After rising for the past six weeks, mortgage rates have stabilized. They haven’t fallen this week, but they haven’t risen either, and economists say that’s probably the best potential homebuyers can hope for.

Freddie Mac reports that its Primary Mortgage Market Survey shows that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 6.78% this week.

“After a six-week increase, rates have stabilized, but overall affordability continues to be an issue for potential homebuyers,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “The latest research shows that mortgage payments compared to rents for the same homes are high compared to most of the past three decades.”

It may seem counter-intuitive that as other interest rates fall, mortgage rates do not. But those rates are marching to a different drummer, driven by the yield on the 10-year Treasury note and the outlook for the economy.

As economists look at President-elect Trump’s economic agenda — which includes high tariffs — they see the possibility of future inflation, affecting how mortgage bankers assess their risk when making a 30-year mortgage loan.

The current mortgage rate on a 30-year loan is not much above the average rate of the last two decades. What is changing is the price of homes, which were affordable three years ago when mortgage rates were around 3%.