After years of rock-bottom interest rates, the Federal Reserve has raised the benchmark rate from 2.25 percent to 2.5 percent. With only eight increases in the last 10 years, and three in 2018, the fourth hike - and highest in a decade- may add to the reverb in the housing market. While the Fed doesn’t set mortgage rates, the federal fund rates they institute impact short term and variable interest rates. When the Fed rate increases, the cost of lending between banks and lend