After a shaky 2025, what’s actually ahead in 2026?
Uncertainty isn’t disappearing, but a few trends are coming into focus. LendingTree's Chief Consumer Finance Analyst, Matt Schulz, has released his 2026 housing and economic predictions. Here's a quick look at what he's expecting next year.
- Mortgage rates will briefly dip below 6% in 2026, but the drop won’t last long or meaningfully boost affordability.
- New Fed chief pushes hard for extra rate cuts but doesn’t move the needle much — expect no more than two rate cuts in 2026, regardless of who’s running the show.
- Refinancing activity will increase, driven by occasional rate dips. However, homebuying will stay stalled as most owners cling to mortgages far cheaper than today’s.
- Consumer debt and delinquencies will rise further in 2026, though not to crisis levels, as households continue managing high debt loads amid economic uncertainty.
- 50-year mortgages and portable mortgages aren't happening in 2026.
- The days of 4% returns on high-yield savings accounts will end, meaning savers should expect smaller returns.
- Credit card issuers will continue developing high-fee, luxury cards, but none will launch in 2026.
You can check out the full report, as well as ways to financially prepare for 2026, here: https://www.lendingtree.com/home/mortgage/housing-economy-expectations-study/
“Unfortunately, 2026 promises to be unpredictable. It’s so easy to feel powerless and helpless about your financial situation. The unfortunate reality is that there are a lot of forces at play that you can’t do anything about. That’s always been true and will always be true. However, it’s also likely true that you have control over more things than you think you do. By focusing on those things, you can help bring yourself some much-needed peace of mind during times of great uncertainty."
-- Matt Schulz, LendingTree's Chief Consumer Finance Analyst
