody knows yet which historical script this follows.
Thank you for tuning in to the 5-Minute PRIME Podcast! Ready for more tips to master personal finance and real estate investing? Visit REIPrime.com for additional resources and strategies to build your wealth. Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone looking to level up their finances. Follow us on social media for daily updates and more actionable advice!
By Martin MaxwellOn February 23rd, 2026, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell to 5.99% — the first time below 6% since September 2022. Three years of Fed hiking cycles, inflation cooling, and investor waiting had finally produced the window. Purchase applications jumped 12% year-over-year. The spring market was opening.
Five days later, US and Israeli forces struck Iran. The Strait of Hormuz — through which 20% of the world's daily oil supply flows — effectively closed. Oil surged 70%, from $70 to $119 per barrel. And mortgage rates, instead of falling the way they normally do during conflict, reversed sharply. As of March 17, the 30-year fixed sits at 6.3% to 6.35%. The window that took three years to arrive lasted five days.
In this episode of the 5-Minute PRIME Podcast, host Martin Maxwell breaks down the one mechanism most news coverage is missing — why this war pushed rates up instead of down — and delivers the two-sided investor playbook: what it means if you already own property, and what it means if you were waiting to buy.
Tune in to learn:
The war changed the math. Here's what your new math looks like.
Subscribe to the 5-Minute PRIME Podcast and make sure you have a strategy for both scenarios — because nobody knows yet which historical script this follows.
Thank you for tuning in to the 5-Minute PRIME Podcast! Ready for more tips to master personal finance and real estate investing? Visit REIPrime.com for additional resources and strategies to build your wealth. Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone looking to level up their finances. Follow us on social media for daily updates and more actionable advice!