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☆ 'The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is a uniquely American construct,' analyst says. Here's why
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Most U.S. homebuyers taking out a mortgage opt for a 30-year fixed-rate — but they may not realize how unusual that offering is. "The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is a uniquely American construct," said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst for Bankrate. True to its name, a 30-year fixed spreads out repayment over 30 years, with an interest rate that remains the same for the life of the loan. In 2022, 89% of homebuyers applied for a 30-year mortgage, according to government data analyzed by Homebuyer.com. "If we did not have the dominance of the fixed-rate mortgage in the U.S. residential mortgage market, we would see a much higher level of stress among existing homeowners," McBride said.

Persons: Greg McBride, Jacob Channel, McBride Organizations: homebuyers, Bankrate, LendingTree, Homebuyer.com, Finance Locations: U.S

☆ The Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady, offers no relief from high borrowing costs — what that means for your money
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"If Americans want lower interest rates, they're going to have to do it themselves," he said. "Going forward, mortgage rates will likely continue to fluctuate and it's impossible to say for certain where they'll end up," noted Jacob Channel, senior economist at LendingTree. Auto loansEven though auto loans are fixed, payments are getting bigger because car prices have been rising along with the interest rates on new loans, resulting in less affordable monthly payments. Student loansFederal student loan rates are also fixed, so most borrowers aren't immediately affected. Interest rates for the upcoming school year will be based on an auction of 10-Year Treasury notes later this month.

Persons: Brett House, aren't, Matt Schulz, Schulz, Jacob Channel, there's, Ivan Drury, Edmunds, Drury Organizations: Columbia Business School, Treasury, Fed Locations: Edmunds

☆ Rents across the U.S. grew for the first time in 6 months — only Arizona saw price drops in every metro
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Rent prices for one- and two-bedroom apartments grew in March for the first time in six months. The monthly cost for a one-bedroom apartment across the U.S. bumped up to $1,487, a 0.3% increase from February. The price of a typical two-bedroom apartment also jumped 0.5% to $1,847, according to a new report by Zumper, a real estate data site. For example, the rent price for a one-bedroom apartment in Baltimore, Maryland, is $1,390, down 0.7% from a year ago, per Zumper. "As we get closer and closer to summer, we start to see rent prices increase in more places."

Persons: Zumper, Crystal Chen, Jacob Channel, Susan M Organizations: Zumper, Finance, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania Locations: U.S, Baltimore , Maryland, Zumper . Arizona

☆ The job more parents are taking to get a discount on their kids' college tuition
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Kevin Williams | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

As a college staff member, Heater gets deeply discounted tuition at the private Marianist Catholic college with approximately 8,000 undergraduate students. She compared universities in her area and their benefits and decided on University of Dayton, which offers tuition benefits for staff workers and their dependents. Washington said that workers and their dependents can also use a tuition exchange program, which allows them to transfer their tuition benefits within a pool of participating schools. For instance, once the tuition benefit exceeds the IRS' guidelines of $5,250 annually, the rest is generally considered taxable income. She said she thinks a lack of awareness about tuition benefits programs keeps them from being more popular.

Persons: Ariel Skelley, Troy Washington, Washington, Jacob Channel, Sherry Kirkland, Kirkland Organizations: Digitalvision, Getty, University of Dayton, Catholic, University of Dayton's, College and University Professional, for Human Resources, Wilmington University Locations: Ohio, Delaware

☆ 52% of Black Americans say homeownership is a mark of success, report finds. But it can conflict with other goals
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Maskot | Digitalvision | Getty Images'Homeownership has a lot more expenses than renting'"Homeownership has a lot more expenses than renting: taxes, insurance, maintenance, down payment. All these factors need to be considered," said Cherry, a member of CNBC's Financial Advisor Council. "Understand what it is to be a homeowner and how things work," said Elliott, also a member of CNBC's Financial Advisor Council. "The cost of homeownership versus renting has been made [it] daunting to become a homeowner. "At the end of the day, what good is being a homeowner when you can't provide basic necessities for yourself and your loved ones?"

Persons: Cherry, Kamila Elliott, Elliott, Susan M, Wachter, Preston D, Jacob Channel Organizations: Digitalvision, Getty, CNBC's, CFP, Wealth Partners, CNBC, Council, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Cherry Locations: Atlanta, U.S

☆ More Black women are becoming homeowners — it doesn’t mean it's easier, economist says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Black women are outpacing Black men when it comes homebuying. Single female homebuyers are most common among Black women, representing 27% of Black homebuyers, according to the 2023 Snapshot of Race and Home Buying in America report by the National Association of Realtors. More from Personal Finance:Rental markets are cooling, but it 'doesn't mean they're falling'What renters need to know to make rent count for credit'Housing affordability is reshaping migration trends,' economist saysBut single Black women buyers still face plenty of challenges. "There are instances where Black people are buying homes, Black women are buying homes. That doesn't mean that it's easy for them and that doesn't mean that it's not being made unnecessarily difficult by certain societal hurdles that stand in the way, that should not exist," said Jacob Channel, a senior economist at LendingTree.

Persons: Realtor.com, Jacob Channel Organizations: National Association of Realtors, Finance Locations: America

☆ Black Americans still face 'disproportionately steep hurdles' to homeownership, expert says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Homeownership is out of reach for many Americans — especially for Black Americans. In the country's largest metropolitan areas, Black people own a disproportionately small share of homes relative to population size, according to a new report from LendingTree. In 2022, Black people made up an average of 14.99% of the population across the 50 largest metropolitan areas of the U.S., but owned an average of 10.15% of owner-occupied homes in such places, the report found. "Relatively speaking, Black people don't own that many homes," said Jacob Channel, a senior economist at LendingTree who authored the study. The study ranks the nation's 50 largest metropolitan statistical areas by the difference between the percentage of owner-occupied homes in a metro owned by those who identify as Black and the share of an area's population that identifies as Black.

Persons: Homeownership, Jacob Channel, LendingTree Organizations: Black, Finance, IRS, Survey Locations: LendingTree, U.S, Memphis , Tennessee

☆ Here are 3 ways Gen Zers can build credit before renting their own place
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Fg Trade | E+ | Getty ImagesRising inventory is helping push rent prices down. Many Gen Zers are still living with their parentsWhile some older Gen Zers were able to become homeowners during the Covid-19 pandemic, most did not. Gen Z includes those born between 1996 and 2012, according to Pew Research Center's definition, and the youngest members of that cohort are still teens and tweens. Of the Gen Z adults who currently rent, 27% say they can no longer afford the cost, the firm found. In the meantime, there are ways Gen Z adults can prepare, especially those at home saving on expenses.

Persons: Gen, Daryl Fairweather, Jacob Channel, It's, Zers, Intuit Credit Karma, Melissa Lambarena Organizations: Pew Research, Intuit Credit, Finance Locations: U.S

☆ From interest rates to home demand, here's how the housing market will unfold in 2024, according to LendingTree
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-04 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Here's what the real estate firm expects for the housing market over the next 12 months. AdvertisementSoftening lock-in effectIn the last two years, homeowners have been unwilling to sell their homes because of the lower mortgage rates they secured previously. AdvertisementNo housing market crashLow rates could spark some additional homebuying, but demand will ultimately stay muted and the market will "continue to move sluggishly," according to LendingTree. A separate November survey from LendingTree found that 41% of Americans at the time expected the housing market to crash in 2024. At the same time, LendingTree maintains that the housing market will stay "prohibitively expensive" for Americans, regardless of how rates move.

Persons: —, Jacob Channel, LendingTree Organizations: Service, Business, Federal

☆ The Federal Reserve leaves rates unchanged. Here's what that means for your wallet
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

watch nowThe Federal Reserve left its target federal funds rate unchanged for the second consecutive time Wednesday. What the federal funds rate means for youThe federal funds rate, which is set by the central bank, is the interest rate at which banks borrow and lend to one another overnight. To a certain extent, many households have been shielded from the brunt of the Fed's rate hikes so far, House said. As the federal funds rate rose, the prime rate did as well, and credit card rates followed suit. If the 10-year yield stays near 5%, federal student loan interest rates could increase again when they reset in the spring, costing student borrowers even more in interest.

Persons: Brett House, that's, Sung Won Sohn, Sohn, bode, Greg McBride, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's, Tiffany Hagler, Bankrate, Jacob Channel Organizations: Federal Reserve, Fed, Columbia Business School, Loyola Marymount University, SS Economics, Treasury, Geard, Bloomberg, Getty, Auto Locations: Larchmont , New York

☆ 'House-rich' Americans are sitting on nearly $30 trillion in home equity. Here's how to tap it
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Thanks to skyrocketing housing prices, homeowners are now sitting on nearly $30 trillion in home equity, according to the St. Louis Federal Reserve — just shy of the 2022 peak. How to tap your home for cashFactor in the terms, rates and risksWhen it comes to borrowing against your home, the terms can vary greatly, according to a LendingTree report that analyzed more than 580,000 home equity loan offers across the country. The average home equity loan amount offered to homeowners is $104,102, LendingTree found. Access to HELOCs has improved, although the most preferable terms still go to borrowers with higher credit scores and lower debt-to-income ratios. "Though a home equity loan can be a good way to pay for big expenses, like major renovations, or to consolidate high-interest debt, getting one isn't without drawback," added Jacob Channel, LendingTree's senior economist.

Persons: Louis Federal Reserve —, LendingTree, Nicole Bachaud, Jacob, LendingTree's Organizations: Louis Federal Reserve Locations: Homes, Iowa, Maryland

☆ Mortgage rate tipping point: Homeowners say roughly 5% is the magic number to move
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Higher interest rates created a 'golden handcuff' effectSince it's unlikely rates will drop anytime soon, this has created a so-called golden handcuff effect. Similar to the financial incentives employers may offer to discourage employees from leaving a company, homeowners are now bound by their low mortgage rate. They don't want to move now and give up that low rate to buy at a higher rate. Between 1978 and 1981, mortgage rates similarly doubled from around 9% to more than 18%, compelling more homeowners to hold on to their homes. However, "mortgage rates weren't at record lows in the late 70s before they started to skyrocket in the early 80s, nor did home prices increase as rapidly," Channel said.

Persons: Nicole Bachaud, Bachaud, John Burns, Tomas Philipson, Bob, Terri Wood, Bob Wood Bob Wood, Terri, It's, Wood, he'd, Greg McBride, Jacob Channel Organizations: Finance, John Burns Research & Consulting, University of Chicago, White House Council, Economic Advisers, CNBC Locations: Mobile , Alabama, Tennessee, LendingTree

☆ The Golden Girls approach: Buying homes together amid high prices
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Chris Taylor | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Combined, those two factors can make it very challenging to break into the housing market. Currently, it represents about 3% of the housing market, although that rises to 5% among first-time buyers, according to NAR. Imagining a 20% down payment, for instance, may cause potential buyers to throw up their hands in despair. So there is wiggle room, and you might be more equipped to buy on your own than you think.”Nonetheless, the harsh realities of the housing market may dictate more co-buying in future. With high prices and high interest rates, some potential buyers may not have much of a choice – and this relative rarity in the real estate world may soon become more common.

Persons: Dorothy, Blanche, Rose, Sophia, “, I’m, ”, Jacob Channel, Gus Gibbs, Gibbs, Jessica Lautz, Howard Pressman, Lauren Young, Aurora Ellis Organizations: LendingTree, National Association of Realtors, Federal Reserve, NAR, “, Housing Administration, Thomson Locations: Boise , Idaho, Vienna , Virginia

☆ As recession fears fade, we may be experiencing a 'richcession' instead — here’s what that means for you
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

"Although we are not in an overall recession yet, the demand for and wages of lower-income groups are outpacing higher-income groups." But there still aren't enough workers to fill open positions in the service industry and the unemployment rate remains near a 50-year low at just 3.5%. What a 'richcession' means for consumers"Recession is a loaded term," said Jacob Channel, senior economist at LendingTree. "White-collar jobs might not be as plentiful as they were last year, but they're still around." "On the contrary, most current data indicates that despite numerous headwinds, the broader economy is doing remarkably well, all things considered," he added.

Persons: Tomas Philipson, Jacob Channel Organizations: University of Chicago, White House Council, Economic Advisers, Digitalvision, Challenger

☆ Why so many Americans feel trapped in their homes by their low-rate mortgages
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty ImagesThe recent spike in mortgage rates has created a so-called golden handcuff effect. For homeowners, a low mortgage rate is similar. Nearly 82% of home shoppers said they felt "locked-in" by their existing low-rate mortgage, according to a recent survey by Realtor.com. Between 1978 and 1981, mortgage rates similarly doubled from around 9% to more than 18%, compelling more homeowners to hold on to their homes. Mortgage rates may not return to sub-3% levels again anytime soon — if ever.

Persons: Bob, Terri Wood, Bob Wood Bob Wood, Terri, It's, Wood, Tomas Philipson, Philipson, Saul Loeb, he'd, Zillow, Greg McBride, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's, Jacob Channel Organizations: University of Chicago, White House Council, Economic Advisers, AFP, Getty, Jacob Channel Locations: Mobile , Alabama, Tennessee, Arlington , Virginia, Bankrate.com, LendingTree

The housing market is still surprisingly tight despite mortgage rates at 20-year highs. download the app Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy PolicyWhat the heck is going on in the housing market? "The housing market is weird right now," LendingTree's senior economist Jacob Channel told Insider. A surprise increase in new-home salesPerhaps the most surprising development in the housing market has come in the form of recent increases in new-home sales and housing starts. "But housing supply has decreased significantly, and that's also because it's become more costly to build and harder to get materials.

Persons: aren't, —, Jacob Channel, — they're, Nadia Evangelou, Evangelou, Ali Wolf, Wolf, that's, it's Organizations: Service, Federal Reserve, National Association of Realtors Locations: Zonda

☆ What Is a Jumbo Mortgage, and How Do You Get the Best Rates?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Beth Decarbo | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +9 min

What is a jumbo mortgage? Do jumbo loans come with jumbo mortgage rates? Many times, jumbo rates are lower than those for conforming loans, in part because the stringent requirements to qualify for a jumbo loan lessen the risk that borrowers will default. Tips to save on a jumbo loanWith some savvy strategies, house hunters in need of a jumbo mortgage can reduce their costs. Chase, for example, offers the highest jumbo limits (up to $9.5 million), which is one of the reasons it is Buy Side’s pick for best jumbo mortgage lender.

Persons: Beth DeCarbo, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac won’t, Greg McBride, ”, Jacob Channel, Andy Wagner, Wagner, Bankrate’s McBride, Michael P, aren’t, Lani, —, Guy Cecala, ” Cecala Organizations: New, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Government, Jumbo, Nations Lending, ARM, American Mortgage Resource Inc, Inside Mortgage Finance, Bank of America, Chase, Mortgage Finance Locations: Minneapolis, Sacramento, CA, Denver, Boston, San Diego, New York City, Jackson, Chicago, Massachusetts, Wells, Fargo

☆ The 10 best cities to become a homeowner, where houses are affordable relative to incomes and property values tend to go up
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

LendingTree identified the best and worst places for homeownership in the US. North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia metros top the best places to become a homeowner, it found. Read on for the top 10 cities and what it takes to live in those places. Mortgage marketplace LendingTree has just identified which large metros across the country are the best and worst places to purchase a home. The company analyzed data from the Census Bureau on homeownership rates, home value appreciation, household income, and more.

Persons: LendingTree, —, Jacob Channel Organizations: homeownership, Georgia metros, Service, West, Buyers, metros Locations: North Carolina , Tennessee, Georgia, Austin , Texas, Boise , Idaho, Phoenix, homeownership, Raleigh , North Carolina, Nashville , Tennessee, Jacksonville , Florida, Atlanta, East, West

☆ Here's how the Federal Reserve's latest quarter-point interest rate hike impacts your money
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The Federal Reserve Bank building Kevin Lamarque | ReutersWhat the federal funds rate means to youThe federal funds rate, which is set by the U.S. central bank, is the interest rate at which banks borrow and lend to one another overnight. On the flip side, higher interest rates also mean savers will earn more money on their deposits. As the federal funds rate rises, the prime rate does, as well, and your credit card rate follows suit within one or two billing cycles. With this rate increase, consumers with credit card debt will spend an additional $1.7 billion on interest, according to an analysis by WalletHub. Interest rates for the upcoming school year will be based on an auction of 10-year Treasury notes later this month.

☆ The Federal Reserve is expected to hike rates one more time. What that means for you
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"Yet another rate hike from the Fed means today's sky-high credit card interest rates will rise even further in the very near future," said Matt Schulz, chief credit analyst at LendingTree. Cardholders should expect their current cards' interest rates to rise in the next billing cycle or two, he said. Auto loan rates rose to more than 6.5%Even though auto loans are fixed, payments are getting bigger because the price for all cars is rising along with the interest rates on new loans. Federal student loans are already near 5%Wavebreakmedia | Istock | Getty ImagesFederal student loan rates are also fixed, so most borrowers aren't immediately affected by rate hikes. Interest rates for the upcoming school year will be based on an auction of 10-Year Treasury notes later this month.

☆ The 10 major US cities with the lowest property taxes — and how much typical homeowners can expect to pay in each one
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

LendingTree found how much homeowners pay for property taxes in 50 of the nation's largest cities. Insider broke out the 10 US metropolitan areas with the lowest property taxes. Take Birmingham, Alabama, for example, where homeowners pay the lowest property taxes on the list of an average of $995 a year. That's a staggering $8,096 cheaper than the property taxes of those living in New York. However, just because the South has relatively low property taxes now doesn't mean it will remain that way.

☆ Here's what the Federal Reserve's 25 basis point interest rate hike means for your money
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

The federal funds rate, which is set by the U.S. central bank, is the interest rate at which banks borrow and lend to one another overnight. "Credit card interest rates are already as high as they've been in decades," said Matt Schulz, chief credit analyst at LendingTree. As the federal funds rate rises, the prime rate does, as well, and your credit card rate follows suit within one or two billing cycles. "A 0% balance transfer credit card remains one of the best weapons Americans have in the battle against credit card debt," Schulz advised. The average interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is now around 6.4% — up almost 3 full percentage points from 3.55% a year ago.

☆ The Federal Reserve is likely to hike interest rates again. What that means for you
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

What the Fed's rate hike means for youThe federal funds rate, which is set by the central bank, is the interest rate at which banks borrow and lend to one another overnight. As the federal funds rate rises, the prime rate does, too, and credit card rates follow suit. After rising at the steepest annual pace ever, the average credit card rate is now 19.9%, on average — an all-time high. Student loans Federal student loan rates are also fixed, so most borrowers won't be impacted immediately by a rate hike. Savings accounts On the upside, the interest rates on some savings accounts are higher after a run of rate hikes.

☆ Homebuyers will be able to get bigger mortgages in 2023 but it could be a bad idea for Americans to stretch their budgets too far
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The Federal Housing Finance Agency raised its conforming loan limit values for mortgages in 2023. In most of the US, the agency raised the conforming loan value from $647,200 to $726,200. However, updates from The Federal Housing Finance Agency, which has increased its conforming loan limit values for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgages in 2023, will likely change the equation for many homebuyers. However, in high-cost areas of the country, such as New York City or San Francisco, the loan limit ceiling has been changed to $1,089,300. Higher loan limits are a double edged sword for first-time buyersCohn is not alone in her thinking.

☆ Here’s what the Federal Reserve’s half-point rate hike means for you
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

watch nowWhat the federal funds rate means for youThe federal funds rate, which is set by the central bank, is the interest rate at which banks borrow and lend to one another overnight. Consumers with an adjustable-rate mortgage or home equity lines of credit may also want to switch to a fixed rate. However, the average interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is around 6.33% this week — up more than 3 full percentage points from 3.11% a year ago. Federal student loan rates are also fixed, so most borrowers won't be impacted immediately by a rate hike. Thanks, in part, to lower overhead expenses, the average online savings account rate is closer to 4%, much higher than the average rate from a traditional, brick-and-mortar bank.

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