Mortgage rates rose to an average of 4.72%, up from last week’s 4.67%, Freddie Mac reported Thursday. Freddie’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) found that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.72%. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 3.13%. “Mortgage rates have increased 1.5 percentage points over the last three months alone, the fastest three-month rise since May of 1994,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s Chief Economist. “The increase in mortgage rates has softened purchase activity such that the monthly payment for those looking to buy a home has risen by at least 20 percent from a year ago.” The daily fixed rate crossed 5% this week for the first time since 2011, save two days…
Good Morning! Today is Thursday, April 7. More than 2,000 Ukrainians have made their way to the U.S. border from Mexico. Some Biden administration officials tested positive after attending a black-tie event in Washington. The Supreme Court reinstated a Trump administration rule limiting states’ power to enforce the Clean Water Act. The Mortgage Note Reports Love It Or List It? Americans Are Renovating Rather Than Moving: New data shows that 79% of Americans would rather renovate their current home than move to a different one and with $420 billion spent on remodeling projects in 2020 those in the mortgage, real estate, and building industries are taking notice. Editor Kimberley Haas reports. Housing Market Pessimism: Consumer sentiment towards home buying fell…
Homeowners facing foreclosure can now stall proceedings while waiting to receive federal aid. The Federal Housing Agency (FHA) announced that Freddie Mac and Fannie will require servicers to suspend foreclosure activities for up to 60 days if the servicer has been informed that the borrower applied for assistance through the Homeowner Assistance Fund. “FHFA is committed to sustainable homeownership. Today’s action will provide borrowers who need temporary mortgage assistance with additional time to be evaluated for relief through their state’s approved Homeownership Assistance Fund,” said FHFA Acting Director Sandra L. Thompson. The move is meant to help homeowners on the brink of foreclosure who may still be struggling to make on-time payments. The HAF provides up to $9.96 billion for…
By SCOTT KIMBLER Potential homebuyers are rushing to mortgage offices to make sure they get a loan before prices and interest rates go even higher. Mortgage rates jumped again to an average of 4.67%, up from last week’s 4.42%, Freddie Mac reported Thursday. At the same time, the spring selling season is looking promising for sellers. Home prices rose 1.84% in February and 19.6% year-over-year – the largest annual gains on record – according to Black Knight’s Monthly Mortgage Monitor Report. These numbers, along with an awkward supply and demand situation, are pushing some buyers who are in a position to do so to go ahead with their home purchase now. Jerry Stover, sales manager with Homeowners Financial, said this has been…
Good Morning! Today is Friday, April 1. Russia’s defense ministry announced a cease-fire in Mariupol. The U.S. imposed new sanctions on Russian technology companies. The House passed a bill to limit the cost of insulin to $35 a month, sending it to the Senate. The Mortgage Note Reports Rates Rise: Mortgage rates jumped again to an average of 4.67%. Forbearances Up Slightly: Forbearances rose slightly again last week, though new plan starts dropped to 10,100, the lowest level in four months. And in other mortgage and housing news… Jobs Report: The unemployment rate fell to 3.6% in March, while payrolls saw big gains, according to Labor Department data. Listing In April: Homes listed for sale in the second half of…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS As the spring selling season begins, people in the mortgage and real estate industries are speculating on whether 2022 will be a year of growth or the start of the end for a red-hot market that has favored sellers and forced up the price of housing in many parts of the country. Numbers from the start of the year look promising for growth. On Tuesday, S&P Dow Jones Indices released the latest results for the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices. A 19.2% annual gain was reported in January, up from 18.9% in December. The 10-City Composite annual increase was 17.5%, up from 17.1% in December. The 20-City Composite posted a 19.1% year-over-year gain, up from 18.6% in the previous…
Mortgage rates jumped again to an average of 4.67%, up from last week’s 4.42%, Freddie Mac reported Thursday. Freddie’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) found that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.67%. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 3.18%. “Mortgage rates continued moving upward in the face of rapidly rising inflation as well as the prospect of strong demand for goods and ongoing supply disruptions,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s Chief Economist. “Purchase demand has weakened modestly but has continued to outpace expectations. This is largely due to unmet demand from first-time homebuyers as well as a select few who had been waiting for rates to hit a cyclical low.” Though refinance applications continue dropping,…
Good Morning! Today is Friday, March 25. The U.S. imposed new sanctions on more than 300 members of Russia’s Parliament. Some journalists have quit jobs at Russian state media outlets, citing regret for promoting lies about the war. Arizona Republicans passed a bill banning most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The Mortgage Note Reports Rates Rise: Mortgage rates continued their upward march this week, averaging 4.42%. Forbearances Up: Forbearance plans rose for a second week, pushed up by plan re-starts, though new plan starts remained steady. And in other mortgage and housing news… Affordability Down: Homebuyer affordability decreased in February, with the national median payment applied for by applicants jumping 8.3% to $1,653. “We’re Concerned”: Liz Shuler, president of…
Mortgage rates continued their upward march this week, averaging 4.42%, Freddie Mac reported Thursday. Freddie’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) found that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.42%. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 3.17%. “This week, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage increased by more than a quarter of a percent as mortgage rates across all loan types continued to move up,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s Chief Economist. “Rising inflation, escalating geopolitical uncertainty, and the Federal Reserve’s actions are driving rates higher and weakening consumers’ purchasing power. In short, the rise in mortgage rates, combined with continued house price appreciation, is increasing monthly mortgage payments and quickly affecting homebuyers’ ability to keep up with the…
Good Morning! Today is Tuesday, March 22. The U.S. is opposing Poland’s idea of sending troops into Ukraine. President Biden warned companies that Russia was considering cyberattacks in retaliation for sanctions. Miami Beach officials issued a curfew after two shootings during spring break. The Mortgage Note Reports Invasion Of Ukraine, Inflation To Take Toll On U.S. Housing Sector: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its implications for the global economy has some experts saying the housing market in the United States will be impacted. Soaring Housing Costs: The average monthly asking rent in the U.S. rose 15% YOY but were once again outpaced by mortgage payment growth, up 31% YOY. AIMI Falls: The Freddie Mac Multifamily Apartment Investment Market Index fell …
