Mortgage rates swing on headlines, but the real story is how those swings change buyer behavior and competition. We map out why a brief jump into the mid-6% range can create a short window where your offer has a better shot at getting accepted. • mortgage rates moving from high 5s toward mid-6s and starting to trend back down • buyers hitting pause on affordability while pre-approvals keep stacking up • why spring markets create the most competition and how a slowdown helps ...