Mortgage rates rose above 7.5% this week to their highest level in three years, discouraging homeowners with 2%-3% mortgages from refinancing or moving. Many are staying in their current homes, but HELOCs (home equity lines of credit) have become too expensive to use, limiting their ability to pay for upgrades that could make remaining in place more attractive. Big-ticket purchases have also fallen sharply at Lowe's and Home Depot. Angi says many homeowners are now staying in their houses five years longer than originally planned.