DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Mortgage demand shrinks as interest rates hit the highest level in nearly 23 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Mortgage interest rates just hit a level not seen since the year 2000. The 30-year fixed jumbo mortgage rate increased to 7.34%, the highest rate in the history of the MBA's jumbo rate series dating back to 2011. After record low interest rates throughout the first few years of the pandemic, and a refinance boom, there are precious few borrowers now with mortgage rates high enough to benefit from a refinance. Today's potential buyers are facing an unprecedented dynamic of a historically low supply of homes for sale, coupled with both rising interest rates and rising prices. Interest rates continued to move higher this week, according to a separate survey from Mortgage News Daily.

Persons: Joel Kan Organizations: Mortgage, Market, Mortgage News

☆ Opinion | Is a Recession Near? Paul Krugman and Peter Coy Look Ahead.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Paul Krugman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Put it this way: If our story is that Fed tightening will produce a recession, we’d expect that to work mainly though housing, the usual channel. Indeed, Fed hikes led to a big rise in mortgage interest rates, which hit 7 percent almost a year ago and have fluctuated since then. Coy: Paul, you were right to call out those who thought we needed a punishing recession to get inflation down. The labor market has held up surprisingly well, which is wonderful. The labor market isn’t as resilient as it appears at first sight, either.

Persons: Coy, Paul, don’t Organizations: Mortgage Bankers Association

☆ Loan approval: Why has it gotten so much harder?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Magnusson said that while she used USAA for a personal loan in the past, this time, the process felt very different. Lately, it may take more than just a good credit score for many people to get approved for a loan. Deutsche Bank recently told investors that bank lending conditions look “consistent with recession levels,” even though the US is not currently in a recession. Magnusson said she was “in tears” after spending hours on the phone with USAA to secure the loan over multiple days. McBride said that although loan application rejections are up and standards are tougher, getting a loan is still possible for those with good credit.

Persons: Cheryl Magnusson, Magnusson, “, USAA, ”, Greg McBride, —, ” McBride, Nathan Howard, McBride, William Brown, Brown, we’ve, ” Brown, “ I’ve, I’ve, Darlene Johnson, ” Johnson, Scott Olson Organizations: CNN, Federal Reserve Bank of New, Consumer, Deutsche Bank, Eccles Federal Reserve, Bloomberg, Getty, Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, Navy, Suncoast Credit Union, Suncoast, Mortgage Bankers Association, Federal Reserve Locations: Arizona, Washington , DC, Silicon, Florida, Hawthorn Woods , Illinois

If price growth remains stubborn, the central bank could hike rates again, which would keep mortgage rates elevated. Mortgage Rates TodayMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage Refinance Rates TodayMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. 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. But whether mortgage rates will drop in 2023 hinges on if the Federal Reserve can get inflation under control.

Persons: Dan Richards, Fannie Mae Organizations: Federal Reserve, Zillow, Mortgage, Association, Sky, ARM Locations: Chevron

This means mortgage rates are likely to stay near their current levels, barring any changes in the current economic outlook. Average 30-year mortgage rates will likely continue to hover right around 7% for at least the next few weeks. We'll also likely see mortgage rates drop once the Fed starts cutting rates, though that might not be until later next year. But whether mortgage rates will drop in 2023 hinges on if the Federal Reserve can get inflation under control. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Persons: Selma Hepp, We'll, There's, you'll, Fannie Mae Organizations: Federal Reserve, Fed, Zillow, Mortgage, Association, Sky Locations: Chevron

☆ Weekly mortgage demand increases, driven by a strange surge in refinancing
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Mortgage rates rose again last week, and so did demand for refinances, which at face value doesn't make a lot of sense. Applications to refinance a home loan jumped 13% last week compared with the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's seasonally adjusted index. Refinancing demand usually moves in the same direction as mortgage rates, but that was not the case. Applications for a mortgage to purchase a home increased 2% for the week and were 26% lower than the same week one year ago. "Purchase applications increased for conventional and FHA loans over the week," said Joel Kan, an MBA economist in a release.

Persons: Joel Kan, Homebuyers, Jerome Powell Organizations: Mortgage, Wednesday's, Reserve

☆ Mortgage applications rose last week, despite stubbornly high rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Washington, DC CNN —Mortgage applications rose last week, even as mortgage rates remain stubbornly high, an indication that at least some buyers are determined to move forward with a home purchase in one of the most challenging markets in decades. “Mortgage applications increased last week, despite the 30-year fixed-rate edging back up,” said Joel Kan, MBA’s vice president and deputy chief economist. The increase in total mortgage applications was driven higher by a surprise increase in applications to refinance a mortgage. Refinance applications climbed 13% from the previous week, but were still almost 30% below the same week one year ago. The MBA noted that this week’s data is compared to the prior week’s data, which included an adjustment for the Labor Day holiday.

Persons: ”, Joel Kan, Jerome Powell, Kan, homebuyers, Black Knight Organizations: DC CNN —, Mortgage, Association, “, Labor Locations: Washington, Black

Mortgage rates haven't been as volatile this month as they have been in previous months. Price growth accelerated a bit last month, according to the latest CPI report, but prices have overall been cooling, which is good news for mortgage rates. 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. 30-year Fixed Mortgage RatesLast week, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 7.18%, according to Freddie Mac. 15-year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates were 6.51% last week, a 1-point drop compared to the prior week, according to Freddie Mac data.

Persons: you'll, Freddie Mac Organizations: Mortgage, Zillow, Federal Reserve Locations: Chevron

Mortgage rates ended the week a little lower than the week before, with 30-year mortgage rates hovering just below 7%. Mortgage Rates TodayMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage Refinance Rates TodayMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. 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. But whether mortgage rates will drop in 2023 hinges on if the Federal Reserve can get inflation under control.

Persons: We'll, you'll, Fannie Mae Organizations: Zillow, Federal Reserve, Mortgage, Association, Sky, ARM Locations: Chevron

Average 30-year mortgage rates continue to hover right around 7%, ticking up just a few basis points overall this week, according to Freddie Mac. In spite of the slightly-hot report, mortgage rates have been relatively steady this week, with 30-year rates increasing just 6 basis points to 7.18%. Average 15-year mortgage rates went down a single basis point to 6.51%. But whether mortgage rates will drop in 2023 hinges on if the Federal Reserve can get inflation under control. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

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

Like other consumer rates, mortgage rates are impacted in large part by what's going on in the economy. The MBA forecast sees rates falling more aggressively, predicting that 30-year mortgage rates will drop to 5% by the end of 2024. This allowed mortgage rates to drop as low as they did, with 30-year mortgage rates reaching an all-time low of 2.65% in January 2021, according to Freddie Mac. Mortgage rates in 2024: FAQsWhat will mortgage rates do in 2024? Once the Federal Reserve stops hiking rates and inflation slows, all consumer interest rates, including mortgage rates, will likely start going down in 2024.

Persons: homebuyers, what's, Afifa Saburi, Fannie Mae's, Freddie Mac, Lawrence Yun, that's, Karen Kostiw, Coldwell Banker Warburg, refinance, Saburi Organizations: Service, Federal Reserve, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Veterans United, Loans, NAR, National Association of Realtors, CNBC, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Coldwell Banker, Mortgage, Association Locations: Wall, Silicon, New York City, Chevron

☆ Mortgage demand stalls at a level not seen since 1996
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Higher mortgage rates continue to take their toll on mortgage demand, especially for refinancing. Total mortgage application volume dropped 0.8% last week compared to the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's seasonally adjusted index. The refinance share of mortgage activity decreased to 29.1% of total applications from 30.0% the previous week. ARMs offer lower interest rates but are deemed riskier because their rates are fixed for a shorter term. "Mortgage applications decreased for the seventh time in eight weeks, reaching the lowest level since 1996," said Joel Kan, a Mortgage Bankers Association economist, in a release.

Persons: Joel Kan, Matthew Graham Organizations: Mortgage, refinances, Mortgage Bankers Association, Mortgage News

☆ Jim Cramer's top things to watch in the stock market Wednesday
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The first of two major antitrust lawsuits targeting Club holding Alphabet 's (GOOGL) Google search engine got underway Tuesday in Washington, D.C. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB.

Persons: Ford, what's, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim Organizations: Labor, West Texas, Mortgage, Apple, Tuesday, UBS, Ford, United Auto Workers, Club, JPMorgan, Oracle, Google, Washington , D.C, Arm Holdings, SoftBank Group, Nvidia, Jim Cramer's Charitable, CNBC Locations: China, Washington ,

Mortgage rates are a little lower now compared to where they ended last week. 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. 30-year Fixed Mortgage RatesLast week, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 7.12%, according to Freddie Mac. 15-year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates were 6.52% last week, a three-point drop compared to the prior 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.

Persons: you'll, Freddie Mac Organizations: Federal Reserve, Mortgage, Zillow Locations: Chevron

☆ Homeowners should be worried about a legal battle that could jeopardize 'the stability of the housing market,' the head of a federal consumer watchdog says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The Supreme Court will soon hear a case challenging the CFPB's funding structure. Housing groups also warned of chaos in the industry if CFPB's funding is upended. But the Supreme Court threat to the CFPB's funding structure "would raise significant concerns for the stability of the housing market and the financial system more broadly," Chopra said. "Reverting to a system without these regulations would create uncertainty for the mortgage industry and the economy," Chopra said. At this point, it's unclear how broadly the Supreme Court will rule, and if it will strike down the CFPB's funding structure entirely.

Persons: Rohit Chopra, —, Chopra, homebuyers Organizations: Housing, Service, Financial, Community Financial Services Association of America Ltd, Consumer Financial, Bureau, Federal Reserve, Fifth Circuit, Mortgage Collaborative National Conference, Congress, Mortgage Bankers Association, National Association of Home Builders, National Association of Realtors Locations: Wall, Silicon

Average 30-year mortgage rates dropped a bit overall last week, according to Freddie Mac, but they're still above 7%. If price growth continues to show signs of cooling, mortgage rates could recede somewhat. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage Refinance Rates TodayMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. 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. But whether mortgage rates will drop in 2023 hinges on if the Federal Reserve can get inflation under control.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae Organizations: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Zillow, Federal Reserve, Mortgage, Association, Sky, ARM Locations: Chevron

Mortgage rates ticked up later in the week and remain elevated today. According to Freddie Mac, 30-year mortgage rates have been above 7% for four weeks now, and it's unclear if they'll drop back down anytime soon. But whether mortgage rates will drop in 2023 hinges on if the Federal Reserve can get inflation under control. Sky high mortgage rates have pushed many hopeful buyers out of the market, slowing homebuying demand and putting downward pressure on home prices. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Persons: Freddie Mac, you'll, Fannie Mae Organizations: Mortgage Bankers Association, Zillow, Federal Reserve, Fed, Mortgage, Association, Sky Locations: Chevron

☆ Furniture companies in a rut as fewer people buy big-ticket items
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —People aren’t buying furniture like they used to. Last week, a pair of furniture retailers said they are experiencing a massive sales slump compared to last year. On Friday, shares of RH (RH) fell 16%, while Hooker Furnishings (HOFT) dropped 17%. The two companies are the latest in a growing list of furniture retailers seeing a slowdown after years of growth fueled by pandemic-era stay-at-home trends. Wayfair, an online furniture seller, saw its second-quarter revenue decline 3.4%, and La-Z-Boy, a furniture manufacturer, reported a 20% drop in sales in August.

Persons: Hooker, David L, Ryan, ” Williams, Laura Alber, Brad Thomas, ” Thomas, ”, Gary Friedman, Thomas, Bob Williams, Chris Moye, ” Hooker, Jeremy Hoff, “ Organizations: CNN, West Elm, Boston Globe, KeyBanc, Home, Target, Mortgage, Association Locations: Virginia, Wayfair, Williams, Sonoma, Lynnfield

These are tough times for the housing market. Meanwhile on Wednesday, the Mortgage Bankers Association said mortgage applications have plunged 28% since last year and are now at the lowest level since late 1996. After two years of a pandemic-fueled housing market frenzy and another year of rising rates and tight inventory, consumers are weary. During the pandemic, as the Federal Reserve moved to lower interest rates, mortgage rates fell to 3% and below, prompting a wave of refinancings. “Mortgage applications declined to the lowest level since December 1996, despite a drop in mortgage rates,” said Joel Kan, deputy chief economist at the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Persons: Freddie Mac’s, ”, Lisa Sturtevant, ” Sturtevant, Joel Kan, Redfin, Niko Voutsinas Organizations: Mortgage Bankers Association, National Association of Home Builders, Housing, Bright MLS, “, Federal Reserve, Mortgage, Association Locations: Washington, Chicago

The MBA also reported that the average 30-year mortgage rate applicants received fell to 7.21%, a 10-basis-point decrease from the week before. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's interest rates will affect your monthly payments. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesLast week's average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 7.18%, according to Freddie Mac. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates were 6.55% last week, according to Freddie Mac data. Mortgage rates increased dramatically in 2022 and have been volatile so far in 2023, but they're expected to trend down later this year.

Persons: they've, Joel Kan, you'll, Freddie Mac Organizations: Mortgage, Survey, Zillow, Federal Reserve Locations: Chevron

☆ Mortgage demand drops to 27-year low as interest rates pull back
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

After rising sharply for several weeks, mortgage interest rates pulled back slightly last week, but not enough to revive mortgage demand. Total mortgage application volume fell 2.9% last week, compared with the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's seasonally adjusted index. "Mortgage applications declined to the lowest level since December 1996, despite a drop in mortgage rates," said Joel Kan, an MBA economist. "Prospective buyers remain on the sidelines due to low housing inventory and elevated mortgage rates," Kan added. Mortgage rates turned higher again to start this week, and more economic data out in the coming days could impact rates further.

Persons: Joel Kan, Kan Organizations: Mortgage Locations: Los Angeles , California

Average 30-year mortgage rates finally dropped back below 7% last week, but they're still elevated compared to where they've been in recent months. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage Refinance Rates TodayMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. 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. But whether mortgage rates will drop in 2023 hinges on if the Federal Reserve can get inflation under control. Sky high mortgage rates have pushed many hopeful buyers out of the market, slowing homebuying demand and putting downward pressure on home prices.

Persons: they've, Fannie Mae Organizations: Zillow, Federal Reserve, Mortgage, Association, Sky, ARM Locations: Chevron

After falling last week, average 30-year mortgage rates are holding relatively steady below 7%. According to its latest forecast, the Mortgage Bankers Association believes that 30-year mortgage rates should reach 6.2% by the end of this year. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowToday's refinance ratesMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. But whether mortgage rates will drop in 2023 hinges on if the Federal Reserve can get inflation under control. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Persons: you'll, Fannie Mae Organizations: Federal Reserve, Mortgage, Association, Zillow, Fed, Sky Locations: Chevron

Average 30-year mortgage rates are no longer above 7%, though they're still elevated compared to where they've been in recent months. 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 Decrease (-0.04%)The current average 30-year fixed mortgage rate is 6.89%, down four basis points since this time last week. 15-year Fixed Mortgage Rates Increase (+0.10%)The average 15-year mortgage rate is 6.17%, a 10-basis-point decrease from last week. Mortgage rates have been volatile so far in 2023, and they're higher than they were in September 2022.

Persons: they're, they've, Mike Fratantoni, you'll, refinance, It's Organizations: Fed, Mortgage Bankers Association, Zillow Locations: Chevron

☆ US pending home sales rose in July for the second month in a row
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington, DC CNN —US pending home sales ticked up in July by 0.9%, rising for the second month in a row despite elevated prices and rising mortgage rates, according to a report released Wednesday by the National Association of Realtors. “However, rising mortgage rates and limited inventory have temporarily hindered the possibility of buying for many.”There was regional variation in pending home sales according to the index. Pending sales rose in the South, up 2% from June; and the West, which was up 6.2% from June. Affordability challenges expected to keep sales coolPending home sales or contract signings tend to lead existing home sales by roughly one to two months. Few homeowners with ultra-low mortgage rates of 3% or 4% are willing to sell their home and buy another one at 7%.

Persons: ”, Lawrence Yun, Jobs, ” Yun, “, Danielle Hale, ” Hale, Hale Organizations: DC CNN, National Association of Realtors, Realtor.com, Buyers, Mortgage, Association Locations: Washington

Search resuls for: "Mortgage Bankers Association"

25 mentions found