Articles Tagged With: Interest Rates

February 26, 2020

FHA Loan Interest Rates: How Low Can They Go?

In the first eight weeks of 2020 we have seen home loan interest rates plunge to eight-year lows. Mortgage rates for FHA home loans have sunk to 3.25%, due in part to the latest developments in the coronavirus which saw investors putting more money into safe-haven investments. That’s behavior that affects mortgage loan interest rates. The headlines themselves have no effect but investor reaction to those headlines makes quite a bit of difference. And many are inspired to look at their purchase loan or refinance loan options when the rates are advertised as low as 3.25%. When you read financial websites, you’ll find plenty of disclaimers associated with how the latest interest rates are displayed. Some consumers want to know what the phrases “top tier scenarios” and/or “best execution” have | more...

April 13, 2018

What Is My FHA Home Loan Interest Rate?

By Joe Wallace

What is my FHA home loan interest rate? Borrowers want to know because it affects the overall cost of the mortgage for the lifetime of the loan, and when you are buying a home with an FHA mortgage (or any other kind of home loan) it’s important to think long-term; knowing how the interest rate affects your loan costs is a detail worth learning more about. But interest rates on FHA home loans are not (to the surprise of some) set or regulated by the FHA or HUD. The only real guidelines for basic FHA loan interest rates are that the rates must be applied in a manner that is reasonable and “customary” for the housing market you are buying in. The FHA does have regulations on how Adjustable Rate | more...

June 6, 2017

FHA Mortgage Rates: Trending Slightly Higher After Recent Lows

By Bruce Reichstein

Since our last report, we’ve seen mortgage rate trends push rates to lows we haven’t seen since the Christmas holiday season but the start of the new week has seen those rates creep slightly higher. Even with the minor upward movement, gone are the previously reported ranges of rates, replaced by single-digit best execution numbers some industry pros are urging borrowers to take full advantage of in situations where locking/floating is being considered. 30-year fixed rate conventional mortgages are reported, at the time of this writing, at the very bottom of the four percent range best execution. That means an extremely well-qualified conventional borrower could find rates as low as 4.0%. FHA mortgage loan rates are still below the four percent threshold, coming in at a best execution 3.75%. Best | more...

May 31, 2017

FHA Adjustable Rate Mortgage Rules: Rates, Term, and Adjustments

By Joe Wallace

Some potential FHA borrowers might be surprised to learn that an FHA adjustable rate mortgage (FHA ARM) is an option to consider, but for those with specific financial needs and goals, an FHA ARM loan might be a very good idea. FHA adjustable rate mortgages have specific controls over how much and when an interest rate change may occur, but there are other rules that also affect this type of FHA mortgage. All the rules for FHA ARM loans are found in HUD 4000.1, the FHA Single Family Loan Handbook. It says that the initial rate and margin are established by the lender, and that the margin must be constant over the entire term of the mortgage. Furthermore, “The interest rate must remain constant for an initial period of 1, | more...

May 9, 2017

Mortgage Loan Interest Rate Trends: Moving Higher

By Joe Wallace

Since our last report, mortgage loan rates have crept slightly higher and there are indications that we could see conditions favorable for that to continue depending on investor reaction to things like breaking news from other parts of the world, bond market activity, etc. What is bad for the economy is often good for mortgage loan interest rates, and vice versa. Recent developments such as the French election and the release of the most recent U.S employment data have brought good news. Mortgage rates have crept higher within the range we’ve gotten accustomed to seeing, so many affected borrowers may notice the difference in closing costs rather than actual higher rates. 30-year fixed rate conventional mortgages are still operating at a best execution range at or near between 4.0% and | more...

April 13, 2017

Mortgage Rate Trends: Still Moving Lower

By Joe Wallace

Mortgage rate trends this week have been dragging rates to their lowest levels of the year. Around election time last year, we began to see the stage being set for some upward trending that pushed mortgage loan interest rates out of their three percent ranges and back into four percent territory. At one point it seemed likely that the mid-fours could be the range for the new year. But now, at least in the short term, we are seeing rates creep back down, closer to where they were pre-election (assuming the downward trend persists). There are several reasons for this, including bond market activity, geopolitics, and most recently a reaction to statements from the White House that the dollar is performing too robustly (paraphrasing ours). To learn more about what | more...

April 4, 2017

Mortgage Loan Interest Rate Trends: Sharply Lower

By Joe Wallace

Since our last report, mortgage loan interest rates have fallen sharply. Market watchers give at least some of the credit for this to bond market activity, and following a recent persistent upward trend any improvement is a welcome step in the right direction. From Wednesday on, there are a variety of scheduled economic data releases and other events that could (and historically, have) be influential in the continued downward trend. Of course, these scheduled events could also have the opposite effect on mortgage loan rates, so industry professionals will likely be paying individual attention to each of these until week’s end. 30-year fixed rate conventional mortgage loan interest rates were reported at a best execution 4.125%, down from last week’s 4.25%. The big changes are in FHA mortgage loan rates | more...

April 3, 2017

Mortgage Rate Trends: Mostly Unchanged?

By Joe Wallace

The most current mortgage rate trends put us in a curious place at the moment-there are small changes, there is movement in rates, but our sources say much depends on the lender (both conventional and non-conventional) and how that particular financial institution is reacting to the current rate environment. As we’ll explore in a moment, FHA mortgage rates are in a range that is fairly atypical, at least in terms of the size of that range. Conventional rates are solidly in the bottom four percent zone, but there are factors this week that have the potential to influence that. Specifically, there are scheduled economic data releases this week including today’s (Monday) morning release of construction spending an a national manufacturing index. There’s a scheduled ADP employment report due out mid-week, | more...

March 30, 2017

Mortgage Rate Trends: Moving Lower

By Joe Wallace

Since our last mortgage rate report, the overall trend has been downward in the short-term. Over the past several business days we have seen rates see-saw back and forth within a certain range, but at the time of this writing, rates are lower than when we reported on them last. 30-year fixed rate mortgages are at 4.25%, best execution. That’s in the middle of the range we last reported, with 4.375% at the upper end and 4.125% at the lower end. FHA loans are finally seeing a mortgage rate range falling back into the sub-four percent range; depending on the lender FHA mortgage rate numbers are reported between 3.75% and 4.25% best execution. Remember, “best execution” refers to rates offered to extremely well-qualified borrowers with outstanding FICO scores and other | more...

March 21, 2017

Mortgage Rates Lower Post-Fed

By Joe Wallace

Since our last report, the Fed hiked interest rates. That comes as no surprise as it was widely expected to happen, and mortgage loan rates began rising ahead of that announcement as the industry began to anticipate the move. Once the Fed announcement happened, many sources point out that when rates began to fall again, it was due in part to adjustments following that anticipation. There is no single reason why mortgage loan interest rates rise and fall-any number of factors may combine to influence investors in the markets that directly affect these rates. But in the short term, single causes can and often do exert greater influences. Now that the Fed announcement has come and gone, what’s the state of mortgage rates in the short term? In general, they | more...