About this episode

Mikey Taylor and Michael Michalov discuss the factors influencing mortgage rates and the housing market, providing insights for first-time buyers feeling priced out.

The Fed isn't the reason your mortgage costs what it costs and buyers may be watching the wrong numbers. In this episode, Mikey Taylor and Michael Michalov break down why the housing market stalled, what's really driving rates in 2026, and the honest options left for a first-time buyer who feels priced out. No hype, no doom, just how the money actually moves, from the oil pump to the closing table. They get into why gas prices jump even when the U.S. doesn't buy oil from the conflict zone, how $6 trillion in printed money still echoes through your grocery bill, and why it feels like nobody with a 2.5% mortgage wants to sell. In this episode: • Why your mortgage follows the 10-year Treasury, not the Fed • How a global oil market hits your local gas station • The real reason 600,000 more sellers didn't crash prices • The 3 doors priced-out buyers have • Is AI about to create more business owners than it replaces? • Class B & C apartments: the quiet “winner” of 2026

More episodes of LIFE WITH MIKEY

• The 5 common behavioral biases that can influence investment decision-making · July 7, 2026 · 29 min
• The Real Reason Homes Got So Expensive · June 30, 2026 · 13 min
• Can $100K Survive in California? · June 23, 2026 · 32 min
• The Government Loan Owners May Not Know About · June 16, 2026 · 26 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the LIFE WITH MIKEY podcast page.