Quite a few important mortgage rates ticked downward. It's still expensive to buy a house, but any dip in rates is good news in the housing market.

Mortgage rates are down and still under 7%. Today’s national average on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is 6.86%, according to Bankrate. If you choose a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage, the average rate is 6.

Mortgage rates in the US dropped for a third week, sliding to the lowest level since the middle of May. The average for 30-year, fixed loans was 6.81%, down from 6.84% last week,