Mortgage rates will drop to 5.2% this year despite the uptick this month, said a top economist

• The Mortgage Bankers Association forecasts mortgage rates will fall to 5.2% from above 6% in 2023.
• The prediction rests on a drop in the 10-year Treasury-bond yield, which influences mortgage rates.
• An economist with the group said lower rates would help buyers but that owners may not want to sell.

Of all the factors influencing the housing market, there is perhaps no component more important than mortgage interest rates.