Category: Rates

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What Lower Mortgage Rates Mean for Your Purchasing Power

If you want to buy a home, it’s important to know how mortgage rates impact what you can afford and how much you’ll pay each month. Fortunately, rates for 30-year fixed mortgages have come down significantly since the end of October and are currently under 7%, according to Freddie Mac (see graph below): This recent trend is great news for buyers. As a recent article from Bankrate says: “The rate cool-off somewhat eases the housing affordability squeeze.” And according to Edward Seiler, AVP of Housing Economics and Executive Director of the Research Institute for Housing America at the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA): “MBA expects that affordability conditions will continue to improve as mortgage rates decline . . .” Here’s a bit more context on how this could help with your plans to buy a home. How Mortgage Rates Affect Your Search for a Home Understanding the connection between mortgage rates and your monthly home payment is crucial for your plans to become a homeowner. The chart below illustrates how your ability to afford a home changes when mortgage rates shift. Imagine your budget allows for a monthly payment between $2,400 and $2,500. The green part in the chart shows payments

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Expert Quotes on the 2024 Housing Market Forecast

If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home soon, you probably want to know what you can expect from the housing market in 2024. In 2023, higher mortgage rates, confusion over home price headlines, and a lack of homes for sale created some challenges for buyers and sellers looking to make a move. But what’s on the horizon for the new year? The good news is, many experts are optimistic we’ve turned a corner and are headed in a positive direction. Mortgage Rates Expected To Ease Recently, mortgage rates have started to come back down. This has offered hope to buyers dealing with affordability challenges. Mark Fleming, Chief Economist at First American, explains how they may continue to drop: “Mortgage rates have already retreated from recent peaks near 8 percent and may fall further . . .” Jessica Lautz, Deputy Chief Economist at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), says: “For home buyers who are taking on a mortgage to purchase a home and have been wary of the autumn rise in mortgage rates, the market is turning more favorable, and there should be optimism entering 2024 for a better market.” The Supply of Homes for Sale May Grow

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Are the Top 3 Housing Market Questions on Your Mind?

When it comes to what’s happening in the housing market, there’s a lot of confusion going around right now. You may hear one thing in conversation with your friends, see something totally different on the news, and read something on social media that contradicts both of those thoughts. And, if you’re thinking about making a move, that can leave you with a lot of lingering questions. That’s where a trusted local real estate agent comes in. Here are the top 3 questions people are asking about today’s housing market, and the data to help answer them. 1. What’s Next for Mortgage Rates? Mortgage rates are higher than they’ve been in recent years. And, if you’re looking to buy a home, that impacts how much you can afford. That’s why so many buyers want to know what’s ahead for mortgage rates. The answer to that question is: no one can say for certain, but here’s what we know based on historical trends. There’s a long-standing relationship between mortgage rates and inflation. Basically, when inflation is high, mortgage rates tend to follow suit. Over the past year, inflation was up, so mortgage rates were as well. But inflation is easing now. And

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