As a mom of a 3-year-old (and a ‘90s kid myself), I’m probably a little too excited to see Buzz Lightyear and Woody back on the big screen in “Toy Story 5.”

Combine the nostalgia of the famous movie franchise featuring the voices of Tim Allen and Tom Hanks with a new original song by Taylor Swift, and movie fans are prepared to shell out millions.

All signs point to a record opening for the animated franchise. Predictions put this weekend’s expected sales at $150 million, according to Deadline. And that’s just the tickets.

I was scrolling Instagram the other day — and the algorithm knew what to serve me. A reel came up featuring a carousel of new movie-inspired product releases. (I have my eyes on the Pizza Planet oven toy that I know my daughter would love.) The caption? “Anybody else broke with all of this new Toy Story stuff coming out because same.”

But what if you don’t want your “Toy Story” spending to stretch to infinity and beyond? Here are a few ways to enjoy the film while reining in spending.

Photo courtesy of © 2026 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

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If you don’t like talking about money, you’re probably not going to like loud budgeting, but you may want to consider it anyway.

That’s because loud budgeting is a way to get clear on your goals and stay committed to meeting them.

Here’s why the strategy can be effective.

“I think of it as someone being very clear and upfront when making the decision that is contrary to what’s being asked of them,” says Sandi Bragar, a certified financial planner and chief client officer with wealth management firm Aspiriant in San Francisco. “And giving a budgeting reason for why they’re not going to participate.”

This approach may fly in the face of the taboo around talking about money, but it’s not complicated.

“Loud budgeting is just clear communication about what’s going on,” says D’Andre Clayton, co-founder of financial firm Clayton Financial Solutions in Greensboro, North Carolina.

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“When you say it out loud and share it with someone or many people, then you’re asserting that that’s what you’re working toward,” Bragar says.

Being open about your finances also helps your friends and family understand your boundaries, so they can offer support instead of peer pressure. They might stop asking you to go out to pricey dinners and propose more low-cost activities, like hiking or getting coffee.

“They can actually become the people who help you,” Bragar says.

In practice, loud budgeting acts like a verbal affirmation. You say you’re doing it, so you’re more likely to get it done.

It may also help you get more comfortable talking about money — and helping others overcome the stigma.

“I think it’s amazingly wonderful that Gen Z and the younger generation are saying, ‘You know what? I’m going to talk about it,’” says April Lewis-Parks, director of financial education for Consolidated Credit, a credit counseling and debt management firm in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. “‘I’m going to figure it out and not be ashamed.’”

“Between inflation, grocery prices, [and] gas, I think people are feeling squeezed,” Lewis-Parks says. “We see it here every day.”

Loud budgeting feels like a way to take control when money is tight and the future may feel uncertain.

“You can survive in rougher times, like now economically, if those boundaries are set and they’re communicated very clearly,” Clayton says.

Setting those boundaries can also help people feel more confident about their financial decisions.

“It helps take an element of shame away from feeling like you don’t have enough money,” Lewis-Parks says. “And flipping it into, ‘I’m just going to make choices with my money that are important to me, and I’m not going to worry about what other people think.’”

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With an end to the Iran war possibly in sight, we’ve seen average mortgage interest rates drop to their lowest levels in more than a month.

The average interest rate on a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage dropped to 6.15% APR, according to rates provided to BoundlessCash by Zillow. This is 12 basis points lower than yesterday and 24 basis points lower than a week ago. (See our chart below for more specifics.) A basis point is one one-hundredth of a percentage point.

Though the U.S. and Iran’s agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is a big deal, the lengthy closure’s already done considerable damage to the global economy. As such, inflation’s still a major concern — and a reason we may not see mortgage rates drop with a capital D.

The Federal Reserve’s expected to announce no change to the federal funds rate this afternoon, but markets anticipate a possible rate increase later this year. The Fed doesn’t set mortgage rates, but its decisions are still hugely influential. A shift to a rate-hiking cycle would almost certainly send mortgage rates higher.

For more on what to watch for at today’s announcement and what may come next, keep reading below the chart.

Kate on Rates: June 11, 2026

This is a big week for interest-rate-related news. The Federal Open Market Committee’s June meeting concludes today, and it’s the first meeting for newly appointed chair Kevin Warsh. Markets are currently predicting overwhelming odds that the FOMC will vote to hold overnight borrowing rates steady, but today’s meeting also brings a new Summary of Economic Projections featuring the FOMC’s anonymized economic predictions. Though Warsh has expressed distaste for these predictions as well as for the practice of holding a post-decision press conference, he will be speaking this afternoon and we are definitely going to be watching.

Even though the Fed doesn’t set mortgage rates, its decisions have a major influence on rates’ direction. Mortgage lenders often start pricing in expected cuts or hikes from the Federal Reserve well ahead of the actual announcements. If it begins to look like the Fed is likely to raise, that will probably increase upward pressure on mortgage rates. And despite the president’s relentless requests for lower interest rates, it’s looking more and more like the central bankers’ next move will be higher rather than lower.

“The committee will be sussing out whether what we’re seeing in the [inflation] data represents something that will work itself out in time or whether it risks being persistent,” says Elizabeth Renter, BoundlessCash senior economist. Between that and recent employment data, “we know a rate cut is all but off the table.”

Here’s what could happen longer term. If the Fed decides that inflationary pressures are transitory or that this is a risk they can look through (to use two of the bankers’ favorite buzzwords), we’ll likely see rates held steady for longer. In other words, inflation’s a problem that will work itself out, so the Federal Reserve won’t raise the funds rate — but they won’t cut it either. A legitimate end to the war in Iran would make this scenario more likely.

Now, markets are contemplating the possibility of at least one rate hike in 2026. An end to the war could pump the brakes on inflation, but it won’t be a hard stop. If there’s enough momentum, we could see inflation continue to accelerate for a time.

All of this removes any possible downward pressure on mortgage rates. For now, the Fed’s maintaining, so mortgage rates’ day-to-day movements are going to be influenced by events in Iran and the bond market. But if it starts to look like the central bankers will raise rates, mortgage lenders will almost certainly start raising mortgage interest rates, too.

Refinancing might make sense if today’s rates are at least 0.5 to 0.75 of a percentage point lower than your current rate (and if you plan to stay in your home long enough to break even on closing costs).

With rates where they are right now, you may want to start considering a refi if your current rate is around 6.65% or higher.

There is no universal “right” time to start shopping — what matters is whether you can comfortably afford a mortgage now at today’s rates.

Rate locks protect you from increases while your loan is processed, and with the market forever bouncing around, that peace of mind can be worth it.

In addition to market factors outside of your control, your customized quote depends on your:

Even two people with similar credit scores might get different rates, depending on their overall financial profiles.

Maybe — but even personalized rate quotes can change until you lock. That’s because lenders adjust pricing multiple times a day in response to market changes.

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As a Hilton elite status holder since 2018, I’ve stayed at my fair share of Hilton Garden Inns, and they’re fine. But for a nicer stay, I keep coming back to one brand for its unique vibes: The Tapestry Collection by Hilton.

Tapestry is one of Hilton’s “soft brands,” meaning each property keeps its own name, design and personality. Hilton launched it in 2017, and it’s now grown to about 200 hotels across more than 20 countries.

With just 61 rooms, this is one of the smallest hotels in the Tapestry Collection — and one of the smallest hotels I’ve ever stayed in. The lobby staff definitely knew me by the end of my stay.

Hotel Resonance Taipei, Tapestry Collection by Hilton: I spent two days of my honeymoon at this hotel. (The stay was hosted by the hotel, but the opinions are my own.)

The hotel is located on a piece of land that was once a camphor tree farm. Camphor was historically used to make celluloid (the raw material for photographic film), so the whole hotel leans into a subtle film-and-movie theme as a tribute to that history. For example, the standard “Do Not Disturb” signs you’d expect in rooms instead are “On Air” signs.

The location is excellent: It’s just a few steps away from Fuhang Soymilk (one of Taipei’s best traditional breakfast spots) and half a mile away from Taipei Main Station.

The Monsaraz San Diego, Tapestry Collection by Hilton: I booked this hotel, named after a small town in Portugal, for how close it was to San Diego International Airport (a 6-minute drive or a roughly 30-minute walk), but I became a fan because of its mid-century modern architecture with Portuguese influence.

I was obsessed with the geometric tilework in the bathrooms. This is a property for people who like to chill, evidenced by features like a live guitarist playing in the open-air courtyard by the fireplace on most nights. I ended up hanging out here in the evenings to wind down after returning from San Diego’s other high-energy neighborhoods like the Gaslamp Quarter.

None of these properties feel like chain hotels to me — even though they all run on Hilton’s booking and loyalty backend.

When I look for hotel stays, I always check to see if staying at a Tapestry Collection is an option. But those stays aren’t cheap — so I also look for ways to save. Here are some tactics I use:

I use the fifth-night-free perk. Hilton Honors gives you the fifth night free on standard room award bookings of five or more consecutive nights, and Tapestry hotels are included. I have my eye on trying this in New York City, where it’s easy to spend five days or more (and there are about a half-dozen Tapestry hotels to choose from).

To find a location, filter your Hilton results by “Hotel Brand” and select “Tapestry.” There might be more options than you expect.

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For parents, the start of summer can be an especially expensive time of year between family travel, camps and keeping the kids entertained. And while some may feel pressure to overspend to make the summer fun happen, this could instead be the season where you make a plan to become debt free.

Parenthood is expensive enough without adding interest to the costs of raising kids. Consider taking the following steps to limit excess debt this month.

Reliance on credit can stem from an unmanageable existing debt load. In some cases, this simply can’t be helped — for instance, some parents may use credit to pay for their family’s necessities. But whether your debt came from necessities, non-essentials or a combination of the two, figure out where you’re starting from.

List your current debt balances, interest rates and due dates. Add them up to get your existing debt load. Handling your debt requires facing it head-on.

Budgets are tight for many people and some may need to lean on debt this month to keep their family fed, sheltered and otherwise cared for. But if you’re adding to a card balance for a summer vacation or other non-necessities, instead consider delaying the expense or looking for a lower-cost alternative.

There’s a popular saying that you only have 18 summers with your kids, with the implication being that you need to make them count (and apparently, that your grown children won’t hang out with you during the warm months). Some may interpret this as needing to take their children on lavish vacations, sign them up for the coolest summer camps and otherwise blow their budget in the name of providing a wonderful childhood. But if you only have 18 summers, maybe it’s worth using one or two of them to set yourself and your family up for financial success and less ongoing money stress.

If you can avoid adding to your debt balance this summer, do it. You can still have an amazing summer with your kids. Just not at the expense of your financial wellbeing.

Financial resilience means being able to handle economic and financial shocks without substantial hardship. Paying off debt can be a big part of this, freeing up cash flow and lowering monthly financial obligations in an emergency.

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They do this by code-sharing (selling seats on each other’s flights), providing reciprocal benefits to loyalty program members and elite status customers, and even transferring baggage between their flights. It’s a win-win for travelers and airlines.

And when there are flight delays or disruptions, alliances can support member airlines more easily. This makes traveling with alliance member carriers easier than with unaffiliated airlines because they have larger reach and assistance opportunities.

Here’s what elite status members of SkyTeam member airlines can enjoy as reciprocal perks, no matter what alliance member they are flying.

SkyTeam elite status is earned by attaining status through one of SkyTeam’s alliance members and meeting the qualifications with that particular airline’s frequent flyer program. There are 18 active members in the SkyTeam alliance, plus one airline (Aeroflot) that’s currently suspended.

SkyTeam elite status has two tiers.

The most valuable benefits for this tier is the priority check-in, which can save you a lot of time at an international airport when you may need to check bags, and the extra baggage allowance.

SkyTeam Elite Plus is the higher of the two, and it comes with a few more benefits.

SkyTeam Elite Plus members get an even higher checked bag weight limit than SkyTeam Elites, plus lounge access for themselves and a guest.

Let’s say you have Delta Diamond Medallion status. This also qualifies for SkyTeam Elite Plus status. So your next flight on Vietnam Airlines or Air France or Aeromexico would qualify for SkyTeam Elite Plus perks, such as lounge access and priority check-in.

Since Delta is the only U.S. member of SkyTeam, let’s look at how its status tiers match to SkyTeam elite status:

Delta Silver Medallion is the only elite tier with Delta to receive the reduced SkyTeam Elite status benefits.

General SkyMiles members receive no extra perks when flying with a SkyTeam carrier beyond the ability to earn Delta SkyMiles with certain SkyTeam airlines if they choose to link their Delta loyalty program number to their reservation.

These require you to prove equivalent status with a competing airline and, in some cases, meet a certain spending or flying threshold with the new airline.

Attaining elite status with a SkyTeam member airline also comes with instant status within SkyTeam to enjoy on all other carriers in the alliance. Your elite status card (physical or digital) as well as online account will indicate your status tier. This means it makes sense to fly with other alliance member airlines to take advantage of similar perks that can help to save money and improve your travel experience.

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I get more emails from disappointed home warranty customers than I care to count.

Home warranties only apply to normal wear on your appliances and systems. They often limit how much they’ll pay, always have exclusions and never guarantee that they’ll make a repair before diagnosing the issue. But they can save you money if you know how and when to use them.

Here are seven common misunderstandings that customers have about their home warranties.

A true warranty repairs manufacturing defects, and homeowners insurance pays for items that are damaged suddenly. Home warranties do neither.

Home warranties are service contracts that cover normal wear and tear. This includes issues that pop up from everyday use and are normal for appliances and systems as they age.

A lot of people confuse home warranties with insurance because some companies advertise that customers pay a “deductible.” That’s not accurate. Home warranties charge service fees, which you pay before you know whether or not your claim has been approved. The fee isn’t a guarantee of coverage; it pays for the technician to diagnose the problem, not make the actual repair.

With insurance, a deductible comes into play after a claim is approved. It’s your share of the repair cost, and the insurance company will cover the rest.

Home warranties cover systems and appliances in a way that manufacturers’ warranties and insurance don’t. This is a good thing if you’re wanting that type of everyday-wear-and-tear coverage. But that means home warranties also have different terms. And if your claim fits with their coverage, you could save money on big repairs.

One of the ways home warranty companies make money while still paying for repairs is by limiting coverage to a certain dollar amount, known as a coverage limit. These can range from $150 to $7,000, depending on the covered item, type of repair, plan and company.

Many home warranty companies also refuse to cover certain situations, such as pre-existing conditions or wear and tear caused by neglecting to maintain your systems.

Regardless of how a home warranty limits coverage, it’s probably a safe bet that it has policies that protect the company from paying for all of the repairs you request.

Some customers have legitimate claims that can cost home warranty companies thousands of dollars. In those cases, customers benefit more than the companies and probably get more out of the warranty than the company that sold it to them.

So even though your home warranty company is betting they’ll spend less on you than you’ll pay them, that’s not always how it works out. You might save money with a home warranty instead.

One of the most common customer complaints I see is that a home warranty didn’t pay for a replacement appliance or system. Instead, the company paid a customer a portion of the actual cost to replace an item. That left the homeowner paying the rest of the bill for a replacement.

If your home warranty can’t fix your water heater, it’s not going to send you a check for whatever it costs to buy a new version of your water heater. Instead, many of them calculate how much your old water heater (or stove or dishwasher) is worth.

Similar to how cars go down in value over time, appliances and systems depreciate as well. That means your 12-year-old water heater might only be worth $100, and that’s how much a home warranty is likely to give you to buy a replacement.

It doesn’t matter that a new one could cost more than $3,000 with installation and labor. You might be on the hook for the remaining $2,900.

Even if you have to pay for labor or costs over your coverage limit, your home warranty can keep you from paying the full cost of major repairs.

Let’s say your home warranty agrees to replace your dishwasher. If the company pays $400 of the $800 price tag, you still only had to pay half of the price tag even though your plan didn’t pay for the full replacement.

If you’d already paid $876 and your home warranty paid only $400 for a replacement dishwasher at the end of that year, you’d be out at least $476. Probably more by the time you paid your service fee for the dishwasher claim.

In cases like this, you can actually save money by not having a home warranty.

Each customer will have a different set of claims, a specific plan and a mix of appliance and system models. That means no two situations are the same.

Some customers might lose money with a home warranty, but others will save money with one. If you get one or two major repair claims approved, you could come out ahead with a home warranty.

A home warranty company can make you pay a service fee and then deny your claim.

The service fee is similar to the house-call fee that a repair company might charge you when you schedule an appointment with them directly. It’s how they ensure they make some money in case you decide not to have them repair whatever they came to look at.

The difference here is who can decide if a technician is going to make the repair. If you hire the company directly, you decide if you want them to repair your water heater. In that case, you’ll probably get to apply your house call fee toward the total cost of your repair.

With a home warranty, the company decides if it wants to pay someone to repair your water heater. If your claim is denied, you could lose your service fee.

A few home warranty companies are skipping service fees, so their customers don’t pay for a technician to visit their homes. That way they’re not paying out of pocket before they know if a claim will be approved. If you consider a company that doesn’t charge service fees, check how that might affect the monthly rate compared to prices other companies offer.

Your contract has to say what your home warranty will and won’t cover. But service agreements tend to be long and full of technical language, which can make them difficult to understand. So a lot of people don’t read them before agreeing to the terms.

Look, I’m not judging. I have no idea what I agreed to when Spotify last updated its terms, but I checked that “I agree” box immediately so I could keep streaming Sarah McLachlan’s newest album without interruption.

But your home warranty company is going to follow the terms that you agreed to when you signed up for a plan. So it’s a smart move to read those terms before paying for coverage that you might not understand.

I know reading pages of fine print to find out which parts of your heat pump are covered by your plan doesn’t sound like a relaxing Saturday afternoon. But your home warranty company will quote sections of the contract to you when you ask why your claim was denied.

Knowing the policies and exclusions in advance will help you avoid frustrating situations.

Many home warranty contracts have clauses that say you can’t sue the company. Instead, you have to go through arbitration, which is a way to resolve disputes without going to court. These clauses usually keep you from filing a class action lawsuit as well.

According to the Economic Policy Institute, arbitration is worse for consumers than for companies. This is because customers tend to lose more often than the companies, and end up paying arbitration fees.

Even when a home warranty company doesn’t follow its contract, it’s difficult for a customer to prove their case because of how arbitration works. Most successful cases against home warranty companies are filed by a state’s attorney general after they’ve investigated a lot of customers’ complaints.

When a state successfully sues a home warranty company, it usually makes the news. This gives other customers a way to learn about their rights and which home warranty companies haven’t been honest with their coverage.

If you’re thinking of buying a home warranty, search for any news about the company being involved in lawsuits. And if you are having trouble with your home warranty and need a resolution, contact your state attorney general’s office to file a complaint.

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The airline is increasing fees for partner award bookings, doubling the cost of purchasing tickets over the phone and eliminating the ability to earn Atmos Rewards points and Status Points on many Saver fares.

While the changes don’t affect award pricing or mileage earning on most fare classes, they could make it more expensive to redeem points and less rewarding to fly on Alaska’s lowest-priced tickets. Here’s what travelers need to know.

Currently, Alaska’s Saver fares, the airline’s version of basic economy, earn 30% of the miles flown toward both Atmos Rewards points and Status Points.

However, that benefit is going away for many travelers later this year. Here’s how the transition will work:

If it’s any consolation, the airline noted that Saver fares on Alaska or Hawaiian Airlines will still count toward Million Miler status even after Aug. 1, with flyers receiving credit equal to 100% of the actual distance flown.

Alaska is also raising partner award ticket fees and phone reservation fees.

Currently, travelers pay a nonrefundable partner award fee of $12.50 per person, each way when redeeming Atmos Rewards points for flights operated by Alaska’s airline partners. Beginning July 1, 2026, that fee will increase to $20 per person, each way, in addition to any applicable taxes and fees.

One thing to keep in mind is that the fee is nonrefundable. Even if you later cancel your award ticket and receive your points back, the partner award fee will not be refunded.

Those who hold the Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® credit card and use it to pay for their tickets will continue to receive waived partner award booking fees even after this change, making that benefit more valuable once the higher fees take effect.

Alaska is also increasing its fee for tickets purchased over the phone. Currently, travelers who make a new reservation through Alaska’s call center pay a $15 fee per person. For tickets purchased on or after July 2, 2026, that fee will double to $30 per person.

The fee applies to both paid and award tickets issued through Alaska’s call center. Atmos Gold and Platinum elite members will continue to receive waived contact center service charges. Many travelers may be able to avoid this fee altogether by booking their tickets online rather than through Alaska’s call center.

For travelers who frequently purchase Saver fares, these changes are disappointing. However, the move isn’t entirely surprising given that many other major U.S. airlines have already reduced or eliminated rewards earning on their most restrictive basic economy tickets.

Those who regularly redeem Alaska points for partner award flights will also face higher out-of-pocket costs. However, while the fee increase is unwelcome, the new $20 partner award booking fee is still relatively modest, especially considering the value travelers can often receive from Alaska’s partner award redemptions.

While these changes make the program less rewarding in some situations, Alaska Atmos Rewards still offers valuable partner redemption opportunities and remains one of the few airline loyalty programs with published award charts.

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When most people think about using travel rewards, the obvious answer is for flights and hotels. And that’s not wrong—those are often where loyalty currencies can stretch furthest.

However, on a recent trip to Paris, I used my points to do something a little different: get into one of the most coveted sporting events in the world and book a hotel for the occasion.

That meant redeeming 20,000 Emirates Skywards miles for a reserved main stadium seat at the 2026 French Open tennis tournament, and 40,000 World of Hyatt points for two nights at the Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile.

Together, those redemptions covered an experience that would have cost several hundred dollars in tickets alone, along with a hotel during one of the priciest weeks of the year in Paris. Here’s how it all came together.

The French Open, also called Roland-Garros, is one of the four major Grand Slam tennis tournaments, played each year in Paris on red clay. It’s a highlight for tennis fans, and it’s an event I’ve long wanted to attend.

In early May, I was searching for a French Open ticket when I came across availability through Emirates Skywards. Listed was a reserved seat on Court Philippe-Chatrier (the tournament’s main court) for 20,000 miles during early-round day sessions.

As a point of comparison, second-round Chatrier seats on the verified resale market run roughly between $150 to $500, depending on category and session. (French law makes it illegal to resell tickets above face value without authorization from the event organizer.)

After logging back into my Skywards account and selecting the event, miles were immediately deducted from my balance, and I received a confirmation email. The electronic ticket arrived about 48 hours before the start of the tennis matches.

The Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile sits in the 17th arrondissement, near the northeastern corner of Bois de Boulogne and a short Metro ride from the Roland-Garros tennis complex. It’s a Category 5 World of Hyatt property, and I managed to book two nights in a king room for 20,000 points per night (40,000 total). Considering these dates were during French Open week, typically one of the busiest periods of the year, I felt like I got excellent value.

If you’re thinking of using miles or points for experiences like this one, keep the following in mind:

All told, for a trip that included a seat at a highly sought-after sporting event, along with accommodations during a pricey week for hotels, being able to use points and miles felt like a real win.

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Mortgage rates are up, as new data shows annual inflation has reached its highest level since 2023.

The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose six basis points to 6.43% APR in the week ending June 11, according to rates provided to BoundlessCash by Zillow. (A basis point is one one-hundredth of a percentage point.) We calculate our weekly average using daily APRs recorded over the past five business days.

Kate on Rates: June 11, 2026

On June 10, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released the latest Consumer Price Index, a key measure of inflation. The report showed that inflation rose 0.5% in May, bringing the annual inflation rate to 4.2% — the highest reading in three years.

While the Federal Reserve typically pays closer attention to inflation data that strips out food and fuel (since these are usually more volatile than other goods, even under normal circumstances), those areas are currently among the most painful for the everyday consumer’s wallet.

“Under new Fed Chair Warsh, the committee will be sussing out whether what we’re seeing in the [inflation] data represents something that will work itself out in time or whether it risks being persistent,” says Elizabeth Renter, BoundlessCash senior economist.

“Paired with the labor market data from last week, we know a rate cut is all but off the table.”

When the federal funds rate goes up, lenders must pay more to borrow from each other to fund mortgages. Consequently, borrowers get charged higher mortgage rates to cover these increased costs of doing business.

While May’s inflation increase of 0.5% is slightly lower than April’s 0.6% increase, these are compounding expenses.

“With wage growth lagging behind price growth, household budgets are under increasing pressure,” Renter says.

“After sharp growth in April, a modest deceleration in the growth of grocery prices doesn’t translate to actual relief in May,” Renter explains. “Consumers are paying more for essentials and they can feel powerless to mitigate this pain.”

The good news is that even in the face of these mounting financial pressures, people are still buying homes. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 4.17 million existing homes were sold in May, despite inventory falling slightly year-over-year. This was up from April’s total existing home sales of 4.02 million.

“More Americans are on the move, with home sales rising to the highest level since December,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun in a press release. “This is great news for the housing market and the economy.”

The median sales price for these homes was $429,300, up 1.3% year-over-year.

And according to the NAR’s Housing Affordability Index, affordability conditions actually improved in all regions last month. The West saw the biggest bump in affordability, with the median sale price for existing homes down 0.7% from last May to $625,900.

As we move halfway into June, it also seems increasingly likely that the Iran war is going to officially drag into summer, meaning that elevated mortgage rates are probably here to stay for now.

The U.S. and Iran exchanged new attacks this week, with President Trump promising to “hit them hard again” after voicing his dissatisfaction with Iran’s progress in peace negotiations.

In an interview set to air on June 14, Vice President JD Vance told CBS’s “Sunday Morning” that a deal with Iran could “absolutely” come before the midterm elections, which are in November.

Given this uncertain timeline, the relevant question now seems less like “When will rates come down?” and more like “Will rates rise above 6.5% or even 7% in 2026?”

While things aren’t that dire yet, it feels like a timely question to consider — it’s been over a year since we saw average daily rates that started with a seven.

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