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☆ The spring homebuying season isn’t what it used to be, thanks to the Fed
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

All that has caused the spring homebuying season to take a timeout — and could spell trouble for the remainder of the year. Since 1999, more than a third of home sales for the entire year occur between March and June on average, according to Freddie Mac data. Given the Fed is in no rush to cut interest rates, Khater expects mortgage rates to remain elevated for longer. Taken together, all these factors will likely put upward pressure on home prices, Khater and his team said in the report. “Our outlook does depend on mortgage rates, which are creating their own seasonality,” she added.

Persons: That’s, ” Zillow, Nicole Bachaud, “ Buyers, Bachaud, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac, Khater, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, Federal Reserve, CNN, “, Fed Locations: New York, Texas, Florida

We could see mortgage rates start to trend down later this year if incoming data shows that inflation is coming down sustainably. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. As inflation comes down and the Federal Reserve is able to start cutting the federal funds rate, mortgage rates should fall further as well. Now that the Fed has paused hiking rates, mortgage rates have come down a bit. Once the Fed starts cutting rates, which is likely to happen this year, mortgage rates should fall even further.

Persons: Freddie Mac, they'll, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's Organizations: National Association of Realtors, Zillow, Federal Reserve, Fed Locations: February's, Chevron

☆ What stalled this year’s seemingly infallible stock market rally
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Investors had hoped that corporate earnings would help revive the stalled rally, but a strong start to the season hasn’t been enough to excite investors. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 7.10% in the week ending April 18, up from 6.88% the previous week, according to Freddie Mac data released Thursday. Mortgage rates are climbing based on expectations that the Federal Reserve won’t cut interest rates anytime soon. The Fed doesn’t directly set mortgage rates, but its actions do influence them, and persistently hot inflation readings are keeping the Fed on hold. If inflation stalls any further, or even worsens, mortgage rates could climb higher this year.

Persons: —, hasn’t, Jerome Powell, “, ”, Michael Landsberg, Pierre, Olivier Gourinchas, Israel, Brent, Bryan Mena, Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, Read, Anna Cooban, Tim Cook, Pham Minh Chinh, Cook, Apple “ Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Federal Reserve, Data, Employers, Fed, Landsberg Bennett, Wealth Management, Monetary Fund, Treasury, Investors, CNN, Federal, China Apple, Vietnamese, Apple Locations: New York, East, Iran, Israel, Syria, Vietnam, China, Hanoi, Beijing

☆ U.S. Mortgage Rates Jump Above 7% for the First Time This Year
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( J. Edward Moreno | More About J. Edward Moreno | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Mortgage rates rose above 7 percent for the first time this year, crossing a symbolically concerning threshold that threatens to keep millions of potential home buyers and sellers on the sidelines of a U.S. housing market that is increasingly showing signs of slowing. Mortgage rates reached a recent high of nearly 8 percent late last year — a level not seen since 2000. As mortgage rates have risen in recent months, making homeownership costlier for buyers, potential sellers who may feel locked into lower rates on their existing loans have been keeping their houses off the market, in effect pushing prices higher, too. “Potential home buyers are deciding whether to buy before rates rise even more, or hold off in hopes of decreases later in the year,” Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist, said in a statement. “It remains unclear how many home buyers can withstand increasing rates in the future.”

Persons: Freddie Mac, ” Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, ” Locations: U.S, United States

☆ Mortgage rates surge past 7%, reaching highest level since November
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington CNN —Mortgage rates soared this week, breaching the key 7% threshold and extending America’s home affordability crisis. Mortgage rates are climbing based on expectations that the Federal Reserve won’t cut interest rates anytime soon. Mortgage rates track the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield, which has risen to its highest level since November at 4.637%. If inflation stalls any further, or even worsens, mortgage rates could climb higher this year. Housing affordability is being stymied not just by high mortgage rates, but also by elevated home prices nationwide.

Persons: Freddie Mac, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, “, Lawrence Yun Organizations: Washington CNN —, Federal, National Association of Realtors, Treasury, Index, NAR

☆ Mortgage rates rise after disappointing March inflation report
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-11 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington CNN —Mortgage rates drifted higher this week, and could increase further, in a sign that America’s affordability crisis isn’t letting up. The Federal Reserve doesn’t directly set mortgage rates, but its actions do influence them, and hotter-than-expected inflation readings could keep the central bank from reducing interest rates. That doesn’t bode well for lower mortgage rates, and economists don’t expect rates to fall below 6% this year, especially if the Fed does not end up cutting interest rates. Inventory gains could improve affordabilityMortgage rates are not expected to drop meaningfully this year, but further improvement in housing inventory could improve affordability. A lack of homes has been a longstanding issue keeping America’s housing market unaffordable and is especially frustrating for first-time buyers.

Persons: Freddie Mac, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, doesn’t bode, Joe Biden Organizations: Washington CNN —, Federal Reserve, “, Federal, Treasury, National Association of Realtors, Homeowners, Fed

This week, 30-year mortgage rates averaged 6.82%, according to Freddie Mac. Though mortgage rates are expected to go down in 2024, when they'll start dropping depends on how inflation trends in the coming months. This has kept mortgage rates elevated. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowToday's refinance ratesMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's, they've, Fannie Mae, you'll Organizations: Federal Reserve, Mortgage, Association, Zillow, Sky Locations: Chevron

☆ The Federal Reserve may not cut interest rates just yet, here's what that means for your money
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"Interest rates took the elevator going up; they are going to take the stairs coming down," he said. Annual percentage rates will start to come down when the Fed cuts rates but even then, they will only ease off extremely high levels. "The reality of it is, a lot of borrowers are paying double-digit interest rates on those right now," McBride said. Federal student loansFederal student loan rates are also fixed, so most borrowers aren't immediately affected by the Fed's moves. But undergraduate students who take out new direct federal student loans are now paying 5.50% — up from 4.99% in the 2022-23 academic year and 3.73% in 2021-22.

Persons: Chris Wattie, Greg McBride, McBride, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's, that's, Ivan Drury, Edmunds, Drury Organizations: Reuters, Treasury, Fed Locations: Edmunds

☆ Mortgage rates tumble for the second week in a row
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Washington, DC CNN —Mortgage rates dropped for the second week in a row, falling nearly a quarter of a percentage point over the past two weeks in the face of stronger-than-expected employment and inflation data. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.74% in the week ending March 14, down from 6.88% the previous week, according to data from Freddie Mac released Thursday. But while rates are expected to move around in the next few months, homebuyers shouldn’t expect a major drop. “In this environment, there is a good possibility that rates will stay higher for a longer period of time.”Over the past four months, mortgage rates have come down from their highest levels of last year: 7.79%. Applications for mortgages were up 7% in the week ending March 8 from the week before, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Persons: Freddie Mac, homebuyers, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, who’ve Organizations: DC CNN —, Mortgage, Association Locations: Washington

Mortgage rates are expected to go down in 2024, but they increased in February in response to hotter-than-expected economic data. Once the Fed starts lowering rates, mortgage rates should trend down, too. In its latest forecast, Fannie Mae predicted that 30-year mortgage rates will reach 5.9% by the end of the year. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. Now that the Fed has paused hiking rates, mortgage rates have come down a bit.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's, Fannie Mae Organizations: Federal, Zillow, Federal Reserve, Fed Locations: Chevron

☆ The housing market may finally be thawing as mortgage rates and housing inventory improve
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Mortgage rates eased for the first time in five weeks, Freddie Mac said Thursday. Easing affordability and improving inventory suggests a gradual thawing of the market. "It's important to remember that rates can vary widely between mortgage lenders so shopping around is essential." However, Capital Economics strategists wrote earlier in the week that easing mortgage rates won't be enough to spark a meaningful, lasting rebound in home demand. Advertisement"Even if mortgage rates fall to 6% as we expect, mortgage rate 'lock in' will continue to curb home moves," Capital Economics strategists wrote in a note.

Persons: Freddie Mac, —, — that's, Freddie Mac's, Sam Khater, Jerome Powell, Realtor.com, that's Organizations: Service, Capital

☆ Mortgage rates drop after climbing for four weeks
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington, DC CNN —Mortgage rates ticked down slightly this week, a tiny boon to buyers eager to make a move with newly listed homes coming to market. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.88% in the week ending March 7, down from 6.94% the previous week, according to data from Freddie Mac released Thursday. While mortgage rates are expected to fall further in 2024, Sturtevant added, short-term movements in mortgage rates will likely be influenced by congressional testimony given this week by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. During his semiannual monetary report to Congress, he indicated there is no rush to cut interest rates with more evidence of cooling inflation. The February jobs report, which will be released Friday, is also likely to have some bearing on mortgage rates.

Persons: Freddie Mac, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, homebuyers, Khater, Redfin, Lisa Sturtevant, ” Sturtevant, Sturtevant, Jerome Powell Organizations: DC CNN —, Mortgage, Association, Federal Housing Administration, Redfin, MLS, Bright MLS, Federal, Congress Locations: Washington

☆ Premarket stocks: Retailers warn Wall Street to expect less shopping this year
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Lowe’s: The home improvement giant projected total sales of $84 billion to $85 billion for 2024 in fourth-quarter results reported on Tuesday. Mortgage rates edge closer to 7%, dampening start of spring homebuying seasonUS mortgage rates climbed for the fourth week in a row, inching closer to 7% just as peak homebuying season gets underway, reports my colleague Anna Bahney. “Mortgage rates continued their ascent this week, reaching a two-month high and flirting with 7% yet again,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist, in a statement. Since reaching a 20-year high of 7.79% in October, mortgage rates have been slowly falling. But in recent weeks, as the market absorbs expectations that the Federal Reserve will not cut its benchmark lending rate until later this year, mortgage rates have trended higher.

Persons: they’re, ”, Marvin Ellison, Macy’s, Tony Spring, Corie Barry, ’, ” Barry, Diksha Madhok, Hanna Ziady, “, Thamashi De Silva, Knight Frank, Read, Anna Bahney, Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, Khater Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN — Companies, Federal Reserve, Commerce Department, United States’s, Gross, Capital Economics, “ Locations: New York, That’s, India

Uncertainty around when the Federal Reserve will start cutting rates has kept mortgage rates elevated in recent weeks. This week, average 30-year mortgage rates ticked up four basis points to 6.94%, according to Freddie Mac. Once inflation gets closer to the Fed's 2% target rate and the central bank starts lowering its benchmark rate, mortgage rates should go down. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. This is good news for mortgage rates — as inflation slows and the Federal Reserve is able to start cutting the federal funds rate, mortgage rates are expected to trend down as well.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's, we'll, Fannie Mae Organizations: Federal Reserve, homebuying, Commerce Department, Zillow, Mortgage, Association, ARM Locations: Chevron

☆ Mortgage rates edge closer to 7%, dampening start of spring homebuying season
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington, DC CNN —Mortgage rates climbed for the fourth week in a row, inching closer to 7% just as peak homebuying season gets underway. Since reaching a 20-year high of 7.79% in October, mortgage rates have been slowly falling. The average mortgage rate is based on mortgage applications that Freddie Mac receives from thousands of lenders across the country. Last week, mortgage applications dropped 5.6% from the week before, according to the MBA. Higher home prices pushed loan amounts higher in January, offsetting what was a monthly decline in mortgage rates, said Edward Seiler, MBA’s associate vice president for housing economics.

Persons: Freddie Mac, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, Khater, Bob Broeksmit, Mike Fratantoni, Edward Seiler, MBA’s, Lawrence Yun Organizations: DC CNN —, “, Federal Reserve, Mortgage, Association, National Association of Realtors Locations: Washington

The economy has been doing surprisingly well so far this year, and it's pushing mortgage rates back up. Average 30-year mortgage rates rose 13 basis points to 6.90% this week, according to Freddie Mac. Average 15-year mortgage rates also increased to 6.29% this week, a 17-point jump. Once the Federal Reserve starts lowering the federal funds rate, mortgage rates are expected to go down as well. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's, you'll, Fannie Mae Organizations: Federal Reserve, Zillow, Mortgage, Association, Sky Locations: Chevron

☆ Mortgage rates rise for the third week in a row to 6.9%
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington, DC CNN —Mortgage rates climbed for the third week in a row, inching closer to 7%. Mortgage rates have been making smaller moves over the past two months, after coming down from last year’s high, 7.79%, reached in October. Historically, Khater said, the mix of a strong economy and higher rates didn’t meaningfully impact the housing market. “In essence, Federal Reserve officials are seeking more concrete evidence of sustained improvement in inflation before making any changes,” she said. “The recent increase in mortgage rates has the potential to slow the market by disrupting the plans of many buyers, especially in a market where a significant number of consumers are anticipating lower mortgage rates, not higher,” said Xu.

Persons: Freddie Mac, who’ve, “, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, Khater, Jiayi Xu, Powell’s, Xu Organizations: DC CNN —, Federal Reserve, Realtor.com, Federal, Mortgage, Association Locations: Washington

If inflation remains near current levels or looks like it's ticking back up, mortgage rates could climb higher. Average 30-year mortgage rates rose 13 basis points to 6.77% this week, according to Freddie Mac. Once the Fed starts lowering its benchmark rate, the federal funds rate, mortgage rates are expected to go down as well. This means we might not see mortgage rates fall substantially until the second half of 2024. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's, Price, you'll, Fannie Mae Organizations: of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve, Zillow, Mortgage, Association, Sky Locations: Chevron

☆ Why oil prices aren’t soaring despite Middle East uncertainty
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Oil prices spiked last month following US-led strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen in response to repeated attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea. One factor that could be keeping the cap on oil prices is waning demand. “Global oil demand growth is losing momentum,” said the agency in its February report. While global oil demand growth is slowing, supply has stayed relatively strong, potentially putting further downward pressure on oil prices. “Higher global oil supply this year, led by the United States, Brazil, Guyana and Canada, should more than eclipse the expected rise in world oil demand,” said the report.

Persons: Bell, ”, Donald Trump, Matt Egan, —, Trump, Jay Ritter, Read, Anna Bahney, Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, Khater, Bob Broeksmit Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New, New York CNN, West Texas, Brent, International Energy Agency, “, shuttering, Federal, US, United Arab Emirates, White, Wall, Trump, Truth Social, Trump Media & Technology Group, Securities and Exchange, Trump Media, SEC, University of Florida, Mortgage Bankers Association Locations: New York, Russia, Ukraine, Yemen, Red, United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Iraq, United States, Brazil, Guyana, Canada

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate rose this week to its highest level in 10 weeks, a setback for prospective homebuyers ahead of the spring homebuying season. The average rate on a 30-year mortgage rose to 6.77% from 6.64% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also rose this week, pushing the average rate to 6.12% from 5.90% last week. The average rate on a 30-year mortgage remains sharply higher than just two years ago, when it was 3.92%. The cost of financing a home has come down from its most recent peak in late October, when the average rate on a 30-year mortgage hit 7.79%, the highest level since late 2000.

Persons: Freddie Mac, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s Organizations: ANGELES, Treasury, Federal Reserve, U.S Locations: U.S

☆ Mortgage rates rise for the second week, reaching 6.77%
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Washington, DC CNN —After treading water for months, US mortgage rates jumped higher Thursday following a string of strong employment and inflation reports. “On the heels of consumer prices rising more than expected, mortgage rates increased this week,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. The average mortgage rate is based on mortgage applications that Freddie Mac receives from thousands of lenders across the country. The addition of needed inventory and the prospect of lower mortgage rates this year may spur buyers to jump into the market. “This spring, buyers are likely to see lower mortgage rates than in the fall of 2023, which may mean more eager buyers in the market,” Jones said.

Persons: Freddie Mac, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, Khater, Bob Broeksmit, Broeksmit, Jerome Powell, Hanna Jones, who’ve, Lisa Sturtevant, Jones, Alicia Huey, ” Jones Organizations: DC CNN, “, Mortgage Bankers Association, Labor Department, Federal Reserve, Realtor.com, National Association of Home Builders Locations: Washington, ”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Just a quarter of business economists and analysts expect the United States to fall into recession this year. But respondents to a National Association of Business Economics survey released Monday still expect year-over-year inflation to exceed 2.5% -- above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target – through 2024. But the economy unexpectedly kept growing and employers kept hiring and resisting layoffs despite higher borrowing costs. The Fed has stopped raising rates and has signaled that it expects to reduce rates three times this year. Another 85% are worried about political instability in the United States before or after the Nov. 5 presidential election.

Persons: –, ’ ’, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac Organizations: WASHINGTON, National Association of Business Economics, Fed Locations: United States, China, U.S, Taiwan

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate eased this week, welcome news for prospective homebuyers as the spring homebuying season approaches. The average rate on a 30-year mortgage fell to 6.63% from 6.69% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also fell this week, pulling the average rate down to 5.94% from 5.96% last week. The cost of financing a home has been mostly easing in the weeks since the average rate on a 30-year mortgage hit 7.79%, the highest level since late 2000. For now, the average rate on a 30-year mortgage remains sharply higher than just two years ago, when it was 3.55%.

Persons: Freddie Mac, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s Organizations: ANGELES, Treasury, Federal Reserve, U.S, Fed, Wall, “ Locations: U.S

Average 30-year mortgage rates increased to 6.69% this week, according to Freddie Mac, a nine-point increase from the previous week's average. On a $250,000 mortgage, this would amount to a $1,798 monthly mortgage payment. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesThe average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 6.69% last week, according to Freddie Mac. Now that the Fed has paused hiking rates, mortgage rates have come down a bit.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's, Fannie Mae Organizations: Zillow, Federal Reserve, Fed Locations: Chevron

The average rate on a 30-year mortgage dropped to 6.6% from 6.66% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. The decline, which follows two weeks of increases, brings the average rate down to the lowest level it's been in since late May, when it was 6.57%. Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also eased this week, dropping the average rate to 5.76% from 5.87% last week. The decline in mortgage rates has followed a pullback in the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing loans. Still, at this point, economists generally predict the average rate on a 30-year mortgage going no lower than 6%.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s Organizations: ANGELES, Treasury, Federal Reserve Locations: U.S

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