RISMEDIA, Monday, October 28, 2013
Freddie Mac recently released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), showing average fixed mortgage rates hitting their lowest levels since this summer amid market speculation that the Federal Reserve will not alter its bond buying purchases this year.
• The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.13 percent with an average 0.8 point for the week ending October 24, 2013, down from last week when it averaged 4.28 percent. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 3.41 percent.
• The 15-year FRM this week averaged 3.24 percent with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 3.33 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 2.72 percent.
• Survey shows the 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 3.00 percent this week with an average 0.4 point, down from last week when it averaged 3.07 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 2.75 percent.
• The 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 2.60 percent this week with an average 0.5 point, down from last week when it averaged 2.63 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 2.59 percent.
“Mortgage rates slid this week as the partial government shutdown led to market speculation that the Federal Reserve will not alter its bond purchases this year,” says Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist, Freddie Mac. “The weak employment report for September added to this expectation. The economy added just 148,000 jobs, which was below the market consensus forecast and less than the 193,000 jobs increase in August.”
For more information, visit www.FreddieMac.com.
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Housing market heats up — and it’s just getting started
The housing market is still gaining strength even in the face of recent home loan rate increases. Housing starts were up 5.9% annualized from June to July. Building permits, rose 2.7%,better than anticipated. National Association of Home Builders Housing Market Index rose in August to its best level in almost 8 years.
July Retail Sales were up for the 4th month in a row. In the labor market, Weekly Initial Jobless Claims dropped to 320,000, the lowest since October 2007.
Inflation (both wholesale and consumer) has stayed moderate.
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Table Source: Mortgage Success Source
Last week, CoreLogic reported that home prices across the U.S. rose by nearly 12 percent from June 2012 to June 2013. By comparison, home prices only rose 3.76 percent from June 2011 to June 2012. In addition, research and analytics firm Clear Capital said that prices rose 9.3 percent in the year ending in July.
While housing markets have turned the corner, this pace of growth may be unsustainable. With home loan rates rising over the past several months, this rate of appreciation could slow.
Weekly Initial Jobless Claims rose by 5,000 in the latest week to 333,000, below the 340,000 expected. This followed the Jobs Report for July, somewhat disappointing with less jobs created than expected.
What does this mean for home loan rates? When will the Fed start tapering its bond purchases? The Fed has been buying $85 billion of bonds a month to help stimulate the economy and housing market. This includes mortgage bonds, to which home loan rates are tied, and these purchases have helped home loan rates remain attractive.
The Fed has said the rate of its purchases will continue to depend on economic data and could be increased or decreased accordingly. Last week, several Fed members spoke out in favor of tapering these purchases as early as the Fed’s meeting in mid-September. However, with our economy growing at sub 2 percent, economic data between now and September will be a key factor in this decision.
Home loan rates remain attractive compared to historical levels and now remains a great time to consider a home purchase or refinance.
From Weekly Update by Quy Huynh
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An interesting article from CNBC about the national housing market.
John W. Schoen | CNBC | July 30, 2013 at 3:02 PM ET
If you tried to buy a home in Phoenix a year ago, you probably would have been able to land it for well under the asking price.
Those days are gone. In a city that was hit hard after the housing bubble burst in 2007, you’re more likely to encounter a bidding war for that split-level ranch on the cul-de-sac you had your eye on.
Prices have leapt 20 percent in the last year in Phoenix. Real estate agent Tucker Blaylock says they will keep rising as long as interest rates remain near historic lows, thanks to the Federal Reserve. Read more…
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RISMEDIA, Saturday, June 22, 2013
Freddie Mac recently released its U.S. Economic and Housing Market Outlook for June showing the effects rising interest rates are having on certain markets around the country and the overall housing recovery. A short preview video and the complete June 2013 U.S. Economic and Housing Market Outlook are available here.
Outlook Highlights
Interest rates for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages have risen about 0.5 percentage points over the past several weeks and are expected to hover around 4.0 percent during the second half of 2013.
With rising mortgage rates, expect a sharp decline in refinance volume in the second half of this year; refinance originations are expected to total about $1.1 trillion in 2013, down from $1.5 trillion in 2012.
At today’s house prices and income levels, mortgage rates would have to be nearly 7 percent before… Read more
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RISMEDIA, Saturday, April 20, 2013
Freddie Mac recently released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), showing average fixed mortgage rates moving lower this week amid data showing weaker consumer spending. This marks the third consecutive week fixed-rate mortgages have moved lower as the housing market continues to recover.
The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 3.41 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending April 18, 2013, down from last week when it averaged 3.43 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 3.90 percent. Read more…
