Mortgage rates have eased sharply from their recent peaks, offering some relief to buyers and refinancing opportunities for homeowners who have been "stuck" in the so-called "golden handcuff effect," but industry experts are still warning that getting back to a path of true affordability will take time. Since interest rates spiked after the COVID-19 pandemic housing boom, there has been little movement in the market. Homeowners were unwilling to sell because they’d have to give up their ultra-low mortgage r ...