Mortgage Interest Rates Ease This Week
Borrowers found some relief for the second consecutive week with lower mortgage rates. “After dropping earlier this week on trade-related anxiety in financial markets, the benchmark 10-year Treasury...
View ArticleHome Loan Payments Up 13% This Year
Monthly mortgage payments have risen an average of nearly 13 percent nationwide over the last year—or an extra $168—as buyers grapple with both higher home prices and increasing mortgage rates,...
View ArticleHome Loan Interest Rates Surge to 4-Year High
“Higher Treasury yields, driven by rising commodity prices, more Treasury issuance’s and the steady stream of solid economic news are behind the uptick in rates over the past week,” says Sam Khater,...
View ArticleAfter April Hikes, Mortgage Rates Slide in May
“While mortgage rates have increased by one-half of a percentage point so far this year, it has not impacted home purchase demand, which continues to grow this spring,” says Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s...
View ArticleFHA Borrowers Get Help Funding Solar Panels
A growing number of lending programs are helping homeowners pay the upfront costs of solar panels. One lender, Guild Mortgage, an independent lender, recently announced a program that allows home...
View ArticleMortgage Rates Barely Stirred This Week
Mortgage rates have mostly taken a pause after a series of rises in April. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 4.55 percent last week, unchanged from a week ago. “The minimal movement of mortgage...
View ArticleMortgage Rates Hit Highest Level in 7 Years
“Healthy consumer spending and higher commodity prices spooked the bond markets and led to higher mortgage rates over the past week,” says Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “Not only are...
View ArticleHome Loan Interest Rates Update!
“Mortgage rates so far in 2018 have had the most sustained increase to start the year in over 40 years,” says Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “Through May, rates have risen in 15 out of the...
View ArticleHomeowner Equity Growth Streak Continues
Homeowners with a mortgage saw their equity rise 13.3 percent year over year, according to CoreLogic’s Home Equity Report for the first quarter of 2018, released Thursday. The average homeowner gained...
View ArticleHalf of Home Buyers Fret About Down Payments
According to a new study, more than half of Americans who have or plan to purchase a home admit they’re concerned about the ability to afford a home in the current market. The study is based on a...
View ArticleManufactured Homes for Affordable Housing?
Home inventory of has fallen near record lows across the country, but more consumers are in need of a place to live. Some economists say manufactured homes—also known as mobile homes or trailers—may be...
View ArticleMortgage Rates Fall to 3-Month Low
Mortgage rates were back down across the board again this week, offering some temporary relief to home buyers. Rates posted a rapid increase throughout most of the spring but have recently reversed...
View ArticleMortgage Rates Continue to Slide This Week
Mortgage rates this summer have been dropping the past few weeks after sharp rises this spring. “A record number of people quit their job last month, most likely for a new opportunity with higher wages...
View ArticleIdeal Age for First-Time Home Buyers
Apparently the magic number for first-time home buyers is 28. That’s the average age that most Americans think a person should be when they buy their own home, according to a new Bankrate.com report...
View ArticleAn Artificial Lawn Isn’t Maintenance-Free
Artificial grass, which comes in multiple textures, finishes, and colors, can give homeowners a low-maintenance alternative to natural lawns. But it has pros and cons. Artificial grass doesn’t need...
View ArticleToo Much Income Devoted to Making Rent
Renters are struggling to catch a break. In seven of the largest U.S. cities, the average household would need to make at least six figures to comfortably afford the rent on a two-bedroom apartment,...
View ArticleHike in Mortgage Rates Reduces Affordability
Borrowers got stuck with higher mortgage rates again this week. Mortgage rates are now at their fourth highest level of the year, Freddie Mac reports. “The higher rate environment, coupled with the...
View ArticleAnother ‘Client’ to Please: The Family Pet
Home buyers are increasingly being swayed by their pets when choosing which property to purchase. Three-quarters of home buyers say they would even pass up an otherwise perfect home—their dream...
View Article5M Renters Have Fallen Prey to Online Scams
More than 43 percent of renters say they’ve found online rental listings that seemed fraudulent, and more than 5 million say they’ve actually been scammed—sometimes to the tune of thousands of...
View ArticleMillions of Consumers Getting a Credit Score Boost
An overhaul in how several major credit reporting agencies factor in negative credit information is prompting millions of consumers’ credit scores to rise. Collection events were struck from 8 million...
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