Posted by Howard Bell on January 2, 2010 at 4:36pm
30-Year and 15-Year Rates Still at Incredibly Low Levels30-year fixed-rate mortgage: Average 0.7 point for the week ending December 31, 2009, up from last week when it averaged 5.05 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 5.10 percent.The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage: Averaged 4.54 percent with an average 0.7 point, up from last week when it averaged 4.45 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 4.83 percent.Five-year indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgages ARMs: Averaged 4.54 percent with an average 0.7 point, up from last week when it averaged 4.45 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 4.83 percent.One-year Treasury-indexed ARMs: Averaged 4.33 percent this week with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 4.38 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 4.85 percent.Freddie SayzAlthough long-term mortgage rates rose for the fourth week in a row, they still remain affordable by historical standards, said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist. Based on todays median loan amount of $138,000, monthly principal and interest payments for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage are close to one third less than a decade ago when rates peaked at 8.6 percent in May 2000.This translates into almost 50 percent less in interest payments over the full 30 year term. Nationally, the housing market is slowly improving. House prices rose for the fifth consecutive month in October to the highest level since the beginning of 2009, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller 20-city composite index . Eleven of the cities experienced positive growth.Thanks for Readingwww.yourpropertypath.comRelated ArticlesFHA Has New RulesLoan Modification: A PrimerRead more…
Posted by Howard Bell on December 24, 2009 at 10:24am
Mortgage Bankers Association for the week of 12/23/2009Market Composite Index: (loan application volume) decreased 10.7 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlierRefinance Index: decreased 10.1 percent from the previous week and the seasonally adjusted Purchase Index decreased 11.6 percent from one week earlier.Purchase Index: decreased 13.4 percent compared with the previous week and was 32.7 percent lower than the same week one year agoRefinance Share of Mortgage Activity: increased to 75.9 percent of total applications from 75.2 percent the previous week.ARM Refinance Activity: decreased to 3.8 percent from 4.1 percent of total applications the previous week.MBA outlook: (Excerpted from mbaa.org)In summary the MBAA sees another year of high employment, rising home sales and prices beginning to stabilize. But continued weakness in the job market and excess supply and shadow inventory will slow any recovery in the housing market.The MBAA sees unemployment rate at about 10% at the end of 2010, and core inflation rates of below 2%. Fed rate is expected to remain at its current level throughout 2010.But, property values will not recover until unsold inventory returns to normal levels. Affordability is at record levels, yet there is no strong indication that the demand recovering. People do not yet seem to trust the recovery and many do not have the necessary down payment or can clear tighter loan qualificationsThe MBAA site economic report indicates a fragile recovery, but makes note that without credit the recovery remains tepid at best. The site makes note: Smaller businesses and consumers are heavily dependent on banks for obtaining credit, and there is little evidence that, as yet, banks have loosened the purse strings.Bank loans to businesses and consumers are still falling with few signs of stopping or slowing down. Part of the decline is declining demand, but the fall is too large to be explained by weakness in demand alone. The banks are simply not yet stepping up to fill the vacuum.Thanks for Readingwww.yourpropertypath.comRelated ArticlesFreddie Mac Weekly Mortgage Update: Still Below 5 PercentARM's - How Do They Work?The Coming Mortgage Debt Reduction ProgramsRead more…
