“Not only does the house cost more, but the financing of the house costs more,” Bankrate economist Greg McBride said. Johnson said the high rates also have the potential to keep buyers on the sidelines when trying to navigate inflated home prices and now rates that will only drive up monthly payments. “If inflation comes down in a meaningful way, and there’s a prospect of reduced interest rates down the road, that’s the type of impetus that we could see bringing mortgage rates down,” McBride said.