Mortgage rates are ticking up even after the Federal Reserve has started cutting interest rates. Here's why, and where rates — and home sales — could go from here.

The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. rose for the third week in a row, reaching its highest level in eight weeks. The rate rose to 6.44% from 6.32% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday.

Refinance rates on 30-year mortgages subtracted 6 basis points for a second consecutive day Wednesday, reducing the national average to 6.71%. That lowers it from a recent two-month high, but it remains 70 basis points above the 19-month low we saw Sept. 16—when the average sank to 6.01%.