Intro

Rates on 30-year mortgages fell again this week to an average of 6.27%, according to FreddieMac. That could boost consumer spending on home improvements in 2026, new research finds — and be driven by homeowners locked in with lower rates who recognize that an addition or coat of paint is less daunting than starting over in this housing market. Also on the show: a check-in on regional banks and a bite of a carbon fat croissant, from the latest season of Marketplace's "How We Survive."