Helping Washington State homeowners learn more about their mortgage options.
If you’re a homeowner wanting to buy your next home, you might be feeling reluctance to trade your existing interest rate for a current mortgage rate. It’s easy to understand when mortgage rates are double from what they were a few years ago. Historically speaking, mortgage rates are actually closer to what would be considered more of an average range than the Fed manipulated rates of years past.
I may have some good news for you. No, it’s not a trick…this can actually be a treat! [Read more…]
Good morning! It’s just before 7:00 am PST as I’m writing this post. In a couple of hours, we’ll hear the announcement from the FOMC wrapping up their two day meeting on measures they will take to get inflation in line, which includes adjustments to the Fed Funds rate. The Fed Funds rate does not directly impact mortgage interest rates (except for HELOCs attached to the Prime rate), however the action the Fed takes does influence the direction of mortgage interest rates. Mortgage interest rates are based on bonds (mortgage-backed securities or MBS) and react similarly to stocks. Inflation is the “arch enemy” of bonds, which is a big part of why mortgage rates have been higher these past few years. Should the Fed indicate that inflation is taming and investors believe what the Fed is saying, we should see mortgage rates improve…and of course, the opposite is true. [Read more…]
Seattle area Real Estate Broker, Kim Mulligan, posted this on Facebook a couple of days ago regarding a recent listing:
“For those of you that were clamoring to be my neighbor, I have bad news. A pricing war ensued and an offer was chosen last night. Ends up we had well over 80 parties tour the home in two days, several offers came forth, and a lucky buyer will get to share a fenceline with me. Why do I mention this? Many people think that there isn’t a market right now because of interest rates. Yes, buyers are careful and shy. The truth is some people have to move in any market. Sellers don’t need to be afraid to list their homes. Yes, buyers are choosey, but priced and presented well, and with the right lender where you can change your interest rate when it drops down again, your home could sell within 3 days as well!” [Read more…]
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced earlier today that it is rescinding the debt-to-income (DTI) loan level price hit adjustment (LLPA) that was announced in January of this year. Previously, people with a debt-to-income ratio higher than 40% with a loan-to-value greater than 60% would have an additional price hit to their interest rate. This price hit makes it even more challenging for someone who is pushing the DTI limit to remain under the 40% number to avoid having either a higher rate or paying more for the same rate because of the LLPA. The additional price hit for DTI ranged from 0.25%-0.375% depending on the loan to value/how much equity is in the transaction. On a $400,000 loan, this would be an additional cost of $1,000 to $1,500 if paid as “points” instead of having it priced into the interest rate. [Read more…]
This morning Freddie Mac released their weekly Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) revealing that mortgage rates slightly improved last week.
It’s important to note that the rates from the PMMS are based on an average from last week… so they are not current.
If you would like me to provide you with current rates based on your personal scenario, I am happy to help you!
Since mortgage rates have returned to a more historically “normal” level, many are surprised that mortgage rates a bit higher than they may have been over the past few years. Mortgage rates have been pushed higher largely due to inflation. It’s expected by many industry experts that mortgage rates should improve to the mid-5% range somewhere between this summer to sometime next year. I do not expect to see mortgage rates for the 30 year fixed 4% anytime soon. [Read more…]
This past month or so, I have been helping people deal with issues with their mortgage lenders. This isn’t entirely unusual, but it seems to be happening more often in this current market. Sometimes, the client leaves the lender and I “adopt” their transaction and other times, they are able to work it out with the other lender.
I think that part of the issue is that mortgage rates are so volatile right now… and have been for a few months. With mortgage rates in a higher range than what we’ve become accustomed to, more people are focused in on interest rates. Yes, the interest rate you pay on your mortgage IS important, but it’s not the only factor and, in the event a lender is not able to close on a mortgage, choosing a lender mainly because of interest rates can be an expensive decision.
Another factor is that, in Washington state, only about 60% of licensed mortgage loan officers opted to renew their license in 2023. A 40% reduction is pretty significant… this does not factor in the loan officers who work for banks or credit unions (that are not required to be licensed) and who have been laid off or chosen to find another field for employment. [Read more…]
Hear me out on my latest video and let me know if I can help you with your mortgage needs.
Rhonda Porter is a Licensed Mortgage Originator MLO121324 living in the greater Seattle area. Rhonda began her career in 1986 in the title and escrow industry and began her mortgage career in 2000. She enjoys helping people understand the mortgage process and started writing The Mortgage Porter in late 2006. Read More…
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