US retailers haggle with suppliers after Trump tariffs
Major U.S. retailers Walmart and Target are bickering behind the scenes with their suppliers over how much to hike prices in the wake of President Trump’s tariffs. The outcome of their talks will determine when and by how much prices will rise — and even which products stay on their shelves,
- Freddie Mac has reported a slight week over week decrease on average 30-year fixed rate mortgage interest rates
- Experts say housing inventory has started to increase nationally
- Putnam, Rockland and Westchester counties saw seller’s markets in February 2025
Though the future of the economy remains uncertain given President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian and Mexican products are scheduled to take effect April 2, people looking to purchase a home should continue to do so, an online real estate marketplace suggests.
Read on to learn about mortgage interest rate decreases reported March 27, as well as a surface look at the home buying market in the Lower Hudson Valley.
Freddie Mac: Mortgage interest rates dip slightly March 27
According to the latest national data from Freddie Mac, the average 30-year fixed interest rate mortgage was 6.65% as of March 27.
Data provided by real estate website Zillow goes a little deeper, down to the city level. According to the latest data available March 27, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate in White Plains is 6.81%, a slight increase from the week prior. This is on par with averages in the rest of the state.
“Mortgage rates were roughly similar over the week, with the levels still closer to the recent lows in mid-December than the recent highs in mid-January,” writes Kara Ng, a senior economist at Zillow.
Ng adds: “The home shopping season typically kicks off in spring to early summer, but with the recent dip in mortgage rates, there’s a possibility that this year’s home shopping season may begin slightly earlier. … Therefore, buyers should prioritize finding a home that meets their needs both now and in the foreseeable future, as price appreciation may not cover the closing costs of selling if they choose to move after just a few years.”
The Mortgage Bankers Association concurs mortgage rates have decreased nationally somewhat. In their forecast commentary for March, Mike Fratantoni and Joel Kan writes, “Housing inventory has started to increase in many parts of the country and mortgage rates have moved slightly lower, which have been supporting purchase activity as we approach the critical spring buying season.”
Home buying in the Hudson Valley
Realtor.com notes that Putnam, Rockland, and Westchester counties were seller’s markets in February 2025, with more people looking to buy than homes available. Furthermore for all three counties, the sale-to-list-price ratio was 100%, meaning that homes sold for approximately the asking price on average.
Still, now be a time to start or continue to look into buying a house.
TD Bank’s annual First-Time Homebuyer Pulse survey found almost three-quarters of people surveyed were optimistic about the current housing market and also that nearly half were saving for a down payment despite concerns about affording a house.
“Optimism in the housing market is a positive sign for first-time homebuyers, as it encourages them to become more strategic and adaptable in their journey to homeownership,” said Steve Kaminski, head of U.S. residential lending at TD Bank. “These results tell us that more and more first-time homebuyers have greater confidence in navigating the homebuying journey, and it’s likely because they are better financially prepared and more well-informed during the decision-making process.”