Trump's Return Signals Prolonged High Mortgage Rates

Mortgage rates have risen following President-elect Trump's victory and are expected to remain high, according to Redfin's Chen Zhao. Despite Trump's campaign promises to slash mortgage rates and ease building regulations, these are not directly controllable from the White House. Plans to make federal lands available for development could increase housing supply, particularly in the Mountain West, but the impact depends on the specifics of land availability. Trump's focus on mass deportations may affect labor supply for home building, but immigration is not a major factor in the current housing supply crunch.