Mortgage Rates Rise After Posting Record Lows
Mortgage rates started to edge higher this week, after a series of recent positive reports showing the housing market on the mend, Freddie Mac reported in its weekly mortgage market survey.
The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage after posting all-time record lows for the past three weeks reversed course this week and ticked up to 3.98 percent. Still, this is the eighth consecutive week that 30-year fixed-rate mortgages have remained below 4 percent, Freddie Mac reported.
“Fixed mortgage rates ticked up this week as the housing market ended 2011 on a high note,” Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac’s chief economist, said in a statement. Existing-home sales increased 5 percent in December, the largest amount since May 2010.
Here’s a closer look at mortgage rates for the week ending Jan. 26:
30-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 3.98 percent, with an average 0.7 point, up from last week’s low of 3.88 percent. A year ago at this time, 30-year rates averaged 4.80 percent.
15-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 3.24 percent, with an average 0.8 point, inching up after last week’s 3.17 percent average. Last year at this time, 15-year rates averaged 4.09 percent.
5-year adjustable-rate mortgages: averaged 2.85 percent, with an average 0.7 point, also up from last week’s 2.82 average. Last year at this time, 5-year ARMs averaged 3.70 percent.
1-year ARMs: averaged 2.74 percent this week, with an average 0.6 point–holding at last week’s 2.74 percent average. A year ago at this time, 1-year ARMs averaged 3.26 percent.
Source: Freddie Mac
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How Long Will Low Mortgage Rates Last?
For nine consecutive weeks, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has been hovering at or below record lows of 4 percent, pushing housing affordability for home buyers even higher.
But will these low rates stick around much longer?
The Federal Reserve has vowed to keep rates low through 2013 so rates likely will hang around for a few more months, at least, but whether mortgage rates will stay at the current record-lows, many experts say it’s unlikely.
The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is expected to inch up to an average 4.5 percent for 2012 and increase to 5.4 percent in 2013, according to Freddie Mac economists’ forecasts.
While that forecast means rates are expected to move higher in the coming months, the rates will still be low by historical standards, economists told the Los Angeles Times. For comparison, 30-year rates averaged more than 16 percent in 1981 and 1982. What’s more, until 2000, rates typically were above 8 percent, Freddie Mac notes.
Despite the drop in rates, however, many home buyers have been unable to take advantage of the low rates. Lenders’ tightening of their underwriting standards for loans in the recent years following the housing crisis has shut some buyers who have poor credit, low down payments, or unsteady employment from securing a loan at today’s low rates. Freddie Mac had predicted home-purchase applications to comprise two-thirds of all mortgage applications by the end of 2011. But the Mortgage Bankers Associations says that instead about 80 percent of the mortgage applications came from home owners who wanted to refinance.
Source: “Low Mortgage Rates Likely to Continue Through 2012, Experts Say,” Los Angeles Times (Jan. 3, 2012)
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Study: Women Get Worse Mortgage Rates Than Men
Women aren’t getting the best mortgage rate when getting a loan compared to men, but it’s not because of gender discrimination. It’s because women aren’t doing enough shopping when it comes to mortgage rates, a new study published in the Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics finds.
Women tend to rely on recommendations from their friends when it comes to mortgage rates, while men are more likely to shop around and talk to several lenders in finding the best rate, the researchers note.
Researchers aimed to shed light on why a 2006 study found that women are 32 percent more likely to get a subprime mortgage than men.
Researchers suggest that “gender disparity in mortgage rates may be addressed by policies aimed at improving women’s financial literacy and search skills.”
Source: “When it Comes to Mortgages, Women Don’t Shop Enough,” AOL Real Estate (Nov. 18, 2011)
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Mortgage Rates Drop Sharply This Week
The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, the most popular choice among home buyers, dropped to its second lowest reading on record this week, Freddie Mac reports in its weekly mortgage market survey.
“Market concerns over the European debt market drew investors to U.S. Treasury securities, lowering bond yields and mortgage rates,” says Frank Nothaft, chief economist at Freddie Mac.
Here are how rates fared for the week:
30-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 4 percent, with an average 0.7 point, down from last week’s 4.10 percent average. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is the second lowest on record, just behind the 3.94 percent record reached on Oct. 6. A year ago at this time, 30-year rates averaged 4.24 percent.
15-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 3.31 percent, with an average 0.7 point, falling from last week’s 3.38 percent average. Last year at this time, 15-year mortgages averaged 3.63 percent.
5-year adjustable-rate mortgages: averaged 2.96 percent this week, with an average 0.6 point, dropping from last week’s 3.08 percent. At this time last year, 5-year ARMs averaged 3.39 percent.
1-year ARMs: averaged 2.88 percent this week, with an average 0.6 point, dropping from last week’s 2.90 percent average. A year ago at this time, the 1-year ARM averaged 3.26 percent.
Source: Freddie Mac
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Improved Job Report Sends Mortgage Rates Higher
After posting record lows the last few weeks, mortgage rates inched higher this week, Freddie Mac reports in its weekly mortgage market survey. Yet, rates still remain near 60-year lows.
“An employment report that was better than market expectations helped to lift long-term Treasury bond yields and mortgage rates as well,” Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac’s chief economist, notes. In September, the economy added 103,000 workers; however, the unemployment rate still remained high at 9.1 percent.
Here’s a closer look at rates for the week ending Oct. 13.
30-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 4.12 percent, with an average 0.8 point, moving up from last week’s record-hitting 3.94 percent average. A year ago at this time, 30-year rates averaged 4.19 percent.
15-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 3.37 percent with an average 0.8 point–that’s up slightly from last week’s low of 3.26 percent average. Last year at this time, 15-year rates averaged 3.62 percent.
5-year adjustable-rate mortgages: averaged 3.06 percent, with an average 0.6 point, and inching up from last week’s 2.96 percent. Last year at this time, the 5-year ARM averaged 3.47 percent.
1-year ARMs: averaged 2.90 percent with an average 0.6 point, a drop from last week’s 2.95 average. A year ago, 1-year ARMs averaged 3.43 percent.
Source: Freddie Mac
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Mortgage Rates Reach New Lows
For the third straight week, fixed-rate mortgages inched down, reaching new lows. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged a record low of 4.01 percent this week while the 15-year fixed-rate set a new record of 3.28 percent, Freddie Mac reports in its weekly mortgage market survey. In Western areas, 30-year rates moved even lower, averaging 3.95 percent, Freddie reports.
“Fixed mortgage rates fell to all-time record lows this week following the Federal Reserve’s announcement of its Maturity Extension Program and additional purchases of mortgage-backed securities,” Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac’s chief economist, said in a statement.
Here’s a closer look at rates for the week ending Sept. 29:
30-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 4.01 percent, inching down from last week’s previous record of 4.09 percent. A year ago, 30-year rates averaged 4.32 percent.
15-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 3.28 percent, dropping from last week’s previous record of 3.29 percent. Last year at this time, 15-year rates averaged 3.75 percent.
5-year adjustable-rate mortgages: held steady this week at 3.02 percent. Last year at this time, 5-year ARMs averaged 3.52 percent.
1-year ARMs: averaged 2.83 percent, up slightly from last week’s 2.82 percent average. A year ago, 1-year ARMs averaged 3.48 percent.
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine Daily News
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Market Concerns Push Mortgage Rates to New Lows
After Standard & Poor’s recent first-ever downgrades of the U.S.’ credit rating, as well as Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae’s and other banks, everyone was watching mortgage rates closely this week to see if the downgrades would have an immediate impact and send rates higher. But all of the economic concerns actually had the opposite effect, pushing mortgage rates to new lows, according to Freddie Mac’s weekly mortgage market survey.
The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, a popular choice among home buyers, reached a new low for the year while the 15-year fixed-rate mortgage, 5-year adjustable-rate mortgage, and 1-year ARM all averaged new all-time record lows. Also possibly serving as a boost to home buyers and those looking to refinance, the Federal Reserve announced this week that the weak economy has prompted them to vow to keep the federal funds rate exceptionally low at least through mid-2013.
“Lower mortgage rates will help to maintain the high degree of home buyer affordability in the market,” says Frank Nothaft, chief economist at Freddie Mac. Home affordability has been at its highest level in the past three quarters since 1970, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ affordability index.
Here’s a closer look at how rates fared for the week:
30-year fixed-rate mortgage: averaged 4.32 percent, down from last week’s 4.39 percent, and marking this week a new low for this year. A year ago at this time, the 30-year rate averaged 4.44 percent.
15-year fixed-rate mortgage: averaged 3.50 percent, moving down from last week’s 3.54 percent, and reaching a new all-time low for 15-year rates. Last year at this time, the 15-year mortgage averaged 3.92 percent.
5-year ARM: averaged 3.13 percent this week, inching down from last week’s 3.18 percent. Last year at this time, the 5-year ARM averaged 3.56 percent.
1-year ARM: averaged 2.89 percent, dropping from last week’s 3.02 percent. A year ago at this time, the 1-year ARM averaged 3.53 percent.
Source: REALTOR Magazine Daily News
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Mortgage Rates Reach All-Time Lows Again
Ongoing economic concerns continued to push mortgage rates to new lows, as 30-year and 15-year mortgage rates took another dip, pushing home affordability even higher, Freddie Mac reports in its weekly mortgage market survey.
30-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 4.15 percent this week, dropping from last week’s 4.32 percent average. The previous record low for 30-year rates was set on Nov. 11, 2010, when rates reached 4.17 percent. For comparison sake, in 2000, 30-year mortgage rates averaged more than 8 percent and just five years ago they averaged 6.5 percent.
15-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 3.36 percent, dropping from last week’s 3.50 percent. Last year at this time, the 15-year fixed rate averaged 3.90 percent.
5-year adjustable-rate mortgages: averaged 3.08 percent, dropping from last week’s 3.13 percent. Last year at this time, the 5-year ARM averaged 3.56 percent.
1-year ARM: averaged 2.86 percent this week, dropping from last week’s 2.89 percent. A year ago, the 1-year ARM averaged 3.53 percent.
“Not surprising, many home owners took advantage of this low mortgage rate environment and have already refinanced their loans,” says Frank Nothaft, chief economist of Freddie Mac. “The refinance share of applications averaged nearly 70 percent of all mortgage activity in the first half of this year, according to our survey. In addition, an increasing share of refinancing borrowers chose to shorten their loan terms during the second quarter.”
Source: “Mortgage Rates Lowest in Over 50 Years,” Freddie Mac (Aug. 18, 2011)
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Mortgage Rates Hold Steady at Yearly Lows
Mortgage rates remained mostly flat this week, hovering near yearly lows, Freddie Mac reports in its weekly mortgage market survey.
“Mortgage rates were virtually unchanged this week amid further indications of a soft housing market,” says Frank Nothaft, chief economist at Freddie Mac. The National Association of REALTORS® reported this week that existing-home sales dropped 3.8 percent in May — the fewest sales since November 2010 — while the Commerce Department reported that new-home sales dipped 2.1 percent in May.
Here are the averages for mortgage rates this week:
? 30-year fixed-rate mortgage: averaged 4.50 percent, which is unchanged from last week’s average. Last year at this time, the 30-year rate mortgage averaged 4.69 percent.
? 15-year fixed-rate mortgage: averaged 3.69 percent, up slightly from last week’s 3.67 percent average. Last year at this time, the 15-year rate averaged 4.13 percent.
? 5-year adjustable-rate mortgage: averaged 3.25 percent this week, down from last week’s 3.27 percent average. A year ago at this time, the 5-year ARM averaged 3.84 percent.
? 1-year adjustable-rate mortgage: averaged 2.99 percent, up from last week’s 2.97 percent. Last year at this time, the 1-year ARM averaged 3.77 percent.
Source: “30-Year Fixed-Rate Mortgage Unchanged at 4.50 Percent,” Freddie Mac (June 23, 2011)
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Mortgage Rates Reach Another Low for 2011
For the fifth straight week, mortgage rates inched down again–this time reaching the lowest level of the year as well as lowest year-to-date. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 4.61 percent this week, while the 15-year rate averaged 3.80 percent, Freddie Mac reports in its weekly mortgage market survey.
The 30-year mortgage hasn’t reached 4.61 percent or below since December 2010. Last year at this time, it averaged 4.84 percent while the 15-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 4.24 percent.
The falling rates may be yet another lure to buyers during real estate’s traditionally prime home buying season. Owning a home has also recently been found to be more affordable than renting in 78 percent of the major U.S. cities, according to the latest data from Trulia.
Mortgage applications, meanwhile, are increasing as interest rates continue to fall. Mortgage loan application volume increased 7.8 percent this week when compared to the week prior, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Refinancings hit the highest level since mid-December, increasing 13.2 percent over the prior week, while the purchase index for mortgage applications dropped 3.2 percent.
Source: “Fixed-Rate Mortgages Hit a New Year-to-Date Low,” Freddie Mac (May 19, 2011) and “Mortgage Applications Grow Again on Home Refinancings,” HousingWire (May 18, 2011)
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Mortgage Rates Continue to Climb
Mortgage rates are continuing their gradual climb upwards after reaching record lows. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose to 4.8 percent from 4.74 percent the previous week, Freddie Mac reports. The average on 15-year mortgage rates also rose slightly from 4.05 percent to 4.09 percent for the week.
In November, 30-year loans had reached a 40-year low at 4.17 percent and the 15-year mortgage rate was at 3.57 percent.
The average on the five-year adjustable-rate mortgages this week increased to 3.7 percent from 3.69 percent the previous week.
Meanwhile, the Mortgage Bankers Association says it expects mortgage lending to drop considerably in 2011, due to high unemployment, borrowers’ diminished credit coming out of the recession, and more lenders not willing to take on a high risk.
MBA says it expects new loans this year to decrease by 36 percent to its lowest level in more than a decade, falling to $966 billion in 2011 from $1.5 trillion this year.
Earlier in the week, MBA reported a drop in mortgage applications to the slowest refinancing activity in more than a year. Mortgage applications dropped 12.9 percent in the week ended Jan. 21, according to MBA’s seasonally adjusted index.
The index dropped 15.3 percent, which is the lowest level since January 2010. Refinancing activity has continued to decline since October from rising interest rates and tighter underwriting standards.
Source: “Bond Yields Rise and So Do Mortgage Rates,” Freddie Mac (Jan. 27, 2011); “U.S. Mortgage Applications Declined Last Week,” Reuters News (Jan. 26, 2011); and “Mortgage Lending Projected to Fall 36%,” Dow Jones Business News (Jan. 26, 2011)
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Mortgage Activity Falls as Rates Climb
Applications for mortgages to purchase homes declined 5 percent last week compared to the previous week on a seasonally adjusted basis.
On an unadjusted basis, the index declined 8.6 percent compared with the previous week and was down 16.6 percent compared to the same week a year ago.
Mortgage rates rose last week to the highest level in six months discouraging some potential home buyers, says Michael Fratantoni, vice president of research and economics for MBA. But home purchase applications were still about equal to those seen in early May before the tax credits expired.
The rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages increased to 4.84 percent from 4.66 percent, while 15-year fixed-rate mortgages increased to 4.21 percent from 3.98 percent.
Source: Mortgage Bankers Association (12/15/2010)
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Mortgage Rates Continue Upward Climb
Freddie Mac reported that fixed-rate mortgages rose for a third consecutive week during the period ended Dec. 2.
· Interest on 30-year loans inched up to 4.46 percent from 4.4 percent.
· Rates on 15-year mortgages averaged 3.81 percent, an increase from 3.77 percent a week ago.
Adjustable-rate mortgages were slightly higher as well:
· One-year ARM rose up to 3.25 percent from 3.23 percent
· Five-year ARM moved up to 3.49 percent compared to 3.45 percent.
Source: Inman News (12/03/10)
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Mortgage Rates Jump to 6-Month High
Mortgage rates rose for a fourth-straight week to reach a six-month high as yields on government bonds continue to rise. The average interest on a 30-year fixed loan hit 4.61 percent, up from 4.46 percent a week ago, Freddie Mac reported.
Also, 15-year fixed loans averaged 3.96 percent, up from 3.81 percent last week; and rates for variable adjustable-rate mortgages floated higher as well.
Source: Los Angeles Times, E. Scott Reckard (12/10/10)
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Mortgage Rates Continue Record Slide
Freddie Mac reports that rates on fixed mortgages again fell to their lowest levels in decades this past week, with the average interest on 15-year loans dipping to 3.57 percent from 3.63 percent a week earlier, and the average interest for 30-year loans sliding to 4.17 percent from 4.24 percent. That is the lowest since 1971.
The impact of the favorable borrowing costs is being muted somewhat, however, by a high rate of joblessness, foreclosures, and tight credit.
Source: Boston Globe (11/12/10)
30-Year Mortgage Rates Inch Up
Freddie Mac confirms that average interest for 30-year fixed mortgages rose for the third consecutive week, bumping up to 4.24 percent from 4.23 percent a week ago.
The average 15-year rate for the week ended Nov. 4 was 3.63 percent, a drop from 3.66 percent.
Scott Brown, chief economist at Raymond James & Associates Inc., says this week’s Federal Reserve actions “aren’t going to change the economy right away, but they should help keep mortgage rates low for quite some time.”
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (11/05/10)
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Mortgage Rates Continue to Fall
Average interest on long-term mortgages slid to a record low for the eighth time in nine weeks and could dip more. Freddie Mac reports that 30-year fixed loans averaged 4.36 percent this week, down from 4.42 percent a week ago; the 15-year fixed rate fell to a new low of 3.86 percent from 3.90 percent; and adjustable-rate mortgages were also below 4 percent.
The Mortgage Bankers Association’s Michael Fratantoni said the group expects that rates “will begin to rise as the economic situation improves along with jobs.”
Source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Sam Spatter (08/27/10)
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Record Lows Continue for Mortgage Rates
The 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell to a new low of 4.54 percent this week from 4.56 percent last week and an average of 5.25 percent a year ago.
The 15-year fixed loan rate also hit a record low of 4 percent, down from 4.03 percent a week ago and 4.69 percent last year. The five-year adjustable-rate mortgage averaged 3.76 percent, compared to 3.79 percent last week and 4.75 percent a year earlier; and one-year ARMs averaged 3.64 percent, down from 3.7 percent and 4.80 percent, respectively.
Source: The Wall Street Journal, Nathan Becker (07/30/10)
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Mortgage Rates Hit Another Record Low
The average interest on a 30-year fixed mortgage dipped to a new record low of 4.57 percent this week — down from 4.58 percent a week ago, according to Freddie Mac, which began tracking rates in 1971.
Still, the low rates may not provide much of a boost for the housing market because many people do not qualify for new mortgages or have already obtained loans at low rates this year.
Source: Indianapolis Star (07/09/10)
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Mortgage Rates Hit an All-Time Low
Average interest on a 30-year fixed mortgage fell to an all-time low of 4.69 percent this week, down from 4.75 percent a week ago, reports Freddie Mac.
Although rates have held below 5 percent since early May, Michael Fratantoni of the Mortgage Bankers Association notes that demand for purchase loans has fallen in six of the past seven weeks and now is at a 13-year low. Consumers have grown used to low rates, he explains, adding that they balk at buying because they are more concerned about stagnant wages and high unemployment.
Source: Washington Post, Dina ElBoghdady (06/25/10)
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Mortgage Rates Close in on Record Lows
Home buyers unable to tap into a federal tax credit before it expired on April 30 are finding a consolation prize in mortgage rates, which dropped again this week to near-record lows.
According to Freddie Mac, interest on 30-year fixed loans averaged 4.78 percent compared to 4.84 percent last week, while the 15-year rate slipped to a new low of 4.21 percent from 4.24 percent.
The favorable borrowing costs will improve affordability and soften the impact of the tax credit program ending, says Freddie Mac chief economist Frank Nothaft.
Source: Investor’s Business Daily (05/28/10)
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Mortgage Rates Continue to Drop
Falling rates on U.S. government securities helped push mortgage rates down to the lowest level so far this year.
The average rate on a 30-year fixed loans declined this week to 4.84 percent from 4.93 percent a week ago, reported Freddie Mac.
Also, 15-year fixed loans fell to 4.24 percent from 4.30 percent; five-year, adjustable-rate mortgages declined to 3.91 percent from 3.95 percent; and one-year ARMs fell to 4 percent from 4.02 percent.
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (05/21/10)
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Mortgage Rates Hit 6-Week Low
Freddie Mac reports that the average interest for 30-year fixed mortgages was 5 percent this week, down from last week’s 5.06 percent.
Meanwhile, 15-year fixed loans averaged 4.36 percent versus 4.39 percent over that same time span. Rates on five-year, adjustable-rate mortgages and on one-year ARMs also were down, averaging 3.97 percent and 4.07 percent, respectively.
Source: Modesto (Calif.) Bee (05/07/10)
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Most Mortgage Rates Drift Lower
Freddie Mac reports a slight drop in the 30-year fixed mortgage rate to 5.06 percent during the week ended April 29 from 5.07 percent the prior week. A year ago, rates were just under 5 percent.
The 15-year fixed mortgage rate held steady at 4.39 percent, while the five-year adjustable mortgage rate dipped to 4 percent from 4.03 percent. The one-year ARM rate rose slightly to 4.25 percent from 4.22 percent.
Source: Wall Street Journal, Nathan Becker (04/30/10)
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Mortgage Rates Fall
The first decline in five weeks drove mortgage interest back down to near historically low levels once again as the 30-year fixed rate averaged 5.07 percent for the week ended April 15, down from 5.21 percent a week ago.
Freddie Mac also reports:
• The 15-year fixed rate averaged 4.40 percent, down from 4.52 percent.
• The one-year adjustable-rate mortgages averaged 4.13 percent, down from 4.14 percent.
• Interest on the five-year ARM came in at an average of 4.08 percent compared to 4.25 percent last week.
Source: Reuters, Julie Haviv (04/16/10)
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Analysts Say Rates Should Remain Low
Projections about where credit rates will go in the next year vary widely, but most mortgage analysts think the effect of the Federal Reserve’s move away from the market won’t be dramatic.
Analysts at Credit Suisse and FTN Financial Capital Markets predict that mortgage rates will stay between 5 percent and 5.25 percent for the rest of the year. Moody’s Economy.com projects about 5.7 percent, and Barclays Capital says 6 percent.
“There is a lot of private money on the sidelines waiting to buy mortgage securities once the Fed stops gobbling most of them up,” says Laurie Goodman, senior managing director at mortgage-bond trader Amherst Securities Group.
Source: The Wall Street Journal, James R. Hagerty (03/13/2010)
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Low Mortgage Rates Could Be Ending
Home loan rates below 5 percent are about to disappear, predicted Denis Salamone, COO of Hudson City Bancorp, the nation’s largest thrift.
“I don’t think the market will stay this low for many more months,” Salamone said Tuesday.
Salamone said that despite the Federal Reserve’s decision to keep short-term rates low, if the Fed buys fewer mortgage-backed securities, loan rates will rise.
It will take another 12 to 24 months to sell off excess inventory and until that happens, housing prices may continue to fall, Salamone said.
Source: Reuters News (11/17/2009)
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Mortgage Rates on a Roller Coaster
After spiking to six-month highs a couple of weeks ago, mortgage rates fell again last week only to rise again this week.
Interest on 30-year fixed mortgages settled at an average of 5.42 percent this week, reports Freddie Mac, up from 5.38 percent in the previous week but lower than the prevailing rate of 6.45 percent a year ago.
Five-year, hybrid adjustable-rate mortgages also bumped up a couple of notches to 4.99 percent, but 15-year fixed loans and one-year ARMs moved in the opposite direction. The former slipped to 4.87 percent from 4.89 percent, while the latter fell to 4.93 percent from 4.95 percent.
Source: Wall Street Journal (06/26/09)
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Mortgage Rates Reach 7-Month High
Higher interest rates put the brakes on mortgage refinancing this week, according to Freddie Mac.
The firm’s weekly survey pegged interest on 30-year fixed mortgages at an average of 5.59 percent — up from 5.29 percent last week and the highest rate since November 2008.
Other rates also climbed:
* Interest climbed to 5.06 percent from 4.79 percent for 15-year fixed loans;
* 5.17 percent from 4.85 percent for five-year, adjustable-rate mortgages;
* 5.04 percent from 4.81 percent for one-year ARMs.
Freddie Mac chief economist Frank Nothaft says the gains are not affecting home purchase loans.
Source: Boston Globe (06/12/09)
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Mortgage rates fall, shy of record lows
30-year-fixed average at 4.82 percent, falling from 4.87 last week
Rates on 30-year mortgages dipped this week after rising a week earlier, and remain just above record lows.
Mortgage finance giant Freddie Mac said Thursday that average rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages fell to 4.82 percent this week, down from an average of 4.87 percent last week. Rates have been below 5 percent for five consecutive weeks.
The all-time low of 4.78 percent was recorded on the week of April 2. Freddie Mac’s survey dates back to 1971.
Low rates have sparked a surge in refinancing activity, with nearly 80 percent of new home loan applications coming from borrowers seeking to refinance. Freddie Mac’s sibling company, Fannie Mae, refinanced $77 billion in loans last month, nearly double February’s level and the best month for such activity since 2003, when the housing market was still surging.
Mortgage rates fell dramatically over the winter. They fell further after the Federal Reserve said last month it would buy $1.2 trillion in mortgage-backed securities and $300 billion in long-term government debt, which traditionally influences rates on 30-year home loans.
“The housing industry is starting to exhibit some positive signs,” Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac’s chief econmist, said in a statement but noted they were “scarce and too early to tell how permanent.” More Details.
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New FICO Credit Score Debuts
By JANE J. KIM
Fair Isaac Corp. is rolling out its new-and-improved FICO score, but it’s likely to take a while before consumers see how they stack up under the new system.
On Thursday, Fair Isaac and one of the three major credit bureaus, TransUnion LLC, will start offering the revamped score, dubbed “FICO 08,” to lenders. Equifax Inc. is expected to follow in the second quarter, while Experian Group Ltd. declined to comment due to pending litigation with Fair Isaac. Full Story.
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Home prices see sharp dip.
A new government report reveals declines that are steeper than usual – even for this market.By Les Christie, CNNMoney.com staff writer
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Home prices continued to plunge in November, according to a new government report released Thursday. Full story.
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Eight Insider Tips For Home Buyers
1. Be a Pre-Approved Buyer: A pre-approved buyer always has the advantage in an offer situation. Becoming pre-approved is very easy: you complete your loan application with a credit check prior to beginning your home search process. Pre-approval means that you have actually been approved for the purchase by a lender, which gives you the [...]
The 2009 economy and your wallet
The new president’s first job will be to repair a badly broken economy. Here’s how he’ll take on the four biggest challenges – and what that means for you.
By Janice Revell, Money Magazine senior writer
Last Updated: January 13, 2009: 8:52 AM ET
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Low rates not enough?
CNNMoney: Mortgage applications dip despite low rates
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Applications for U.S. residential mortgages slipped from lofty levels last week as homeowners slowed refinancings ahead of expected federal action to lower housing costs, an industry group said on Wednesday.
The real story.
CNNMoney: Credit 2008: Year of the freeze
If the story of 2008 was the government’s unprecedented multi-trillion dollar bailouts of the financial sector, then the credit market was the story behind the story.
The issue of credit moved to the forefront in the past year, as the typically benign market exploded into crisis-mode, and nervous investors bought up historical amounts of safe government debt. It was a year of violent changes in borrowing rates and lending behavior, guided by countless government programs aimed at easing credit for corporate America, banks and consumers.
The so-called credit crunch began after the subprime meltdown of late 2007. High-risk loans on banks’ balance sheets became almost worthless, and as banks were forced to take large writedowns on these so-called “toxic assets,” they became less likely to lend, unwilling to take on more risk.
For much of the year, financial institutions were in a quandary. They had difficulty acquiring loans and at the same time resisted issuing loans. The credit crunch made everything from financing payrolls to getting car, student and home loans difficult for businesses and borrowers.
Then, after the credit situation started to improve somewhat in the summer, Lehman Brothers’ epic collapse on Sept. 15 marked a stunning turning point in the financial markets from which Wall Street is still recovering.
Within two days, overnight Libor, a key interbank lending rate, soared to an 8-month high of 3.06%. Within a week, the market for commercial paper, a key form of business lending, had shrunk to a 2-1/2 year low of $1.7 trillion. And within 10-days, two key measures of risk sentiment – the Libor-OIS spread and the TED spread – were at all-time highs.
However, as the year comes to a close, there are signs that the credit environment has been slowly improving.
Borrowing rates fell from historical highs to all-time lows: the 3-month Libor has dropped from a 2008 high of 4.82% to 1.42% on Dec. 31. And the overnight Libor rate has plunged from an all-time high of 6.88% on Sept. 30 to 0.14% at the end of the year – just 0.03 percentage points higher than the all-time low set a week ago.
Meanwhile, the “TED spread,” a measure of banks’ willingness to lend, slipped to 1.34 percentage points Wednesday – below where the measure stood just before Lehman’s collapse.
But most economists believe it’s still a long road to recovery. Though many of the bailouts have reduced borrowing and costs, all the lending facilities and liquidity programs in the world won’t encourage private lending on their own. Many have said the Fed can only push on a string.
Alan Greenspan, the former Fed chief, has said that we will know the credit markets have returned to normal when the Libor-OIS spread returns to just a hair above the anticipated Fed funds rate. That will show that banks are confident about the market conditions and have resumed normal lending practices. Libor-OIS was less than 0.8 percentage points before Lehman collapsed. It reached a record high of 3.64 percentage points on Oct. 10, and sits at 1.24 today. So according to Greenspan, we’re a little more than halfway to recovery.
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Personal Finance: 20 Dos & Don’ts for 2009
With the economic storm raging outside, how do you keep your financial house safe and sound?BusinessWeek has rounded up 20 savvy ideas from financial pros
During the worst economic crisis in a lifetime, the right financial decisions are crucial.
BusinessWeek asked financial planners for some advice on what to do—or not to do—with your money in the New Year. As we bid farewell to a dreadful 2008, these “resolutions” may help keep your finances on the right track in 2009:
1. Don’t try to predict the future.
“We are currently in the midst of unprecedented and complex challenges,” says Femi Shote of Asset Harvest Group in McLean, Va. Anyone who thinks he or she can predict what’s going to happen is “delusional,” Shote says.
Financial advisers often hear from clients who would like to sell stocks now and then buy again when the market hits bottom. “My response is, ‘How do you know when that will be?’” says Trent Porter of Priority Financial Planning in Fort Collins, Colo.
2. Do keep enough cash available.
Even if you’re not worried about losing your job, a rainy-day fund can provide peace of mind.
There are different guidelines for how much cash to keep on hand. Some say $12,000 or more per adult; others say it should be six to nine months of living expenses. With extra cash available, you can avoid selling investments to pay for expenses in an emergency.
3. Do invest internationally.
Though the financial crisis started in the U.S., the past year has been worse for investments in the rest of the world. The MSCI EAFE, an index of international stocks, is down 43% this year, and stocks in emerging economies fared far worse. American investors who diversified abroad have also been pummeled by the rise in the U.S. dollar.
Even after a year like that, advisers say it’s not wise to abandon international investments entirely. For one thing, though some key overseas economies, like China’s, have been hit hard lately, their long-term economic fundamentals look better than those of the U.S.
4. Don’t try to pick one winning investment. Diversify.
Putting all your money in one stock is dangerous at a time when a company’s bankruptcy can completely wipe out the value of its shares.
Robert Siegmann of Financial Management Group in Cincinnati advises clients to balance their portfolios between fixed income and stocks, with shares in various types of companies — small and large, U.S. and international. “Don’t try to pick the winning stock, or the winning idea. Just diversify across all investments and markets,” he says.
5. Do think about energy efficiency.
Russell Francis of Portland Financial Advisors in Beaverton, Ore., recommends that investors take advantage of a $500 federal residential energy tax credit that was rescinded in 2008 but returns in 2009. The credit can help cover the costs of adding insulation or replacing doors, windows, or furnaces—home repairs that should also save you on heating and cooling costs.
6. Don’t stop contributing to 401(k) and other retirement accounts.
Says Sidney Blum of GreenLight Fee Only Advisors in Evanston, Ill.: “Everyone loves to invest in their 401(k) when the markets are flying high, but they should keep putting money in while the markets are down.” He adds: “More money is made at the bottom of a market than at the top.”
Even more pessimistic planners say you should be taking advantage of any match your employer offers for retirement fund contributions.
7. Do live below your means. Save.
Investing for the future is only possible if you have some money left over at the end of each month to sock away. View this BusinessWeek slide show for 25 ways to save more each month.
8. Don’t make sudden moves.
“Refrain from making extreme changes to the portfolio just because the financial markets are volatile,” says William Howell, a financial adviser in Noblesville, Ind. “Stick to the overall investment game plan.”
In such an extreme environment, investment decisions based on emotion or fear are likely to lose you money. It’s probably better to ignore the day-to-day news and follow a long-term investing plan.
9. Do pay off expensive debts.
Rather than investing your money, you first might consider paying off debts, especially those with high rates or those for which interest is not tax-deductible. The avoidance of interest will likely save you more than your investments would have earned.
Stanley F. Ehrlich, an adviser in Westfield, N.J., notes: “Paying off a car loan with 7% interest provides an immediate 7% return, a return that is not [currently] available through most asset classes.” Credit-card debt is so expensive that most planners say it is always the first thing people should pay off.
10. Don’t give up on stocks.
“Historically some of the best periods for stock market returns have been during dismal economic times,” says Paul Winter of Five Seasons Financial Planning in Salt Lake City. Though investors approaching retirement shouldn’t risk too much money in volatile equity markets, investors hoping to build a nest egg for the long term have few better options than the stock market.
11. Do track your spending.”It’s very easy to lose sight of where your funds are spent,” says Alexandra Ollinger of Truepoint Capital in Cincinnati.
G.M. Livingston III, a planner in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., advises clients to buy software like Quicken to track their spending. “It’s a universal mistake,” Livingston says. “Most people don’t know where their money goes.”
12. Don’t pay high management fees.
It doesn’t only matter how much your investments earn; it is also important how much you get to keep after trading costs and fees paid to financial advisers and fund managers. When market returns are small or nonexistent, even a 1% or 2% management fee can hurt. Decide if it’s worth it. Also, check out offerings from traditionally low-cost fund companies like Vanguard, where the average mutual fund expense ratio is 0.2%.
13. Do review your credit reports.
With the Federal Reserve cutting the federal funds rate close to zero and policymakers eager to revive the housing market, mortgage rates are expected to drop substantially in 2009. That could be a great opportunity to refinance your mortgage, but only if you have a solid credit score. Check your credit report for any errors now, says Scott Beaudin of Pathway Financial Advisors in Burlington, Vt. “Fixing problems takes time and you don’t want to be trying to fix your report while in the middle of a mortgage application,” he says. The three U.S. consumer reporting agencies set up a Web site, to allow consumers to access a free copy of their credit report each year.
14. Don’t follow the herd.
“Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful,” says legendary investor Warren Buffett. Warren Ward, an adviser in Columbus, Ind., agrees, advising his clients to ease back into stock or bond markets rather than seeking the safety of cash or Treasuries as many other investors are doing now. “Do your own thinking and don’t allow yourself to be panicked into taking an action you’ll regret,” Ward says.
15. Do write down an investing plan and budget, and stick to them.
A budget can help control spending and boost the amount of money you save each month. An investing plan takes the emotion out of your investing decision. “Investing systematically [is] especially [important] during market downturns,” Ward says.
16. Don’t forgo necessary insurance.
You can save some money by increasing your car insurance deductible or forgoing life, disability or home insurance, but you could also be left penniless after a serious emergency. Full coverage isn’t always necessary, but make sure you’re protected in a worst-case scenario.
17. Do check out your financial adviser.
The arrest of Bernard Madoff, who saw his $50 billion hedge fund collapse in an alleged Ponzi scheme, shows the danger of relying on one person—whether a fund manager or a financial planner and adviser—to handle your nest egg.
Don’t just pick a broker or planner out of the yellow pages. “Do your homework,” says Eileen Freiburger of ESF Financial Planning Group in Manhattan Beach, Calif. Ask advisers about their qualifications, certifications, and educations, as well as their fees, ethics and disclosure policies. Look them up in online databases that track complaints against planners. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s BrokerCheck is a good place to start.
18. Don’t invest in anything you don’t understand.
This financial crisis has demonstrated the dangers of too much complexity in the investing world. Investors lost big on asset-backed securities and other investments that in many cases they never really understood in the first place. If your adviser or broker can’t adequately explain an investment in a few sentences, maybe it’s not for you.
19. Do make sure safe investments are actually safe.
J. Mark Joseph of Sentinel Wealth Management in Reston, Va., sticks with supersafe government debt for his clients’ fixed-income investments. “Bonds are for safety, so make sure your bonds are safe,” he says. “Just because something is a fixed-income investment does not mean it is safe.”
In case your bank or broker fails, make sure your bank accounts are covered by insurance from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and your brokerage accounts by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation or supplemental insurance.
20. Don’t take more risk than you can handle.
Some investors will react to 2008′s losses by trying to be more prudent and conservative in the future. Others, however, will try to win back their losses through bold, risky bets on the next big thing.
That’s happened in past downturns, says Elaine Scoggins of Merriman Berkman Next in Seattle. After the tech bubble burst, investors flocked to real estate. A classic mistake is “following one investing mistake by an even bigger one.”
The past year has given investors an idea of how bad market conditions can get. In the future, investors may want to evaluate how much risk they’re really willing to take and how long they’re willing to wait to get outsize returns.
Mortgages…now what??
Mortgage rates tumble to record low
Refinancing activity rises to highest level since boom year of 2003
 | Rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages fell to a record low for the second straight week, causing refinancing applications to surge to the highest level in more than five years, a month after the Federal Reserve pledged to channel billions to prop up the sinking U.S. housing market. While homeowners around the country are taking advantage of historically low rates to refinance their loans, the opportunity isn’t available to those with poor credit or little equity in their homes, and foreclosures are still likely to surge. |
Treasury mulls plan to lower mortgage rates to 4.5%
Lobbyists are pushing the Treasury Department to consider a plan to purchase mortgage-backed securities in the hopes of driving mortgage rates to as low as 4.5%, an industry source said.
Similar to an effort unveiled last week by the Federal Reserve, the proposal calls for Treasury to buy securities backed by 30-year fixed-rate mortgages from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Details on the plan remain sketchy, but an announcement could come as early as next week, the source said.
More on this story at CNNMoney.com