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☆ US home prices rose in February at the fastest pace in more than a year
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Washington CNN —US home-price growth accelerated in February at the fastest annual pace since November 2022, a sign that America’s housing market remains tough amid elevated mortgage rates. Of the 20 cities, San Diego saw the biggest increase in home prices in February, a steep 11.4% rise, followed by Chicago and Detroit. America’s housing market began to recover in the beginning the year as home sales surged from decades-lows in the fall and homebuilders began to feel to more upbeat about the economy. Mortgage rates have followed suit, since they track the 10-year yield. Economists don’t expect mortgage rates to drop meaningfully this year, and they could continue to climb if inflation remains stuck.

Persons: homebuilders, Freddie Mac Organizations: Washington CNN, Federal Reserve, National Association of Realtors, Treasury Locations: San Diego, Chicago, Detroit, Portland , Oregon

When you miss a mortgage payment, you incur late fees and hurt your credit score. But skipping mortgage payments comes with serious consequences that could include losing your house. Are you finding it hard to make your monthly mortgage payment? This allows you to pause your mortgage payments for a certain amount of time or, in some cases, make reduced payments instead. FAQsWhat should I do first if I realize I can't make my mortgage payment?

Persons: Craig Martin, Christian Mills, Freddie Mac, you've, you'll, it's, Aly J, Yale Aly J, Bob Organizations: Christian, US Department of Housing, Urban, Chevron, Yale, Forbes, Money Magazine, The Dallas Morning News, Bob Schieffer College of Communication, Twitter

Sticky inflation has pushed mortgage rates up in recent months, and we likely won't see them trend down until inflation starts decelerating again. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Go Up (+0.23%)The average 15-year mortgage rate is 6.48%, 23 basis points higher than last week. Mortgage Refinance Rates30-Year Fixed Refinance Rates Fall Slightly (-0.11%)The average 30-year refinance rate is 7.42%, 11 basis points lower than last week. Mortgage rates also rose dramatically in 2023, though they started trending back down toward the end of the year.

Persons: decelerating, it's, you'll, It's, refinance Organizations: Federal, US, of Economic, Zillow, FHA Locations: Chevron

High mortgage rates are likely to constrain affordability through the peak homebuying season, which typically lasts from spring to early fall. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Essentially Flat (+0.01%)The average 15-year mortgage rate is 6.25%, just a single basis point higher than last week. Mortgage Refinance Rates30-Year Fixed Refinance Rates Inch Up (+0.09%)The average 30-year refinance rate is 7.53%, nine basis points higher than last week. Mortgage rates also rose dramatically in 2023, though they started trending back down toward the end of the year.

Persons: you'll, It's, refinance Organizations: US, of, CPI, Incoming, Zillow, FHA Locations: Chevron

☆ US homes sales dropped last month as March prices reached a record high
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Sales fell across the country except in the Northeast region, which saw an increase for the first time since November 2023. Rising home prices coupled with mortgage rates stuck at elevated levels means Americans are still dealing with a tough housing market. Sales might not rise meaningfully higher as the Federal Reserve signals that it won’t cut interest rates anytime soon. Then mortgage rates began to decline on hopes that the Fed would cut interest rates aggressively in 2024, but those expectations have been thrown out the window. Mortgage rates have held steady in recent weeks but are poised to rise because they track bond yields, which are climbing on persistently high inflation readings.

Persons: “, Lawrence Yun, haven’t, trickling, Yun, ” Yun, hasn’t Organizations: Washington CNN —, National Association of Realtors, Federal Reserve, NAR Locations: United States, Northeast

☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ March homes sales dropped despite a surge in supply. Here's why.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Rising mortgage rates are likely the cause of the slowdown. Mortgage rates stayed lower in January, in the mid 6% range on the popular 30-year fixed loan. Inventory did improve slightly, rising 4.7% month to month to 1.11 million homes for sale at the end of March. Investors pulled back a bit, making up 15% of sales, compared with 21% in February and 17% in March of last year. Mortgage rates have moved even higher this month, with the average rate on the 30-year fixed hovering around 7.5%, according to Mortgage News Daily.

Persons: Lawrence Yun, It's, Yun Organizations: National Association of Realtors, Investors, Mortgage News Locations: West, That's

Until inflation slows further and the Federal Reserve is able to start lowering the federal funds rate, mortgage rates are likely to remain elevated. If the latest PCE numbers support the narrative that inflation is remaining stubbornly high, mortgage rates could inch up further. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Essentially Flat (+0.01%)The average 15-year mortgage rate is 6.12%, just a single basis point higher than last week. Mortgage rates also rose dramatically in 2023, though they started trending back down toward the end of the year.

Persons: you'll, It's, refinance Organizations: Federal Reserve, US, of, Fed, Zillow, FHA Locations: Chevron

Mortgage rates are a bit lower today, though they're still well above where they started the month. 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. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates were 6.16% this week, according to Freddie Mac data, which is a 10-basis-point increase from the previous week. 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: they're, Freddie Mac Organizations: Markets, Treasury, Investors, Federal Reserve, Zillow, Fed Locations: February's, Chevron

☆ Biden’s Plan B on Inflation: Turn It Against Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Jim Tankersley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

President Biden and his economic team had high hopes about how two years of rapid inflation would play out in the months leading to the November presidential election. Price growth would continue to cool. The Federal Reserve would cut interest rates. Investors are recalibrating their expectations for when — or even if — interest rates might start to come down this year. Mr. Biden is recalibrating as well, as both a Fed forecaster and a politician.

Persons: Biden, Price, Biden’s Organizations: Federal, White

See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. 20-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Increase (+0.15%)The average 20-year fixed mortgage rate is 15 points up from where it was last week, and is sitting at 6.30%. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Rise (+0.20%)The average 15-year mortgage rate is 6.11%, up from last week. Mortgage Refinance Rates30-Year Fixed Refinance Rates Decrease (-0.30%)The average 30-year refinance rate is 7.06%, 30 basis points lower than last week. Mortgage rates also rose dramatically in 2023, though they started trending back down toward the end of the year.

Persons: you'll, It's, refinance Organizations: Federal Reserve, Mortgage Bankers Association, Zillow, FHA Locations: Chevron

So we could see mortgage rates start trending down more substantially in just a couple of months. As the Fed lowers its benchmark rate, mortgage rates should move down, too. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Inch Up (+0.09%)The average 15-year mortgage rate is 5.87%, up slightly from last week. Mortgage Refinance Rates30-Year Fixed Refinance Rates Decrease (-0.31%)The average 30-year refinance rate is 7.50%, 31 basis points lower than last week.

Persons: they're, Jerome Powell, they'll, you'll, refinance, It's Organizations: Federal Reserve, Fed, Zillow, FHA Locations: Chevron

If either of these reports come in hotter than expected, mortgage rates could spike up. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. 15-year Fixed Mortgage RatesLast week, average 15-year mortgage rates were 6.11%, a 10-basis-point decrease from the previous week, according to Freddie Mac data. Mortgage rates started ticking up from historic lows in the second half of 2021 and increased over three percentage points in 2022. Once the Fed cuts rates, mortgage rates should fall even further.

Persons: you'll, Freddie Mac, it's Organizations: Federal Reserve, of Labor Statistics, Zillow Locations: Chevron

Average 30-year mortgage rates have dropped nearly 30 basis points from a week ago, according to Zillow data. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. Mortgage Rates for Buying a Home30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Fall (-0.27%)The current average 30-year fixed mortgage rate is 6.32%, down 27 points from where it was this time last week, according to Zillow data. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Decrease (-0.33%)The average 15-year mortgage rate is 5.64%, down from last week. Mortgage Refinance Rates30-Year Fixed Refinance Rates Increase (+0.69%)The average 30-year refinance rate is 7.69%, 69 basis points higher than last week.

Persons: you'll, It's, refinance Organizations: Federal Reserve, Zillow, FHA Locations: Chevron

☆ Home prices will 'go through the roof' as soon as rates come down a single percentage point, 'Shark Tank' investor Barbara Corcoran says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Home prices will soar the moment mortgage rates drop to 6%, Barbara Cocoran predicted. The "Shark Tank" investor is anticipating a wave of buyers coming to market once rates fall one percentage point. Buyers waiting for rates to come down may wind up paying more in the end, she warned. Real estate economists say that mortgage rates aren't primed for a significant drop anytime soon. Mortgage rates are influenced by real interest rates in the economy, and the Fed has hinted it could keep rates higher for longer as it continues to monitor inflation.

Persons: Barbara Cocoran, —, Barbara Corcoran, Cocoran, Freddie Mac, Corcoran, meanwhile Organizations: Service, Fox Business Network, Corcoran Group

☆ Mortgage demand stalls, even as interest rates moderate
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The usually busy spring housing market is underway, but mortgage demand isn't moving. Mortgage rates today are still about a half a percentage point higher than they were at this time last year, so recent borrowers have no incentive to refinance. "Purchase applications were essentially unchanged, as homebuyers continue to hold out for lower mortgage rates and for more listings to hit the market," said Joel Kan, an MBA economist in a release. Mortgage rates have basically moved sideways to start this week and are unlikely to change until next week, when more economic data is set to be released. "If inflation falls a bit more or if the economy shows marked signs of weakening, it would tip the scales in favor of lower rates."

Persons: Joel Kan, Matthew Graham Organizations: Mortgage, Mortgage News Locations: Miami , Florida

☆ US debt: Is America at risk of a Liz Truss-style market meltdown? The CBO thinks so
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

In an interview with the Financial Times, CBO director Phillip Swagel said US government debt — which the Treasury Department puts at nearly $35 trillion — is on an “unprecedented” trajectory. UK government bonds, or gilts, and the pound sold off sharply, partly in response to plans by Truss to issue more debt in order to pay for tax cuts. Mortgage rates and other borrowing costs soared as investors demanded much higher premiums for owning UK debt. He has promised to extend his 2017 tax cuts and has also spoken about reducing the corporate tax rate from the current 21% to 15%. “I will make the Trump tax cuts the largest tax cut in history,” he said last month at the Black Conservative Federation’s Honors Gala in South Carolina.

Persons: Phillip Swagel, Liz, ”, Truss, ” Swagel, Dave Ramsden, Donald Trump’s, Joe Biden, Fitch, “, Trump Organizations: London CNN, Congressional, Financial Times, Treasury Department, CNN, Bank of England, Democrats, Trump, Black Conservative, US Treasury, Federal, CBO Locations: United States, United Kingdom, South Carolina

☆ Stocks trade near records, but chances are your portfolio isn’t sufficiently protected from a fall
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

For instance, the iShares MBS ETF (MBB) has a net expense ratio of 0.04% and a year-to-date total return of -1.24%. Vanguard's MBS ETF (VMBS) also carries an expense ratio of 0.04% and a total return of -1.08% in 2024. Stocks in developed markets have had the closest correlation with U.S. equities, while emerging markets equities are less correlated, the research firm found. ETFs that play on that theme include the Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO) , which has an expense ratio of 0.08%, and the iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG) , with an expense ratio of 0.09%. VWO has a year-to-date total return of 1.33%, while IEMG's total return for the period is 1.6%.

Persons: Charles NeSmith, Morningstar, Andrew Herzog, Herzog, Cash, Amy Arnott, There's, NeSmith, VWO Organizations: Nasdaq, Communications, Financial, Mortgage, Investors, MBS, Morningstar, Commodities, Vanguard FTSE, Markets Locations: Plantation , Florida, Plano , Texas, U.S

Mortgage rates have been elevated over the last couple of months. Thirty-year mortgage rates have averaged 6.50% in March, just two basis points below where they were in February. Forecasters at the Mortgage Bankers Association, Fannie Mae, the National Association of Realtors, and elsewhere have been predicting that mortgage rates will start trending lower soon. The sooner the Fed can start cutting rates, the sooner mortgage rates will start to fall. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Persons: Fannie Mae, they've, you'll Organizations: Mortgage Bankers Association, National Association of Realtors, Federal Reserve, Zillow, Mortgage, Association, Sky Locations: Chevron

Though they spiked up earlier this week, mortgage rates have inched down over the past few days and are in line with last week's levels. Once the Fed cuts rates, mortgage rates should start to trend down, too. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Back Below 6% (-0.10%)The average 15-year mortgage rate is 5.93%, down from last week. Mortgage rates also rose dramatically in 2023, though they started trending back down toward the end of the year.

Persons: they're, you'll, It's, refinance Organizations: Federal Reserve, Zillow, FHA Locations: Chevron

☆ Consumers frustrated by the economy might never get the relief they're ultimately hoping for
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-20 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

In today's big story, we're looking at why the economy has most consumers feeling like they are stuck in place . A "trapped in place" economy is in full swing. Bad buying conditions coupled with everyday high prices means consumers can't make any major life changes , writes Business Insider's Emily Stewart. But it's not the only area of the economy that's stuck, Emily writes. So, while consumers lament being stuck in place, they should also avoid getting stuck looking to the past.

Persons: —, Rebecca Zisser, Emily Stewart, it's, Emily, gunning, It's, Jerome Powell's, Tyler Le, Steve Mnuchin, Brian Moynihan, Instagram, Jensen Huang, Chelsea Jia Feng, Dan DeFrancesco, Hallam Bullock, Jordan Parker Erb, George Glover Organizations: Service, Business, Tech, Federal, Wall Street, Investors, Blackstone, JPMorgan, MLB, Bank of America, mojo, Nvidia, Astera Labs, NASDAQ Locations: It's, Chelsea, New York, London

☆ The Fed hasn't touched interest rates since July, but they're still moving. What that looks like for credit cards, mortgages and savings accounts
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-20 | by ( Gabriel Cortés | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

It's one of the silver linings to the current rate environment, said Ted Rossman, chief credit card analyst at Bankrate. Credit cardsThe flip side to the positive environment for savers is the expensive credit card market: Consumers carrying balances on their cards face historically high rates. "The Fed is not going to come to your rescue on credit card rates," Rossman said. The Fed is not going to come to your rescue on credit card rates. Mortgage ratesWhile savings and credit card rates are very sensitive to maneuvers from the Federal Reserve, the area that might see the most movement is housing.

Persons: Ted Rossman, There's, Rossman, they've, they'd, Bankrate Rossman Organizations: Hinterhaus, Getty, U.S . Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, Federal Reserve

As inflation slows and the economy balances out, mortgage rates are expected to go down this year. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. Mortgage Rates for Buying a Home30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Go Up (+0.23%)The current average 30-year fixed mortgage rate is 6.53%, up 23 points from where it was this time last week, according to Zillow data. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Back Above 6% (+0.23%)The average 15-year mortgage rate is 6.03%, up from last week. Mortgage rates also rose dramatically in 2023, though they started trending back down toward the end of the year.

Persons: you'll, It's, refinance Organizations: Zillow, FHA Locations: Chevron

☆ Talk of recession is dying down in corporate America
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-17 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Ever since the Federal Rserve began raising interest rates in early 2022, corporations and investors have braced for how a recession might play out. The word recession came up on the fourth-quarter earnings calls of 47 companies in the S & P 500, according to market data platform FactSet. Almost half of the more than two dozen finance chiefs surveyed by CNBC said they expect the Federal Reserve to control inflation without a recession, a scenario known as a soft landing. Looking ahead to 2024, CFO Emma Giamartino said the Dallas-based company's full-year guidance is "contingent" on the Fed cutting short-term interest rates and the economy skirting a recession. "All indications are now that we're going to have more of a soft landing than a recession."

Persons: John Wall, Emma Giamartino, Giamartino, Richard Galanti, Galanti, Joseph Margolis, it's, Margolis, J, Thomas Hill, Marvin Ellison, Ellison Organizations: Federal, U.S, Cadence Design Systems, CNBC, Federal Reserve, Costco, Kirkland Signature, Hotels, Vulcan Locations: Dallas, Salt Lake City, North Carolina

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