Rate Lock Activity Rose In March
Rate lock activity rose in March as homeowners move before rates rise further, according to Black Knight’s latest Originations Market Monitor report. Mortgage rates exceeded 4.9% in March but dropped at the end of the month to 4.79%. The spread between mortgage rates and 10-year Treasuries climbed 20 basis points. “Mortgage interest rates spiked in March, with 30-year offerings climbing 70 basis points over the course of the month,” said Scott Happ, president, Optimal Blue, a division of Black Knight. “And yet, despite seeing the fastest one-month rise in rates in nearly 13 years, we saw purchase lock volumes increase by 31% from February – likely as prospective buyers moved to lock in their loans before rates climbed any higher.”…