The FHA’s financial struggles are well documented, and the recently announced increase to the FHA’s mortgage insurance premiums is an attempt to bolster the loan insurer’s depleted reserves. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have also found a way to increase their profits and better shield themselves from risk. The GSEs are raising a mortgage [...]
Current low mortgage rates are holding on after the long anticipated Greece bailout was approved. While this long anticipated deal has been a driving force with markets, there were no significant rallies. There are still concerns about whether this new deal with Greece will work. Todays 30 year fixed mortgage rates are at 3.500%, 15 [...]
Current low mortgage rates are holding on today as Euro zone talks resumed in Brussels with Germany and France pushing for an agreement between Greece and its creditors that will reduce its debt to reasonable levels. With no other economic data being released today, markets are quietly awaiting more updates from Europe. Pending Home Sales [...]
Amidst other notable items–crashing markets and tremendous natural disasters among them–2011 might also become known as “the year of record-low mortgage rates”. Not since the early 1950s–perhaps beyond–have mortgage rates plumbed these depths. We begin 2012 with fixed interest rates almost a full percentage point below where we began 2011, at levels which not [...]
Homebuyers and refinancers have several things to be thankful for this holiday season, mortgage rates coming at the top of the list. The next few months will be critical ones for the housing market. As both homebuyers and refinancers gear up for what is bound to be a busy couple of months, mortgage rates [...]