Mortgage rates have seen wild growth in recent years. In fact, it was still possible to obtain a fixed mortgage loan at 3% over 30 years at the start of 2022. By the end of 2023, you may have been facing a mortgage rate of 8%. And today your rate can start with 5, 6 … Read more
Mortgage rates are a fairly complex subject. They are also often misunderstood and oversimplified, and many myths are perpetuated by those working in the industry. Some people think that when the Fed cuts rates, mortgage rates go down by the same amount. Others might believe that the government sets rates one way or another and … Read more
Lately, there has been a lot of speculation surrounding the direction of mortgage rates. I, too, have been very involved in this trying to figure out what the next step would be in terms of pricing. Despite the recent increase in the 30-year fixed rate from around 6% to 7%, I remain optimistic that a … Read more
As I’ve been saying for a while now, all the potential bad news (regarding mortgage rates) has been largely priced in over the past couple of months. And then some! Meanwhile, anything that could be positive for mortgage rates, such as lower inflation and higher unemployment, has been largely ignored. Rates can’t seem to catch … Read more
Lately, I’ve heard a lot of people say that mortgage rates are “average” or “normal.” As in, they are neither high nor low. They’re just typical. This is usually in response to someone pointing out that they are much higher than they were just a few years ago. In some ways, this feels like a … Read more
Recently, many people have argued that we will not return to lower mortgage rates. That it is not possible to return to low mortgage rates. The thing is, when they say that, they always think of 3% mortgage rates, maybe 4%. In reality, mortgage rates could fall significantly from current levels while remaining much higher … Read more
Although mortgage rates have already seen some improvement since the election dust settled, they remain quite high. At last glance, the 30-year fixed rate was hovering around 6.875%, down about 0.25% from its recent highs. It’s been a good few days, but rates are still at least 0.75% higher than they were in mid-September. Why … Read more
MSMEs are important to the country’s economy as they drive innovation, create jobs and contribute to GDP. MSME loans provide funds for MSME expansion or for carrying out day-to-day operations. However, the cost of these loans depends on the interest rate, which influences the financial health of MSMEs and their ability to grow. MSME owners … Read more
I often try to find glimmers of hope in bad situations. The latest issue facing potential buyers is the return to mortgage rates of 7%, down from around 6% just a month ago. While there is no clear negative correlation between mortgage rates and home prices, as one goes up and the other goes down, … Read more
It now seems pretty clear that what economic data emerges between now and next week won’t matter. Mortgage rates are not going to improve significantly this week or before the election. Too bad for those who have to block their prices and/or close this week. And last month for that matter. Lenders are essentially in … Read more