---
title: "Mortgage rate falls to 7.32% as Valley commercial filings reach…"
description: "The 30-year rate fell to 7.32% from 7.40%. Sixteen commercial registrations dated Oct 16 through Oct 23 list $57,988,793, and a college bid is due Monday."
url: "https://fronterasignal.com/issues/2026-w43/"
lang: "en-US"
---

Oct 25, 2026  
Issue 6 · Week 43 of 2026

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[Weekly issue](https://fronterasignal.com/archive/) · Issue 6 · Week 43 of 2026

# Mortgage rate falls to 7.32% as Valley commercial filings reach $57.99 million

[Frontera Signal](https://fronterasignal.com/about/) · Oct 25, 2026 Data as of Oct 25, 2026

The 30 year rate fell to 7.32% from 7.40%. Sixteen commercial registrations dated Oct 16 through Oct 23 list $57,988,793, and a college bid is due Monday.

Key figures

| Key figures | Value | Date and source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 30 year mortgage rate▼ Week of Oct 22 · prior week 7.40% | 7.32% | Oct 22, 2026 · Freddie Mac |
| McAllen months of supplyJuly 2026 · statewide 5.5 | 8.9 | July 2026 · Frontera Signal |
| Gulf Coast diesel, per gallon▲ Week of Oct 19 · prior week $5.809 | $5.903 | Oct 19, 2026 · Frontera Signal |
| New commercial registrations16 registrations · Oct 16 through Oct 23 | $57,988,793 | Oct 23, 2026 · Frontera Signal |

The 30 year mortgage rate fell to 7.32% in the week of Oct 22, down from 7.40% the week before, while sixteen commercial registrations dated Oct 16 through Oct 23 list $57,988,793. Three of them, registered on Oct 16, list $7,588,345. The thirteen registered from Oct 19 through Oct 23 list $50,400,448. South Texas College moved its sealed bid on a $4.7 million renovation to 3:00 p.m., Central time, on Monday, Oct 26. We would still hold a new unsold spec home in Hidalgo County.

## Permits and starts

Those sixteen registrations are listed cost, a different measure from an issued building permit or a house start. Hidalgo and Brownsville have not published residential permit counts this week, so the spec hold rests on months of supply and the mortgage rate. The Oct 16 trio is the Boys and Girls Club Phase 2 in McAllen at $5.65 million, an HEB remodel in San Benito at $1,288,345, and a Brownsville signal at Palm Boulevard and Jefferson Street at $650,000.

Hidalgo and Cameron counties

### New commercial registrations, by city

Listed cost on 16 registrations dated Oct 16 through Oct 23. Combined $57,988,793.

Frontera Signal · Oct 23, 2026

**Show data**

| Item | Value ($) |
| --- | --- |
| Harlingen | $27M |
| Edinburg | $16M |
| McAllen | $7.1M |
| Alamo | $3.0M |
| South Padre Island | $2.4M |
| San Benito | $1.3M |
| Brownsville | $650K |

Harlingen accounts for $27,474,500 on two registrations. The larger is a $26.3 million renovation at 2222 S. 77 Sunshine Strip for therapy classrooms and labs, 54,733 square feet, still registered, with a listed start of July 15 already past. Stantec Architecture is the design firm on that job and on a $9.3 million tennis center renovation at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg, 12,300 square feet, with the same past listed start. The other Harlingen registration is a $1,174,500 drive thru finish, with a listed start of May 10, 2027.

Edinburg’s five registrations list $16,081,651, including McColl Cubic Wall Storage at $4.2 million and 96,620 square feet, listed start Dec 15, and Vackar Stadium concourse paving at $1,601,651, whose listed start of April 28 has passed. McAllen’s four list $7,144,297, led by the Boys and Girls Club addition at 2400 Jordan Road, 23,126 square feet, with a finished accessibility review and a listed start of Jan 1, 2027. Two finish outs at 1212 East Dove, imaging at $980,000 and a research lab at $264,297, share a listed start of Nov 2. The imaging registration lists new construction as the type of work, but its scope describes an interior finish out of 7,583 square feet. Cantu Construction is the firm named in the design field, and the combined filing cost is $1,244,297.

Alamo’s Circle K lists $3 million, with a listed start of May 10, 2027. The registration names the City of Alamo and also describes private funds on private land, so confirm the contracting owner before pricing it as a city job. South Padre Island lists $2,350,000 on a $1.6 million beach access walkover, listed start Oct 26, and a $750,000 track and shade structure, listed start Dec 1. That second registration carries a water slide name, but its scope describes a go kart track and a shade structure.

Hidalgo and Cameron counties

### Listed start dates still ahead

Verified means the registration was rechecked this week. A listed start is the date on the registration.

verified announced this week

Frontera Signal · Oct 23, 2026

**Show data**

| Project | Start | End | Status |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| South Padre beach access | Oct 26, 2026 | open | verified |
| DHR finish outs, East Dove | Nov 2, 2026 | open | verified |
| Handel's ice cream, McAllen | Dec 1, 2026 | open | verified |
| South Padre track and shade | Dec 1, 2026 | open | verified |
| Billy Mitchell warehouse | Dec 1, 2026 | open | verified |
| McColl storage, Edinburg | Dec 15, 2026 | open | verified |
| Boys and Girls Club, McAllen | Jan 1, 2027 | open | verified |
| South Texas College | Jan 1, 2027 | open | verified |
| Brownsville signal | Jan 6, 2027 | open | verified |
| Frost Financial Center | Jan 21, 2027 | open | verified |

The calendar date this week is South Texas College’s competitive sealed proposal for Pecan Plaza East Building B, at 2511 and 2517 Pecan Blvd, the $4.7 million renovation already on last week’s list. Addenda posted Oct 21 moved the due time to 3:00 p.m., Central time, on Monday, Oct 26, so the Oct 22 date is the old one. The addenda add a railing section and revise flooring and painting, and performance and payment bonds are required. The accessibility review is finished, the listed start on the registration is Jan 1, 2027, and the college left the construction start to the bidder.

Frost Financial Center in Harlingen remains registered at $13 million, with a listed start of Jan 21, 2027. Billy Mitchell warehouse in Brownsville still shows a finished accessibility review and a listed start of Dec 1. ACCESS Esperanza Clinic in Mission, at $1,645,000, also has a finished review and a listed start of Jan 1, 2027. City building permits on these registrations have not been published.

Brownsville’s Oct 20 commission gave first reading approval to 54.397 acres at 1001 Military Highway, and the plat remains unapproved. The same night the city awarded Levy Company a signal contract for an amount not to exceed $1,322,190 over 112 calendar days, separate from the $650,000 signal registration. Harlingen turned down a county drainage agreement on Oct 21. A $7 million canal widening tied to a Fluidstack campus sits outside the city limits and stays off a city bid list. Weslaco’s unified development ordinance, item 2026/39, still awaits a second reading on Nov 3, so the $1,357 per living unit fee stays out of a Weslaco bid.

## Materials

The producer price index for construction materials stood at 378.610 in September, up 11.03% from a year earlier, so a contingency still belongs on a bid. Consumer prices were up 3.72% from a year earlier in the same month.

Gulf Coast diesel was $5.903 a gallon in the week of Oct 19, up 9.4 cents from $5.809. A hauling quote built on the old price should move to $5.903 before a fuel heavy bid goes out. The next weekly figure is due Oct 27. Gulf Coast regular gasoline was $3.784 that same week, down from $3.851. Hauling costs follow the diesel price.

Big box shelf, per piece

### Sheathing, insulation, studs and rebar

Prices as of Oct 23. All five were unchanged from Oct 20.

Frontera Signal price check · Oct 23, 2026

**Show data**

| Item | Value ($) |
| --- | --- |
| OSB 7/16 sheet | $14.51 |
| R 13 kraft roll | $28.97 |
| 2x4 stud | $3.98 |
| No. 3 rebar, 20 ft | $7.38 |
| Half inch drywall | $14.98 |

A 7/16 inch oriented strand board sheet was $14.51 at big box stores on Oct 23, unchanged from Oct 20. The R 13 kraft roll was $28.97, the 2x4 stud $3.98, number 3 rebar $7.38 for a 20 foot stick, and half inch drywall $14.98. November lumber futures closed at $523.00 on Oct 22, up 50 cents, so there is no price pressure to buy sheathing ahead of need. Cash deposits on Canadian softwood have applied since Oct 19, including 17.00% antidumping for Canfor and 4.71% for West Fraser. A bid built on domestic framing lumber carries neither deposit, and neither applies to the $14.51 sheet.

## Labor

Build time stays 9 to 11 months. August unemployment was 6.3% in the McAllen metro and 6.5% in Brownsville Harlingen, against 4.4% in Texas for September. August payroll shows McAllen construction employment at 9.9 thousand, up 2.1% over the year, and Brownsville Harlingen construction at 3.6 thousand, down 5.3%. No public note this week named a Valley worksite operation or a wage change. Issued commercial counts in Brownsville remain unpublished, so the Cameron County picture rests on the Frost registration, the Levy award, the finished warehouse review and that payroll drop.

## Housing market

Freddie Mac’s national average for a 30 year fixed mortgage was 7.32% as of Oct 22, down from 7.40% on Oct 15. A bid written this week, or a buyer payment quoted this week, should use 7.32%. The next weekly figure is due Oct 29.

United States

### 30 year fixed mortgage rate

Weekly national average. Down from 7.40% in the week of Oct 15.

Freddie Mac · Oct 22, 2026

**Show data**

| Period | 30 year |
| --- | --- |
| Oct 1 | 7.28% |
| Oct 8 | 7.4% |
| Oct 15 | 7.4% |
| Oct 22 | 7.32% |

July figures put the McAllen metro at 8.9 months of supply and Brownsville Harlingen at 6.6, against 5.5 months in Texas on the same table. Those July figures are the latest available, and the mortgage rate is current. McAllen closed 405 sales that month at a median of $250,500, with 3,200 active listings, up 10.7% from a year earlier. Brownsville Harlingen closed 255 at a median of $255,000, with 1,560 listings, down 6.0%.

Rio Grande Valley metros and Texas

### Months of supply

July figures. Texas, on the same table, is 5.5 months.

Frontera Signal · July 2026

**Show data**

| Item | Value (months) |
| --- | --- |
| McAllen metro | 8.9 months |
| Brownsville metro | 6.6 months |
| Texas | 5.5 months |

Zillow, counting through Aug 31, shows 3,628 homes for sale in the McAllen metro, up 8.88% from a year earlier, and 1,681 in Brownsville Harlingen, down 5.83%. Median list price was $257,500 in McAllen, down 2.71%, and $289,703 in Brownsville, down 7.25%. Zillow’s listing count and the July supply figures measure different things, and 8.9 and 6.6 months remain the latest supply readings. September closings in the McAllen metro were 333, down from 361 a year earlier, inside a year to date count of 3,294 that was up 6.4%, so that softer month leaves the July inventory reading in place.

Hakes Brothers’ highest listed price remains $271,990. A La Feria listing at 202 Hope Drive asks $279,000, on a page last changed in April 2025, and a McAllen listing at 7309 North 25th Lane asks $485,000. None of those asking prices changes the July reading of 8.9 months of supply.

## Major projects

SpawGlass is seeking subcontractors for Texas A&M’s Health Education and Research Building. The virtual pre bid is Nov 3 at 9 a.m., and bids are due Nov 20 at 2 p.m. No project cost has been published. The Port of Brownsville’s Oct 20 board night included $2 million for two gas pipelines from Texas Highway 48 to RL Ostos Road, reported Oct 23. About 90 percent of Brownsville residential properties would stay at $6.25 a month under a drainage fee the city projects at $6.6 million a year, and approval is still in front of the commission. Brownsville’s data center pause still has a second reading on Nov 4.

## Our view

We would hold a new unsold spec home in Hidalgo County, in the $250,000 to $290,000 band, for the next 60 days, and price any pour or frame in that window as a buyer’s market against 8.9 months and 7.32%. We are confident about the rate, and the inventory number is from July.

The one deadline this week is the college bid, due at 3:00 p.m., Central time, on Monday. A bid should acknowledge both addenda and name its own construction start. The same morning is a good time to ask Cantu Construction about the two finish outs at 1212 East Dove. The $26.3 million Harlingen renovation is worth a call to Stantec about open packages, though it is commercial work with a listed start already past. Hauling quotes move to $5.903, the oriented strand board sheet stays at $14.51, and a material contingency remains warranted after the September construction price increase of 11.03%. Build time stays 9 to 11 months.

## Forecast record

| Forecast | Due | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hold a new unsold Hidalgo spec in the $250,000 to $290,000 band | Dec 24 | OPEN |
| South Texas College’s Oct 26 bid stays a bid date, short of a construction start | Oct 27 | OPEN |
| DHR finish outs at 1212 East Dove stay registered, listed start Nov 2 | Nov 9 | OPEN |
| Harlingen therapy renovation stays registered, short of a groundbreaking | Dec 1 | OPEN |
| Gulf Coast diesel holds near $5.903 until the next weekly figure | Oct 27 | OPEN |
| Big box OSB sheet holds at $14.51 until the next price check | Oct 27 | OPEN |
| McAllen supply shows no meaningful tightening from 8.9 months | Dec 22 | OPEN |
| Weslaco’s $1,357 fee stays out of bids until the ordinance is adopted | Nov 10 | OPEN |
| Alamo Circle K stays off a city job price until the owner line is clear | Nov 15 | OPEN |
| Brownsville data center pause is not in force before the Nov 4 second reading | Nov 4 | OPEN |
| Frost Financial Center stays registered, with no contract award | Jan 21, 2027 | OPEN |

Our call that Gulf Coast diesel would hold near $5.809 until the next weekly figure was a MISS. The week of Oct 19 came in at $5.903, up 9.4 cents. The big box oriented strand board sheet held at $14.51 through Oct 23, a HIT, and the 2x4 stud held at $3.98, a HIT. Weslaco’s $1,357 fee stayed out of bids, and the Oct 20 adoption vote has not shown up in a later public record, so that call is a PUSH.

_Housing market data: Zillow and Freddie Mac._

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Cite as: Frontera Signal, “Mortgage rate falls to 7.32% as Valley commercial filings reach $57.99 million”, Oct 25, 2026. [https://fronterasignal.com/issues/2026-w43/](https://fronterasignal.com/issues/2026-w43/)