Aloha,
Jeremiah Moersch, Team Leader for The Moersch Team
Happy Holidays!
During this holiday season, I wish you and those close
to you a peaceful and enjoyable holiday season. Best wishes for a
healthy and prosperous 2012.
Aloha,
Jeremiah Moersch, Team Leader for The Moersch Team
Aloha,
Jeremiah Moersch, Team Leader for The Moersch Team
Mortgage rates fall to record lows
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) - December 15, 2011
Mortgage rates sunk to record lows again this week.
The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 3.94%, matching the all-time low hit in early October, according to Freddie Mac's weekly mortgage rate survey. Meanwhile, 15-year fixed-rate loans hit a new record low of 3.21%, surpassing the record set on October 6.
Five-year adjustable rate mortgages also plumbed new depths, hitting 2.86% for the week.
"We've been hanging around record lows for a few months now and we finally hit another one," said Keith Gumbinger of HSH Associates, a provider of mortgage data.
Low-interest mortgages will be available at least through mid-2012, according to Freddie Mac's chief economist, Frank Nothaft.
Where homes are affordable
The low rates can translate into big savings for home buyers. Five years ago, a home buyer would have been lucky to land a 5% rate on a 15-year loan. On a $200,000 mortgage, that would have meant the borrower would have paid $1,582 a month. Should a borrower land a 3.2% rate on a $200,000 loan now, the monthly mortgage payment would come to $1,400 -- a savings of $182 a month.
Mortgage rates tend to closely track Treasury bond yields, which have also been very low lately. For the past three months, 10-year Treasury notes have often fallen below the 2% mark as bond investors steer clear of Europe and its debt woes and buy U.S. Treasuries instead.
Parents helping kids buy homes
"There's been a flight to quality out of Eurobonds and into Treasuries," said Gumbinger. On Thursday, the 10-year Treasury stood at 1.92%.
The rock-bottom interest rates, combined with the lowest housing prices in years, have made home buying extremely affordable right now. Although most borrowers are looking to refinance existing loans rather than buy.
10 cheap homes for sale by Uncle Sam
Last week, mortgage applications climbed 4.1%, driven by a surge of home buyers trying to refinance to record-low rates. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's latest Market Composite Index, close to 80% of loan applications were to refinance existing loans.
Mortgage rates sunk to record lows again this week.
The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 3.94%, matching the all-time low hit in early October, according to Freddie Mac's weekly mortgage rate survey. Meanwhile, 15-year fixed-rate loans hit a new record low of 3.21%, surpassing the record set on October 6.
Five-year adjustable rate mortgages also plumbed new depths, hitting 2.86% for the week.
"We've been hanging around record lows for a few months now and we finally hit another one," said Keith Gumbinger of HSH Associates, a provider of mortgage data.
Low-interest mortgages will be available at least through mid-2012, according to Freddie Mac's chief economist, Frank Nothaft.
Where homes are affordable
The low rates can translate into big savings for home buyers. Five years ago, a home buyer would have been lucky to land a 5% rate on a 15-year loan. On a $200,000 mortgage, that would have meant the borrower would have paid $1,582 a month. Should a borrower land a 3.2% rate on a $200,000 loan now, the monthly mortgage payment would come to $1,400 -- a savings of $182 a month.
Mortgage rates tend to closely track Treasury bond yields, which have also been very low lately. For the past three months, 10-year Treasury notes have often fallen below the 2% mark as bond investors steer clear of Europe and its debt woes and buy U.S. Treasuries instead.
Parents helping kids buy homes
"There's been a flight to quality out of Eurobonds and into Treasuries," said Gumbinger. On Thursday, the 10-year Treasury stood at 1.92%.
The rock-bottom interest rates, combined with the lowest housing prices in years, have made home buying extremely affordable right now. Although most borrowers are looking to refinance existing loans rather than buy.
10 cheap homes for sale by Uncle Sam
Last week, mortgage applications climbed 4.1%, driven by a surge of home buyers trying to refinance to record-low rates. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's latest Market Composite Index, close to 80% of loan applications were to refinance existing loans.
Financial Market Update
This Week; it will continue to be on what happens in Europe with the debt issues. It is not going to fall off the front page for out markets for many months; on Friday the leaders in Europe are scheduled to meeting on Friday. Markets are hoping there will be some kind of plan that emerges to deal with the debts of Spain and Italy but after two years of trying it is a leap of faith to expect anything substantive coming from the meeting. Not much in the way of key economic readings this week; Monday the Nov ISM services sector index and weekly jobless claims on Friday are the only serious data points.
Technically and fundamentally the US interest rate markets remain in narrow trading ranges; the 10 yr note still unable to hold under 2.00% but does find support anytime the yield climbs to 2.12% as it did last week. Mortgage rates and prices trading a even narrower ranges; the price on the 3.5 FNMA coupon has held in a 50 basis point price range now for almost a month. The week will continue to work off how equity markets, stock indexes higher---bond and mortgage prices lower. We remain skeptical that US interest rates will decline much frm these levels, the larger outlook is that rates will begin to slowly increase from present levels.
TBWS
Technically and fundamentally the US interest rate markets remain in narrow trading ranges; the 10 yr note still unable to hold under 2.00% but does find support anytime the yield climbs to 2.12% as it did last week. Mortgage rates and prices trading a even narrower ranges; the price on the 3.5 FNMA coupon has held in a 50 basis point price range now for almost a month. The week will continue to work off how equity markets, stock indexes higher---bond and mortgage prices lower. We remain skeptical that US interest rates will decline much frm these levels, the larger outlook is that rates will begin to slowly increase from present levels.
TBWS
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